E9-4939. Notice of Proposed Information Collection for 1029-0061

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 request approval to continue the collection of information under 30 CFR Part 795—Permanent Regulatory Program—Small Operator Assistance Program (SOAP). This information collection activity was previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and assigned clearance number 1029-0061.

DATES:

Comments on the proposed information collection activity must be received by May 11, 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 at the e-mail address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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 that OSM will be submitting to OMB for renewed approval. This collection is contained in 30 CFR Part 795—Permanent Regulatory Program Small Operator Assistance Program. OSM will request a 3-year term of approval for this 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.

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.

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

Title: 30 CFR Part 795—Permanent Regulatory Program—Small Operator Assistance Program.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0061.

SUMMARY:

This information collection requirement is needed to provide assistance to qualified small mine operators under section 507(c) of Public Law 95-87. The information requested will provide the regulatory authority with data to determine the eligibility of the applicant and the capability and expertise of laboratories to perform required tasks.

Bureau Form Number: FS-6.

Description of Respondents: Small operators, laboratories, and State regulatory authorities.

Frequency of Collection: Once per application.

Total Annual Responses: 4.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 93 hours.

Dated: March 3, 2009.

John R. Craynon,

Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.