05-3241. Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-0150).

SUMMARY:

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork requirements in Form MMS-144, “Rig Movement Notification Report.” This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

DATES:

Submit written comments by March 24, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments on this information collection directly to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) either by e-mail ([e-mail]) or by fax [phone], directly to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior (1010-0150).

Submit a copy of your comments to the Department of the Interior, MMS, via:

• MMS's Public Connect online commenting system, https://ocsconnect.mms.gov. Follow the instructions on the Web site for submitting comments.
• E-mail MMS at [e-mail]. Use the Information Collection Number in the subject line.
• Fax: [phone]. Identify with Information Collection Number.
• Mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the Interior; Minerals Management Service; Attention: Rules Processing Team (RPT); 381 Elden Street, MS-4024; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference “Information Collection 1010-0150” in your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cheryl Blundon, Rules Processing Team, [phone]. You may also contact Cheryl Blundon to obtain a copy, at no cost, of the regulation and the form that requires the subject collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Form MMS-144, Rig Movement Notification Report.

OMB Control Number: 1010-0150.

Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. and 43 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), authorizes the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to prescribe rules and regulations to administer leasing of the OCS. Such rules and regulations will apply to all operations conducted under a lease. Operations on the OCS must preserve, protect, and develop oil and natural gas resources in a manner that is consistent with the need to make such resources available to meet the Nation's energy needs as rapidly as possible; to balance orderly energy resource development with protection of human, marine, and coastal environments; to ensure the public a fair and equitable return on the resources of the OCS; and to preserve and maintain free enterprise competition. Section 1332(6) of the Act requires that “operations in the [O]uter Continental Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner by well-trained personnel using technology, precautions, and techniques sufficient to prevent or minimize the likelihood of blowouts, loss of well control, fires, spillages, physical obstruction to other users of the waters or subsoil and seabed, or other occurrences which may cause damage to the environment or to property, or endanger life or health.”

This ICR concerns the regulations in 30 CFR part 250 Subparts D, E, and F, specifically §§ 403(c), 502, and 602, on the movement of drilling, completion, and workover rigs and related equipment on and off an offshore platform or from well to well on the same offshore platform. The requirement for operators to notify MMS of rig movements is only specifically stated in § 250.403(c). Since MMS is mandated to perform timely inspections on rigs and platforms, we must have accurate information with regard to their location on the OCS. We use this information in scheduling inspections with regard to priority and cost effectiveness.

However, because of the increased volume of activity in the Gulf of Mexico Region (GOMR), it is now standard MMS procedure to require this notification as a condition of approval for well workover, recompletion, or abandonment operations. Because of this we have included the rig movement notification with the other general information collection requirements of these regulations under OMB control numbers 1010-0141, 1010-0067, and 1010-0043 (30 CFR part 250, subparts D, E, and F, respectively). The MMS District Offices use the information reported to ascertain the precise arrival and departure of all rigs in OCS waters. The accurate location of these rigs is necessary to better facilitate the scheduling of inspections by MMS personnel.

We will protect information from respondents considered proprietary under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2) and under regulations at 30 CFR 250.196, “Data and information to be made available to the public.” No items of a sensitive nature are collected. Responses are mandatory.

Frequency: The frequency is on occasion.

Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 Federal OCS oil and gas lessees.

Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping “Hour” Burden: We estimate respondents will average 6 minutes to fill out and complete Form MMS-144. The total annual estimate is 180 burden hours.

Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping “Non-Hour Cost” Burden: We have identified no cost burdens associated for this collection.

Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Until OMB approves a collection of information, you are not obligated to respond.

Comments: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) requires each agency “ * * * to provide notice * * * and otherwise consult with members of the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of information * * *” Agencies must specifically solicit comments to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the agency to perform its duties, including whether the information is useful; (b) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) minimize the burden on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

To comply with the public consultation process, on September 28, 2004, we published a Federal Register notice (69 FR 57960) announcing that we would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided the required 60-day comment period. In addition, § 250.199 provides the OMB control number for the information collection requirements imposed by form MMS-144. The regulation also informs the public that they may comment at any time on the collections of information and provides the address to which they should send comments. We have received no comments in response to these efforts.

If you wish to comment in response to this notice, you may send your comments to the offices listed under the ADDRESSES section of this notice. OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information collection but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, to ensure maximum consideration, OMB should receive public comments by March 24, 2005.

Public Comment Procedure: MMS's practice is to make comments, including names and addresses of respondents, available for public review. If you wish your name and/or address to be withheld, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. MMS will honor the request to the extent allowable by the law; however, anonymous comments will not be considered. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their entirety.

MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz, [phone].

Dated: December 8, 2004.

E.P. Danenberger,

Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.