[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 140 (Thursday, July 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39526-39527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18732]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request
AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of extension of currently approved information
collection (1010-0068).
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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501, et seq.), this notice announces that the Information
Collection Request (ICR) discussed below has been forwarded to the OMB
for review and approval. The ICR describes the nature of the
information collection and its expected cost and burden. The PRA
provides that 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.
DATES: Submit written comments by August 23, 1999.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments directly to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for
the Department of the Interior (1010-0079), 725 17th Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20503. Mail or handcarry a copy of your comments to the
Department of the Interior; Minerals Management Service; attention:
Rules Processing Team; Mail Stop 4024; 381 Elden Street; Herndon,
Virginia 20170-4817.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Rules Processing Team,
telephone (703) 787-1600. You may also contact Alexis London to obtain
a copy of the collection of information at no cost.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart M, Unitization.
OMB Control Number: 1010-0068.
Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (43 U.S.C.
1331 et seq.), gives the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) the
responsibility to preserve, protect, and develop oil and gas resources
in the OCS consistent with the need to make such resources available to
meet the Nation's energy needs as rapidly as possible; balance orderly
energy resource development with protection of human, marine, and
coastal environments; ensure the public a fair and equitable return on
the resources of the OCS; and preserve and maintain free enterprise
competition. Section 1334(a) specifies that the Secretary will
establish rules and regulations to provide for the ``prevention of
waste and conservation of the natural resources of the Outer
Continental Shelf, and the protection of correlative rights therein''
and include provisions ``for unitization, pooling, and drilling
agreements.'' To carry out these responsibilities, we have established
regulations at 30 CFR 250, subpart M, ``Unitization.''
The MMS OCS Regions use the information to determine whether to
approve a proposal to enter into an agreement to unitize operations
under two or more leases or to approve modifications when circumstances
change. The information is necessary to ensure that operations will
result in preventing waste, conserving natural resources, and
protecting correlative rights, including the Government's interests. We
also use information submitted to determine competitiveness of a
reservoir or to decide that compelling unitization will achieve these
results.
We will protect proprietary information submitted with the plans
according to the Freedom of Information Act and 30 CFR 250.118, ``Data
and information to be made available to the public.'' No items of a
sensitive nature are collected. Responses are required to obtain or
retain a benefit or are mandatory.
Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130
Federal OCS sulphur or oil and gas lessees.
Frequency: The frequency of reporting is on occasion.
Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: 2,742
burden hours, averaging approximately 102 hours per response. See
following chart.
Burden Breakdown
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Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart Average number per Annual burdens
M Requirement year Burden hours
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1301........................ General description of Burden included in following sections. 0
requirements.
1301(f)(3), (g)(1).......... Request suspension of Burden covered under 1010-0030. 0
production or
operations.
1302(b)..................... Request preliminary 2 requests......... 24 hours........... 48
determination on
competitive reservoir.
[[Page 39527]]
1302(b)..................... Submit concurrence or 2 requests......... 24 hours........... 48
objection on
competitiveness with
supporting evidence.
1302(c), (d)................ Submit joint plan of 2 plans............ 24 hours........... 48
operations or separate
plan if agreement
cannot be reached.
1303........................ Apply for voluntary 17 applications/ 144 hours.......... 2,448
unitization, including plans.
submitting unit
agreement, unit
operating agreement,
joint plan of
operation, and
supporting data;
request for variance
from model agreement.
1304(b)..................... Request compulsory 1 request.......... 144 hours.......... 144
unitization, including
submitting unit
agreement, unit
operating agreement,
initial plan of
operation, and
supporting data;
serving nonconsenting
lessees with documents.
1304(d)..................... Request hearing on 1 request.......... 1 hour............. 1
required unitization.
1304(e)..................... Submit statement at 1 statement........ 4 hours............ 4
hearing on compulsory
unitization.
130(e)...................... Submit three copies of 1 submission....... 1 hour............. 1
verbatim transcript of
hearing.
1304(f)..................... Appeal final order of Burden covered under 1010-0121 0
compulsory unitization.
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Total Reporting......... ........................ 27 responses....... ................... 2,742
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Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Cost'' Burden:
Section 250.1304(d) provides an opportunity for parties notified of
compulsory unitization to request a hearing. Section 250.1304(e)
requires the party seeking compulsory unitization to obtain the court
reporter and submit to MMS three copies of the verbatim transcript of
the hearing. There have been no such hearings in the recent past and
none are expected in the near future. We estimate the burden would be
less than $100 to reproduce the copies.
Comments: All comments are made a part of the public record.
Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA 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.
Send your comments directly to the offices listed under the
ADDRESSES section of this notice. The OMB has up to 60 days to approve
or disapprove the information collection but may respond after 30 days.
Therefore, to ensure maximum consideration, OMB should receive public
comments by August 23, 1999.
MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach,
(202) 208-7744.
Dated: July 7, 1999.
John V. Mirabella,
Acting Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 99-18732 Filed 7-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
