2010-15564. Notice of Proposed Information Collection for 1029-0030 and 1029-0049

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 30 CFR 764—State Processes for Designating Areas Unsuitable for Surface Coal Mining Operations, and 30 CFR Part 822—Special Permanent Program Performance Standards Operations in Alluvial Valley Floors.

DATES:

Comments on the proposed information collection must be received by August 30, 2010 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] or by fax to [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To receive a copy of the information collection requests contact John Trelease, at [phone] or by e-mail to [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR 1320, when 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 part 764 and 30 CFR part 822.

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 the Office of Management and Budget (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 activities:

Title: 30 CFR 764—State Processes for Designating Areas Unsuitable for Surface Coal Mining Operations.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0030.

Summary: This part implements the requirement of section 522 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), Public Law 95-87, which provides authority for citizens to petition States to designate lands unsuitable for surface coal mining operations, or to terminate such designation. The regulatory authority uses the information to identify, locate, compare and evaluate the area requested to be designated as unsuitable, or terminate the designation, for surface coal mining operations.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once.

Description of Respondents: Individuals, groups or businesses that petition the States, and the State regulatory authorities that must process the petitions.

Total Annual Respondents: 3.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,920.

Total Annual Non-wage Costs: $150.

Title: 30 CFR 822—Special Permanent Program Performance Standards—Operations in Alluvial Valley Floors.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0049.

Summary: Sections 510(b)(5) and 515(b)(10)(F) of the Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act of 1977 (the Act) protect alluvial valley floors from the adverse effects of surface coal mining operations west of the 100th meridian. Part 822 requires the permittee to install, maintain, and operate a monitoring system in order to provide specific protection for alluvial valley floors. This information is necessary to determine whether the unique hydrologic conditions of alluvial valley floors are protected according to the Act.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Annually.

Description of Respondents: 21 coal mining operators who operate on alluvial valley floors and the State regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Responses: 42.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,300.

Total Annual Non-wage Costs: $0.

Dated: June 21, 2010.

John R. Craynon,

Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.