[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15890-15892]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04554]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[OMB Control Number 1010-0082; Docket ID: BOEM-2024-0007]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Leasing of Minerals 
Other Than Oil, Gas, and Sulphur in the Outer Continental Shelf

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 1010-0082.

DATES: Comments must be received by BOEM no later than May 6, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this ICR by mail 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 1010-0082 in the subject line of your comments. You may comment 
on the ICR and view related documents by searching the docket number 
``BOEM-2024-0007'' at http://www.regulations.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 of 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.
    BOEM is soliciting comments on the proposed ICR described below. 
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. BOEM will include or summarize each comment on its ICR 
to OMB for approval of this information collection. 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 at any time. Even if BOEM 
withholds your

[[Page 15891]]

personally identifiable information in the context of this ICR, your 
comment is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 
552). Your information will only be withheld if a determination is made 
that one of the FOIA exemptions to disclosure applies. Such a 
determination will be made in accordance with the DOI's FOIA 
implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2) and applicable law.
    In order for BOEM to consider withholding from disclosure your 
personal identifying information, you must identify, in a cover letter, 
any information contained in the submittal of your comments that, if 
released, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of your 
personal privacy. You must also briefly describe any possible harmful 
consequences of the disclosure of information, such as embarrassment, 
injury, or other harm. Note that BOEM will make available for public 
inspection, in their entirety, all comments submitted by organizations 
and businesses, or by individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives of organizations or businesses.
    BOEM protects proprietary information in accordance with the 
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), Outer Continental Shelf 
(OCS) Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1352(c)), and the Department of the 
Interior's (DOI) implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2 and 30 CFR 
part 581).
    Title of Collection: 30 CFR part 581, ``Leasing of Minerals Other 
Than Oil, Gas, and Sulphur in the Outer Continental Shelf.''
    Abstract: The OCS Lands Act (Act), as amended (43 U.S.C. 1334 and 
43 U.S.C. 1337(k)), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior 
(Secretary) to administer OCS leasing and to prescribe the necessary 
regulations to do so. The Act authorizes the Secretary to lease any 
mineral other than oil, gas, and sulphur, subject to royalty, rental, 
and other terms and conditions that the Secretary may prescribe at the 
time of the lease offer.
    Regulations at 30 CFR part 581 implement these statutory 
requirements. BOEM has not conducted any OCS leasing activity for 
minerals other than oil, gas, or sulphur in many years. Consequently, 
BOEM has not generally collected information under this part of its 
regulations. However, BOEM recognizes that the potential for such 
information collection exists under part 581. Therefore, BOEM seeks OMB 
renewal of the part 581 information collection.
    BOEM will use the information required by 30 CFR part 581 to 
determine if statutory requirements are met prior to the issuance of a 
lease. Specifically, BOEM will use the information to:
     Evaluate the area and minerals requested by the applicant 
to assess the viability of offering leases for sale;
     Request States to establish a joint task force to assess 
the proposed action;
     Ensure excessive overriding royalty interests are not 
created that would put economic constraints on all parties involved;
     Document that a leasehold or geographical subdivision has 
been surrendered by the record title holder; and
     Determine if activities on the proposed lease area(s) will 
have a significant impact on the environment.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0082.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Renewal of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents and Affected Public: As there are no active 
respondents, BOEM estimates the potential annual number of respondents 
to be one. Potential respondents are OCS lease requestors, State 
governments, and OCS mineral lessees.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 11 responses.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 1,004 hours.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to retain or obtain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden Cost: $50 non-hour cost 
burden.
    The following table details the individual information collection 
components and respective hour burden estimates of this ICR. The 
current approved annual burden hours are equal to 984 hours and the 
annual responses are equal to 10. This information collection request 
increases burdens to 1,004 and annual responses to 11 due to the 
potential of tie bids. Tie bids requirements would involve more than 
one respondent, so BOEM plans to increase this by one response and 20 
annual burden hours. BOEM assumed that respondents perform certain 
requirements in the normal course of their activities. BOEM considers 
such requirements to be usual and customary and took that into account 
in estimating the burden.

                                                  Burden Table
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                                          Reporting and/or                                              Annual
         Citation 30 CFR 581               recordkeeping         Hour     Average number of annual      burden
                                           requirements *       burden            reponses              hours
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                                                         Non-hour cost burden(s) *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               Subpart A--General
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6....................................  Appeal decisions.....  Exempt under 5 CFR 1320.4(a)(2), (c).            0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9....................................  Governor of affected          16  1 request.................           16
                                        State initiates
                                        negotiations on
                                        jurisdictional
                                        controversy, etc.,
                                        and enters agreement
                                        with BOEM.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal...........................................................  1 response................           16
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          Subpart B--Leasing Procedures
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11(a), (c)...........................  Submit request for            60  1 request.................           60
                                        approval for mineral
                                        lease with required
                                        information.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12...................................  Submit response to     Not considered IC as defined in 5 CFR            0
                                        Call for Information  1320.3(h)(4).
                                        and Interest on
                                        areas for leasing of
                                        minerals (other than
                                        oil, gas, or
                                        sulphur) in
                                        accordance with
                                        approved lease
                                        program, including
                                        information from
                                        States/local
                                        governments,
                                        industry, Federal
                                        agencies.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13; 16...............................  States or local              200  1 comment.................          200
                                        governments
                                        establish task
                                        force; submit
                                        comments/
                                        recommendations on
                                        planning,
                                        coordination,
                                        consultation, and
                                        other issues that
                                        may contribute to
                                        the leasing process.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 15892]]

 
16...................................  Submit suggestions     Not considered IC as defined in 5 CFR            0
                                        and relevant          1320.3(h)(4).
                                        information in
                                        response to request
                                        for comments on the
                                        proposed leasing
                                        notice, including
                                        information from
                                        States/local
                                        governments.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18; 20(e), (f); 26(a), (b)...........  Submit bids (oral or         250  1 response................          250
                                        sealed) and required
                                        information.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18(b)(3), (c); 20 (e), (f)...........  Tie bids--submit oral         20  2 responses...............           40
                                        bids for highest
                                        bidder.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20(a), (b), (c); 41(a)...............  Establish a company           58  1 response................           58
                                        file for
                                        qualification,
                                        submit updated
                                        information, submit
                                        qualifications for
                                        lessee/bidder and
                                        required information.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21(a); 47(c).........................  Request for            Not considered IC per 5 CFR                      0
                                        reconsideration of    1320.3(h)(9).
                                        bid rejection/
                                        cancellation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21(b), (e); 23; 26(e), (i); 40(b); 41  Execute lease                100  1 lease...................          100
                                        (includes submission
                                        of evidence of
                                        authorized agent and
                                        request for dating
                                        of leases); maintain
                                        auditable records re
                                        30 CFR Chapter II,
                                        Subchapter A--
                                        [burden under ONRR
                                        requirements].
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal...........................................................  7 responses...............          708
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Subpart C--Financial Considerations
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
31(b); 41............................  File application and         160  1 application.............          160
                                        required information
                                        for assignment or
                                        transfer for
                                        approval.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       $50 required or non-required filing document fee x 1 = $50.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
32(b), (c)...........................  File application for          80  1 application.............           80
                                        waiver, suspension,
                                        or reduction and
                                        required
                                        documentation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
33; 41(c)............................  Submit surety or       Burden covered under 1010-0081.                  0
                                        personal bond.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal...........................................................  2 responses...............          240
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       $50 non-Hour Cost Burden.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Subpart E--Termination of Leases
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
46...................................  File written request          40  1 response................           40
                                        for relinquishment.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Burden.......................................................  11 responses..............        1,004
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       $50 Non-Hour Cost Burden.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and 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.).

Karen Thundiyil,
Chief, Office of Regulations, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2024-04554 Filed 3-4-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340-98-P