2016-05145. Notice of Proposed Information Collection; Request for Comments for 1029-0115

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 (OSMRE) is announcing that the information collection request for the requirements for permits and permit processing has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection package was previously approved and assigned control number 1029-0115. This information collection will also seek approval to collect permit processing fees approved under OSM regulations. This notice describes the nature of the information collection activity and the expected burdens.

DATES:

OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information collection but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, public comments should be submitted to OMB by April 7, 2016, in order to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Department of the Interior Desk Officer, by telefax at [phone] or via email to [e-mail]. Also, please send a copy of your comments to John Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave. NW., Room 203—SIB, Washington, DC 20240, or electronically to [e-mail]. Please reference 1029-0115 in your correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To receive a copy of the information collection request contact John Trelease at [phone], or electronically at [e-mail]. You may also review this information collection request on the Internet by going to http://www.reginfo.gov (Information Collection Review, Currently Under Review, Agency is Department of the Interior, DOI-OSMRE).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 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)]. OSM has submitted a request to OMB to renew its approval for the collection of information for 30 CFR part 773—Requirements for Permits and Permit Processing. OSM is requesting a 3-year term of approval for this information collection activity.

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. The OMB control number for this collection, 1029-0115, is listed in 30 CFR 773.3.

As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice soliciting comments on these collections of information was published on December 9, 2015 (80 FR 76571). No comments were received. This notice provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to comment on the following collection activity:

Title: 30 CFR part 773—Requirements for Permits and Permit Processing.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0115.

Summary: The collection activities for this Part ensure that the public has the opportunity to review permit applications prior to their approval, and that applicants for permanent program permits or their associates who are in violation of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act do not receive surface coal mining permits pending resolution of their violations. This collection request includes the submission of processing fees authorized by 30 CFR 736.25 and 750.25 in Federal program states and on Indian lands, respectively.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once.

Description of Respondents: Applicants for surface coal mining and reclamation permits and State governments and Indian Tribes.

Total Annual Respondents: 942 coal mining applicants and 24 regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 39,224.

Total Annual Non-Wage Cost Burden: $100,500.

Obligation to Respond: Required in order to obtain or retain benefits.

Send comments on the need for the collection of information for the performance of the functions of the agency; the accuracy of the agency's burden estimates; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and ways to minimize the information collection burden on respondents, such as use of automated means of collection of the information, to the places listed in ADDRESSES. Please refer to control number 1029-0115 in all correspondence.

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.

Dated: March 2, 2016.

John A. Trelease,

Acting Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.