2017-24528. Agency Information Collection Activities; Oil Shale Management

AGENCY:

Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are proposing to renew an information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before January 12, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

Send your comments on this information collection request (ICR) by mail to the Jean Sonneman, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, 1849 C Street NW., Room 2134LM, Washington, DC 20240; or by email to [e-mail]. Please reference OMB Control Number 1004-0201 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this ICR, please contact Mary Linda Ponticelli by email at [e-mail] or, by phone at 202-912-7115. Persons who use a telecommunication device for the deaf may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message for the above person.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.

We are soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper functions of the BLM; (2) will this information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the BLM enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the BLM minimize the burden of the collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology.

Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request to OMB to approve this ICR. 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.

The following information is provided for the information collection:

Abstract: This control number applies to the exploration, development, and utilization of oil shale resources on the BLM-managed public lands. Currently, the only oil shale leases issued by the BLM are for research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) leases. However, the BLM regulations provide a framework for commercial oil shale leasing and additionally include provisions for conversion of RD&D leases to commercial leases.

Title of Collection: Oil Shale Management (43 CFR parts 3900, 3910, 3920, and 3930).

OMB Control Number: 1004-0201.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Applicants for oil shale leases, oil shale lessees and oil shale operators.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 24.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 24.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from the number of minutes/hours per response.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 1,795.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain a benefit.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

Total Estimated Annual Non Hour Burden Cost: $526,632.

The estimated burdens are itemized in the following table:

Type of response	Number of responses	Hours per response	Total time (column B × column C)
A	B.	C	D
Application for Waiver, Suspension, or Reduction of Rental or Payment In Lieu of Production; Application for Reduction in Royalty; or Application for Waiver of Royalty, 43 CFR 3903.54(b)	1	1	1
Bonding Requirements, 43 CFR Subpart 3904	1	1	1
Application for an Exploration License, 43 CFR 3910.31(a) through (e)	1	24	24
Notice Seeking Participation in an Exploration License, 43 CFR 3910.31(f)	1	1	1
Data Obtained Under an Exploration License, 43 CFR 3910.44	1	8	8
Response to Call for Expression of Leasing Interest, 43 CFR 3921.30	1	4	4
Application for a Lease — Individuals, 43 CFR 3902.23, 3922.20, and 3922.30	1	308	308
Application for a Lease — Associations, 43 CFR 3902.24, 3922.20, and 3922.30	1	308	308
Application for a Lease — Corporations, 43 CFR 3902.25, 3922.20, and 3922.30	1	308	308
Sealed Bid, 43 CFR 3924.10	1	8	8
Application to Convert Research, Development, and Demonstration Lease to Commercial Lease, 43 CFR 3926.10(c)	1	308	308
Drill and Geophysical Logs, 43 CFR 3930.11(b)	1	19	19
New Geologic Information, 43 CFR 3930.20(b)	1	19	19
Plan of Development, 43 CFR 3931.11	1	308	308
Application for Suspension of Lease Operations and Production, 43 CFR 3931.30	1	24	24
Exploration Plan, 43 CFR 3931.41	1	24	24
Modification of Approved Exploration Plan or Plan of Development, 43 CFR 3931.50	1	24	24
Production Maps and Production Reports, 43 CFR 3931.70	1	16	16
Records of Core or Test Hole Samples and Cuttings, 43 CFR 3931.80	1	16	16
Application for Modification of Lease Size, 43 CFR 3932.10, 3930.20, and 3932.30	1	12	12
Request for Approval of Assignment of Record Title or Sublease or Notice of Overriding Royalty Interest Assignment, 43 CFR Subpart 3933	2	10	20
Relinquishment of Lease or Exploration License, 43 CFR 3934.10	1	18	18
Production and Sale Records, 43 CFR 3935.10	1	16	16
Totals	24		1,795

The authorities for this action are the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands Act of 1947, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the EP Act and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.).

Jean Sonneman,

Information Collection Clearance Officer, Bureau of Land Management.