2013-01738. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Fire Protection in Underground Coal Mines

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, “Fire Protection in Underground Coal Mines,” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

DATES:

Submit comments on or before February 28, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained from the RegInfo.gov Web site, http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain, on the day following publication of this notice or by contacting Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or sending an email to [e-mail].

Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-MSHA, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, Fax: [phone] (this is not a toll-free number), email: [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at [e-mail].

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulations 30 CFR 75.1502 requires an underground coal mine operator to submit for MSHA approval a plan for the instruction of miners in firefighting and evacuation procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency. In addition, various sections of part 75 require fire drills to be conducted quarterly, equipment to be tested, and a record to be kept of the drills and testing results.

This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public is generally not required to respond to an information collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection under Control Number 1219-0054. The current approval is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2013; however, it should be noted that existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review.

This ICR has been classified as a revision for technical reasons. This ICR would move burden associated with information collection requirements contained in regulations 30 CFR 75-1103-5(a)(2)(ii) and 75.1103-8(b) and (c) from Control Number 1219-0145 to 1219-0054; however, the actual requirements will remain unchanged. The DOL intends to submit a corresponding non-material change under Control Number 1219-0145 to the OMB after receiving a Notice of Action approving Control Number 1219-0054 with the new burden. For additional information, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on September 19, 2012 (77 FR 58170).

Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in the ADDRESSES section within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1219-0054. The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:

• Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;
• Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
• 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 responses.

Agency: DOL-MSHA.

Title of Collection: Fire Protection in Underground Coal Mines.

OMB Control Number: 1219-0054.

Affected Public: Private Sector—businesses or other for-profits.

Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 549.

Total Estimated Number of Responses: 294,618.

Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 54,809.

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $693.

Dated: January 23, 2013.

Michel Smyth,

Departmental Clearance Officer.