[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 62592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19660]



[[Page 62592]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[LLHQ320000.L13300000.EN0000; OMB Control No. 1004-0201]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Oil Shale Management

AGENCY: Bureau of Land 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 Land Management (BLM) proposes to renew an information 
collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
November 13, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Send your written comments on this information collection 
request (ICR) by mail to Darrin King, Information Collection Clearance 
Officer, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, 
Attention PRA Office, 440 W 200 S #500, Salt Lake City, UT 84101; or by 
email to [email protected]. Please reference Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1004-0201 in the subject 
line of your comments. Please note that the electronic submission of 
comments is recommended.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Sabry Hanna by email at [email protected], or by 
telephone at (571) 458-6644. 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. You may also view the ICR at 
http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all 
information collections require approval under the PRA. We may not 
conduct or sponsor, and you are not required to respond to a collection 
of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies to comment on 
new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This 
helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements 
and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public 
understand our information collection requirements and provide the 
requested data in the desired format.
    We are especially interested in public comment addressing the 
following:
    (1) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How the agency might minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of response.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Abstract: This OMB control number applies to the exploration, 
development, and utilization of oil shale resources on the BLM-managed 
public lands. Currently, the only oil shale leases issued by the BLM 
are research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) leases. However, 
the BLM regulations provide a framework for commercial oil shale 
leasing and additionally include provisions for conversion of RD&D 
leases to commercial leases. Section 369 of the Energy Policy Act (42 
U.S.C. 15927) addresses oil shale development and authorizes the 
Secretary of the Interior to establish regulations for a commercial 
leasing program for oil shale. The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (30 
U.S.C. 241(a)) provides the authority for the BLM to allow for the 
exploration, development, and utilization of oil shale resources on the 
BLM-managed public lands. Additional statutory authorities for the oil 
shale program are: (1) The Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands of 
1947 (30 U.S.C. 351-359); and (2) The Federal Land Policy and 
Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq., including 43 
U.S.C. 1732). OMB Control Number 1004-0201 is currently scheduled to 
expire on June 30, 2024. The BLM plans to request that OMB renew this 
OMB control number for an additional three (3) years.
    Title of Collection: Oil Shale Management (43 CFR parts 3900, 3910, 
3920, and 3930).
    OMB Control Number: 1004-0201.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Applicants for oil shale leases, oil 
shale lessees and oil shale operators.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 2.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 24.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from the number of 
minutes/hours per response.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 1,795.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $526,667.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor and, notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, a person is not required to respond to a collection 
of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Darrin A. King,
Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-19660 Filed 9-11-23; 8:45 am]
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