01-428. Notice of Proposed Information Collection

AGENCY:

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Interior.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing that the information collection request for 30 CFR 816, Permanent Program Performance Standards—Surface Mining Activities, has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and the expected burden and cost.

DATES:

OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information collections but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, public comments should be submitted to OMB by February 7, 2001, in order to be assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request a copy of the information collection request, explanatory information and related form, contact John A. Trelease at [phone], or electronically to [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which implement provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), require that interested members of the public and affected agencies have an opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping activities [see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)]. OSM has submitted a request to OMB to renew its approval of the collection of information found at 30 CFR 816, Permanent Program Performance Standards—Surface Mining Activities. OSM is requesting a 3-year term of approval for this information collection activity.

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 OMB control number for this collection of information is listed in 30 CFR 816, which is 1029-0047.

As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on October 17, 2000 (65 FR 61363). No comments were received. This notice provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to comment.

The following information is provided for the information collection: (1) Title of the information collection; (2) OMB control number; (3) summary of the information collection activity; and (4) frequency of collection, description of the respondents, estimated total annual responses, and the total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden for the collection of information. Where appropriate, OSM has revised burden estimates to reflect current reporting levels and adjustments based on reestimates of the burden or number of respondents.

Title: Permanent Program Performance Standards—Surface Mining Activities, 30 CFR Part 816.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0047.

Summary: Section 525 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 provides that permittees conducting surface coal mining operations shall meet all applicable performance standards of the Act. The information collected is used by the regulatory authority in monitoring and inspecting surface coal mining activities to ensure that they are conducted in compliance with the requirements of the Act.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once, on occasion, quarterly and annually.

Description of Respondents: Surface coal mining operators.

Total Annual Responses: 731,787.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 355,405.

Send comments on the need for the collection of information for the performance of the functions of the agency; the accuracy of the agency's burden estimates; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and ways to minimize the information collection burden on respondents, such as use of automated means of collection of the information, to the following address. Please refer to the appropriate OMB control number in all correspondence.

ADDRESSES:

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Department of Interior Desk Officer, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503; and to John A. Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave., NW., Room 210-SIB, Washington, DC 20240.

Dated: January 3, 2001.

Richard G. Bryson,

Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.