[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 236 (Monday, December 11, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 85908-85909]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27132]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

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


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; 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) is proposing to renew an information 
collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
January 10, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

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

[[Page 85909]]

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), we 
provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an 
opportunity 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.
    A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period 
soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on 
September 12, 2023 (88 FR 62592).
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other 
Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. 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 might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through 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. 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 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 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: $526,737.
    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. 2023-27132 Filed 12-8-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-P