01-8431. Notice of Proposed Information Collection

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 for the collections of information for the Procedures and Criteria for Approval or Disapproval of State Program Submissions, 30 CFR 732; and General Reclamation Requirements, 30 CFR 874.

DATES:

Comments on the proposed information collection must be received by June 5, 2001.

ADDRESSES:

Mail comments to John A. Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave, NW., Room 210-SIB, Washington, DC 20240. Comments may also be submitted electronically to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request a copy of the information collection requests, explanatory information and related forms, contact John A. Trelease, at [phone] or electronically at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which implementing 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 information collections that OSM will be submitting to OMB for extension. These collections are contained in 30 CFR 732 and 874.

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 these information collection activities.

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 collections; 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 submissions of the information collection requests to OMB.

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

Title: Procedures and Criteria for Approval or Disapproval of State Program Submissions, 30 CFR 732.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0024.

Summary: Part 732 establishes the procedures and criteria for approval and disapproval of State program submissions. The information submitted is used to evaluate whether State regulatory authorities are meeting the provisions of their approved programs.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once and annually.

Description of Respondents: 24 State regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Responses: 65.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 9,205.

Title: General Reclamation Requirements, 30 CFR 874.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0113.

Summary: Part 874 establishes land and water eligibility requirements, reclamation objectives and priorities and reclamation contractor responsibility. 30 CFR 874.17 requires consultation between the AML agency and the appropriate Title V regulatory authority on the likelihood of removing the coal under a Title V permit and concurrences between the AML agency and the appropriate Title V regulatory authority on the AML project boundary and the amount of coal that would be extracted under the AML reclamation project.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once.

Description of Respondents: 26 State regulatory authorities and Indian tribes.

Total Annual Responses: 45.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,240.

Dated: March 19, 2001.

Richard G. Bryson,

Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.