E7-10615. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-0112).

SUMMARY:

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), MMS is inviting comments on a collection of information that we will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request (ICR) concerns the paperwork requirements in the Performance Measures Data, Form MMS-131.

DATES:

Submit written comments by July 31, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by any of the following methods listed below. Please use the Information Collection Number 1010-0112 as an identifier in your message.

• E-mail MMS at [e-mail]. Identify with Information Collection Number 1010-0112 in the subject line.
• Fax: [phone]. Identify with Information Collection Number 1010-0112.
• Mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the Interior; Minerals Management Service; Attention: Cheryl Blundon; 381 Elden Street, MS-4024; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference “Information Collection 1010-0112” in your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and Standards Branch at [phone]. You may also contact Cheryl Blundon to obtain a copy, at no cost, of Form MMS-131.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Performance Measures Data, Form MMS-131.

OMB Control Number: 1010-0112.

Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.), as amended, requires the Secretary of the Interior to preserve, protect, and develop OCS oil, gas, and sulphur resources; make such resources available to meet the Nation's energy needs as rapidly as possible; balance orderly energy resources development with protection of the human, marine, and coastal environments; ensure the public a fair and equitable return on the resources offshore; and preserve and maintain free enterprise competition. These responsibilities are among those delegated to the MMS. MMS generally issues regulations to ensure that operations in the OCS will meet statutory requirements; provide for safety and protect the environment; and result in diligent exploration, development, and production of OCS leases.

Beginning in 1991, MMS has promoted, on a voluntary basis, the implementation of a comprehensive Safety and Environmental Management Program (SEMP) for the offshore oil and gas industry as a complement to current regulatory efforts to protect people and the environment during OCS oil and gas exploration and production activities.

From the beginning, MMS, the industry as a whole, and individual companies realized that at some point they would want to know the effect of SEMP on safety and environmental management of the OCS. The natural consequence of this interest was the establishment of performance measures. We will be requesting OMB approval for an extension of the performance measures on data Form MMS-131.

The responses to this collection of information are voluntary, although we consider the information to be critical for assessing the effects of the OCS Safety and Environmental Management Program. We can better focus our regulatory and research programs on areas where the performance measures indicate that operators are having difficulty meeting MMS expectations. We are more effective in leveraging resources by redirecting research efforts, promoting appropriate regulatory initiatives, and shifting inspection program emphasis. The performance measures also give us valuable quantitative information to use in judging the reasonableness of company requests for alternative compliance or departures under 30 CFR 250.141 and 250.142. We also use the information collected to work with industry representatives to identify and request “pacesetter” companies to make presentations at periodic workshops.

Knowing how the offshore operators, as a group, are doing and where their own company ranks, provides company management with information to focus their continuous improvement efforts. This leads to more cost-effective prevention actions and, therefore, better cost containment. This information also provides offshore operators and organizations with a credible data source to demonstrate to those outside the industry how well the industry and individual companies are doing.

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 250.197, “Data and information to be made available to the public or for limited inspection.” No items of a sensitive nature are collected. Responses are voluntary. We intend to release data collected on Form MMS-131 only in a summary format that is not company-specific.

Frequency: The frequency is annual, during the 1st quarter of the year.

Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 100 Federal OCS oil and gas or sulphur lessees.

Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping “Hour” Burden: The currently approved “hour” burden for Form MMS-131 is 504 hours. We estimate the public reporting burden averages 8 hours per response. This includes the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the information.

Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping “Non-Hour Cost” Burden: We have identified no “non-hour cost” burden associated with Form MMS-131.

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: Before submitting an ICR to OMB, PRA section 3506(c)(2)(A) 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.

Agencies must also estimate the “non-hour cost” burdens to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information. Therefore, if you have costs to generate, maintain, and disclose this information, you should comment and provide your total capital and startup cost components or annual operation, maintenance, and purchase of service components. You should describe the methods you use to estimate major cost factors, including system and technology acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, discount rate(s), and the period over which you incur costs. Capital and startup costs include, among other items, computers and software you purchase to prepare for collecting information, monitoring, and record storage facilities. You should not include estimates for equipment or services purchased: (i) Before October 1, 1995; (ii) to comply with requirements not associated with the information collection; (iii) for reasons other than to provide information or keep records for the Government; or (iv) as part of customary and usual business or private practices.

We will summarize written responses to this notice and address them in our submission for OMB approval. As a result of your comments, we will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to OMB.

Public Comment Policy: 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.

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

Dated: May 18, 2007.

E.P. Danenberger,

Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.