00-28563. 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 its intention to request approval for the collection of information for the exemption of coal extraction incidental to the extraction of other minerals at 30 CFR Part 702.

DATES:

Comments on the proposed information collection must be received by January 8, 2001, to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be mailed to John A. Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave., NW, Room 210—SIB, Washington, DC 20240. Comments may also be submitted electronically to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request a copy of the information collection request, explanatory information and related forms, contact John A. Trelease, at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which implementing 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 extension. This collection is contained in 30 CFR 702, Exemption for Coal Extraction Incidental to the Extraction of Other Minerals.

OSM has revised burden estimates, where appropriate, to reflect current reporting levels or adjustments based on reestimates of burden or respondents. OSM will request a 3-year term of approval for each information collection activity.

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.

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

Title: Exemption for Coal Extraction Incidental to the Extraction of Other Minerals, 30 CFR Part 702.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0089.

Summary: This part implements the requirement in Section 701(28) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), which grants an exemption from the requirements of SMCRA to operators extracting not more than 162/3 percentage tonnage of coal incidental to the extraction of other minerals. This information will be used by the regulatory authorities to make that determination.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once and annually thereafter.

Description of Respondents: Producers of coal and other minerals.

Total Annual Responses: 61.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 513.

Dated: November 2, 2000.

Richard G. Bryson,

Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.