[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3134-3135]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1224]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of
Management and Budget Review; Comment Request
AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, DOI.
ACTION: Notice of information collection solicitation.
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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Minerals
Management Service (MMS) is soliciting comments on an information
collection, Royalty-in-Kind (RIK) Determination of Need (OMB Control
Number 1010-0119), which expires on May 31, 1999.
FORM: None.
DATES: Written comments should be received on or before March 22, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Comments sent via the U.S. Postal Service should be sent to
Minerals Management Service, Royalty Management Program, Rules and
Publications Staff, P.O. Box 25165, MS 3021, Denver, Colorado 80225-
0165; courier address is Building 85, Room A613, Denver Federal Center,
Denver, Colorado 80225; e:mail address is RMP.comments@mms.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis C. Jones, Rules and
Publications Staff, phone (303) 231-3046, FAX (303) 231-3385, e-mail
Dennis.C.Jones@mms.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, Section 3506 (c)(2)(A), we are notifying you, members of
the public and affected agencies, of this collection of information
which expires May 31, 1999. We are requesting OMB approval for a three
year extension of this existing collection authority. Is this
information collection necessary for us to properly do our job? Have we
accurately estimated the industry burden for responding to this
collection? Can we enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information we collect? Can we lessen the burden of this information
collection on the respondents by using automated collection techniques
or other forms of information technology?
MMS on behalf of the Secretary performs Determinations of Need
prior to issuing a Notice of Availability of Sale in the Federal
Register advising industry of a forthcoming RIK sale. In past practice,
the Determination of Need process has been an informal process reacting
primarily to expressions of interest from small refiners not already
participating in the program as well as indications from participating
refiners of their continued interest in the program. We have also
received formal expressions of interest from Congressmen on behalf of
their refiner constituents, inquiries that we have also factored into
our decision-making process.
As part of ongoing process reengineering, MMS has concluded that a
proactive, structured, and documented methodology should be established
for conducting all future RIK Determinations of Need. The first step in
this process is to issue a Federal Register notice requesting specific
information from eligible refiners: location of refinery; desirability
of offshore versus onshore crude; type of crude desired (e.g., Wyoming
Sweet); ability to obtain long-term supply of desired crude (with
supporting documentation such as ``denial'' by major supplier); ability
to obtain desired crude at fair market prices (with supporting
documentation that desired oil was not available or equitably priced
for the area or region in question); and percentage of total refining
capacity attributable to Federal oil versus other sources; etc.
Feedback from refiners (or other interested parties, like lease owners
or operators) will be used by MMS to assess current marketplace
conditions--i.e., whether small, independent refiners have access to
ongoing supplies of crude oil at equitable prices.
We anticipate that 20 refiners (and other interested parties) will
respond to this information collection request. Based on consultation
with current program refiners, we estimate that each respondent will
spend 4 hours per
[[Page 3135]]
response for a total industry burden of 80 hours.
Dated: January 13, 1999.
R. Dale Fazio,
Acting Associate Director for Royalty Management.
[FR Doc. 99-1224 Filed 1-19-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
