2011-27842. Notice of Proposed Information Collection for 1029-0036

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 its intention to request approval to continue the collection of information for Surface Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plan. This information collection activity was previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and assigned clearance number 1029-0036.

DATES:

Comments on the proposed information collection must be received by December 27, 2011, to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be mailed to John Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave, NW., Room 203—SIB, Washington, DC 20240. Comments may also be submitted electronically to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To receive a copy of the information collection request contact John Trelease, at [phone], or by email at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 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)]. This notice identifies an information collection that OSM will be submitting to OMB for renewed approval. The collection is contained in 30 CFR part 780—Surface Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plan. OSM will request 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 part 780 is 1029-0036. Responses are required to obtain a benefit for this collection.

Comments are invited on: (1) The need for the collection of information for the performance of the functions of the agency; (2) the accuracy of the agency's burden estimates; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to minimize the information collection burden on respondents, such as use of automated means of collection of the information. A summary of the public comments will accompany OSM's submission of the information collection requests to OMB.

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.

This notice provides the public with 60 days in which to comment on the following information collection activity:

Title: 30 CFR part 780—Surface Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plan.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0036.

Summary: Sections 507(b), 508(a), 510(b), 515(b) and (d), and 522 of Public Law 95-87 require applicants to submit operation and reclamation plans for coal mining activities. This information collection is needed to determine whether the plans will achieve the reclamation and environmental protections pursuant to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Without this information, Federal and State regulatory authorities cannot review and approve permit application requests.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once.

Description of Respondents: Applicants for surface coal mine permits on Federal lands, and State regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Responses: 220 applicants and 217 State responses.

Total Annual Burden Hours for Applicants: 131,378.

Total Annual Burden Hours for States: 76,115.

Total Annual Burden for All Respondents: 207,853.

Total Annual Non-Wage Costs for All Respondents: $1,992,392.

Dated: October 21, 2011.

Stephen M. Sheffield,

Acting Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.