[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 112 (Monday, June 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38093-38094]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-12465]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[OMB Control Number 1010-0081; Docket ID: BOEM-2023-0004]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Operations in the Outer 
Continental Shelf for Minerals Other Than Oil, Gas, and Sulfur

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposes this information 
collection request (ICR) to renew Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Control Number 1010-0081.

DATES: Comments must be received by OMB no later than July 12, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit your written comments on this ICR to the OMB's desk 
officer for the Department of the Interior at www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. From the www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain landing page, 
find this information collection by selecting ``Currently under 
Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. 
Please provide a copy of your comments by parcel delivery to the BOEM 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Anna Atkinson, Bureau of 
Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, Virginia 20166; 
or by email to [email protected]. Please reference OMB Control 
Number 1010-0081 in the subject line of your comments. You may also 
comment by searching the docket number ``BOEM-2023-0004'' at 
www.regulations.gov. Comments submitted in response to this notice are 
a matter of public record and will be available for public review on 
www.reginfo.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anna Atkinson by email at 
[email protected] or by telephone at 703-787-1025. Individuals in 
the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a 
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United 
States should use the relay services offered within their country to 
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, BOEM provides the general public and other Federal 
agencies with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and 
continuing collections of information. This helps BOEM assess the 
impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the 
public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand BOEM's 
information collection requirements and provide the requested data in 
the desired format.
    Title of Collection: ``30 CFR part 582, Operations in the Outer 
Continental Shelf for Minerals Other than Oil, Gas, and Sulfur.''
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 
1334 and 1337(k)(1)) authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to issue 
leases on available areas of the U.S. OCS to the highest qualified 
bidder to develop any mineral resources other than oil, gas, and 
sulfur. The Secretary may prescribe the royalty, rental, and other 
terms and conditions at the time the lease is offered. The act also 
authorizes the Secretary to issue regulations governing such leasing.
    The Secretary delegated authority to implement these provisions 
governing leasing and development of minerals other than oil, gas, and 
sulfur to BOEM. The Department's regulations at 30 CFR part 582 
implement the statutory requirements governing such OCS leasing and 
development.
    Competitive leasing has not occurred for OCS minerals other than 
oil, gas, and sulfur in many years. Accordingly, BOEM has not generally 
collected information under the part 582 regulations. However, given 
the regulatory requirements and heightened interest in critical 
minerals, the potential exists that BOEM may require information under 
this part. Therefore, BOEM seeks OMB renewal of this information 
collection.

[[Page 38094]]

    BOEM will use the information required by 30 CFR part 582 to 
determine if lessees are complying with the regulations for mining 
minerals other than oil, gas, and sulfur. BOEM will also use the 
information to ensure orderly resource development; to protect the 
human, marine, and coastal environments; and to conduct the requisite 
technical and environmental evaluations that inform BOEM's decision to 
approve, disapprove, or require modification of the proposed 
activities.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0081.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Potential respondents are OCS lessees.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 20 responses.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 212 hours.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Frequency of Collection: Monthly, quarterly, or on occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Non-Hour Burden Cost: None.
    We expect the burden estimate for the renewal will be 212 hours. In 
calculating the burdens, we assumed that respondents perform certain 
requirements in the normal course of their activities. We consider 
these to be usual and customary and took that into account in 
estimating the burden.
    A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period on 
this proposed ICR was published on March 3, 2023 (88 FR 13464). BOEM 
received one public comment that opposed oil drilling on the OCS. Oil 
drilling is outside the scope of this ICR. No change in the burden was 
required.
    BOEM is again soliciting comments on the proposed ICR. BOEM is 
especially interested in public comments addressing the following 
issues: (1) is the collection necessary to the proper functions of 
BOEM; (2) what can BOEM do to ensure that this information is processed 
and used in a timely manner; (3) is the burden estimate accurate; (4) 
how might BOEM enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (5) how might BOEM minimize the burden 
of this collection on the respondents, including minimizing the burden 
through the use of information technology?
    Comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record and will be available for public review on 
www.reginfo.gov. You should be aware that your entire comment--
including your address, phone number, email address, or other 
personally identifiable information included in your comment--may be 
made publicly available. Even if BOEM withholds your information in the 
context of this ICR, your comment is subject to the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA). If your comment is requested under FOIA, your 
information will only be withheld if BOEM determines that a FOIA 
exemption to disclosure applies. BOEM will make such a determination in 
accordance with the Department of the Interior's (DOI's) FOIA 
regulations and applicable law.
    In order for BOEM to consider withholding from disclosure your 
personally identifiable information, you must identify, in a cover 
letter, any information contained in your comments that, if released, 
would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of your personal 
privacy. You must also briefly describe any possible harmful 
consequence of the disclosure of information, such as embarrassment, 
injury, or other harm.
    BOEM protects proprietary information in accordance with FOIA (5 
U.S.C. 552) and DOI's implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2).
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid 
OMB control number.
    The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Karen Thundiyil,
Chief, Office of Regulations, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2023-12465 Filed 6-9-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340-98-P