2011-27849. 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 Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plan, has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and the expected burden and cost. This information collection activity was previously approved by OMB and assigned control number 1029-0039.

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 November 28, 2011, in order to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Department of the Interior Desk Officer, by telefax at [phone] or via email to [e-mail]. Also, please send a copy of your comments to John Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave. NW., Room 203-SIB, Washington, DC 20240, or electronically to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To receive a copy of the information collection request contact John Trelease at [phone], or electronically at [e-mail]. You may also review this information collection request by going to http://www.reginfo.gov (Information Collection Review, Currently Under Review, Agency is Department of the Interior, DOI-OSMRE).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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 contained in 30 CFR 784—Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plan. OSM is requesting a 3-year term of approval for the 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 1029-0039, and is displayed in 30 CFR 784.10.

As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on August 3, 2011 (76 FR 46841). No comments were received. This notice provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to comment on the following information collection activity:

Title: 30 CFR 784—Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plan.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0039.

Summary: Sections 507(b), 508(a) and 516(b) of Public Law 95-87 require underground coal mine permit applicants to submit an operations and reclamation plan and establish performance standards for the mining operation. Information submitted is used by the regulatory authority to determine if the applicant can comply with the applicable performance and environmental standards required by the law.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once.

Description of Respondents: 39 underground coal mining permit applicants and 24 state regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 13,200.

Total Annual Non-wage Cost Burden: $378,932.

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 burdens on respondents, such as use of automated means of collection of the information, to the addresses listed under ADDRESSES. Please refer to the appropriate OMB control number in all correspondence.

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.

Dated: October 21, 2011.

Stephen M. Sheffield,

Acting Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.