2011-30345. Notice of Proposed Information Collection for 1029-0035

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 renewed approval for the collection of information for surface and underground mining permit applications—minimum requirements for information on environmental resources.

DATES:

Comments on the proposed information collection must be received by January 27, 2012, 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:

The Office of Management and Budget (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. This collection is contained in 30 CFR parts 779 and 783—Surface and Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Information on Environmental Resources. 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 parts 779 and 783 is 1029-0035. Responses are required to obtain a benefit for this collection.

OSM has revised burden estimates, where appropriate, to reflect current reporting levels or adjustments based on Creestimates of burden on respondents and costs.

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 request 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 Parts 779 and 783—Surface and Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Environmental Resources.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0035.

Summary: Applicants for surface and underground coal mining permits are required to provide adequate descriptions of the environmental resources that may be affected by proposed mining activities. The information will be used by the regulatory authority to determine if the applicant can comply with environmental protection performance standards.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once.

Description of Respondents: 219 coal mining operators and 24 state regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Responses: 2,175.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 188,816.

Total Annual Non-Wage Burden Cost: $0.

Dated: November 18, 2011.

Stephen M. Sheffield,

Acting Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.