E8-29481. Notice of Proposed Information Collection for 1029-0035 and 1029-0038

AGENCY:

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.

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 seek continued approval for two collections of information which we are consolidating into one collection activity: 30 CFR Parts 779 and 783—Surface and Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Information on Environmental Resources.

DATES:

Comments on the proposed information collection must be received by February 13, 2009, 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 202-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 e-mail at the location listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Office of Management and Budget (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)]. This notice identifies an information collection activity that OSM will be submitting to OMB for extension. 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 is combining the two collections and will request that the collections be consolidated under OMB control number 1029-0035, eliminating 1029-0038.

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 this information collection activity.

Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 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.

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: 30 CFR Parts 779 and 783—Surface and Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Information on 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 underground coal mining activities.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once, at time of application submission.

Description of Respondents: 314 Surface and underground coal mining applicants and 24 State regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Responses: 314 Coal mining applicants and 309 State responses.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 52,101 hours.

Dated: December 4, 2008.

John R. Craynon,

Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.