2018-26425. Agency Information Collection Activities: Exemption for Coal Extraction Incidental to the Extraction of Other Minerals

AGENCY:

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing our intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information which implements the requirement in Section 701(28) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). This grants an exemption from the requirements of SMCRA to operators extracting not more than 16 2/3 percentage tonnage of coal incidental to the extraction of other minerals. This information will be used by the regulatory authorities to make that determination.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before January 4, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

Send written comments on this information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget's Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior by email at [e-mail]; or via facsimile to [phone]. Please provide a copy of your comments to John Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1849 C Street NW, Mail Stop 4559, Washington, DC 20240; or by email to [e-mail]. Please reference OMB Control Number 1029-0089 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this ICR, contact John Trelease by email at [e-mail], or by telephone at [phone]. You may also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain.

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 provides the requested data in the desired format.

A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on September 5, 2018 (83 FR 45139). No comments were received.

We are again 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 OSMRE; (2) is the estimate of burden accurate; (3) how might OSMRE enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) how might OSMRE minimize the burden of this 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. 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.

Title of Collection: 30 CFR part 702—Exemption for Coal Extraction Incidental to the Extraction of Other Minerals.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0089.

Abstract: 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 16 2/3 percentage tonnage of coal incidental to the extraction of other minerals. This information will be used by the regulatory authorities to make that determination.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Coal mine operators and State regulatory authorities.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 43 Coal mine operators and 24 State regulatory authorities.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 86 Coal mine operator responses and 126 State regulatory authority responses.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 1 to 28 hours per response from Coal mine operators, and 1 to 30 hours for State regulatory authorities, depending on collection activity.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 703 hours.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.

Frequency of Collection: Once and annually.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $600.

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.

Authority: The authorities for this action are the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, as amended (30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.), and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

John A. Trelease,

Acting Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.