E8-17328. Notice of Proposed Information Collection for 1029-0063

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 renewed approval for the continued collection of information for 30 CFR part 870 and the OSM-1 Form. This collection was previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and assigned control number 1029-0063.

DATES:

Comments on the proposed information collection must be received by September 29, 2008, 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].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request a copy of the information collection package contact John Trelease at the address listed in ADDRESSES.

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)]. This notice identifies an information collection that OSM will be submitting to OMB for extension. This collection is contained in 30 CFR part 870, Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund Fee Collection and Coal Production Reporting and the form it implements, the OSM-1, Coal Reclamation Fee Report.

OSM has revised burden estimates, where appropriate, to reflect current reporting levels or adjustments based on reestimates of burden and respondents. OSM will request a 3-year term of approval for each information collection activity.

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 collection; 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 be included in OSM's submissions of the information collection requests to 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.

The following information is provided for the information collection: (1) Title of the information collection; (2) OMB control number; (3) summary of the information collection activity; and (4) frequency of collection, description of the respondents, estimated total annual responses, and the total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden for the collection of information.

Title: 30 CFR Part 870—Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund—Fee Collection and Coal Production Reporting.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0063.

Summary: The information is used to maintain a record of coal produced for sale, transfer, or use nationwide each calendar quarter, the method of coal removal and the type of coal, and the basis for coal tonnage reporting in compliance with 30 CFR part 870 and section 401 of Public Law 95-87. Individual reclamation fee payment liability is based on this information. Without the collection of information OSM could not implement its regulatory responsibilities and collect the fee.

Bureau Form Number: OSM-1.

Frequency of Collection: Quarterly.

Description of Respondents: Coal mine permittees.

Total Annual Responses: 11,192.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,462.

Dated: July 23, 2008.

John R. Craynon,

Division of Regulatory Support.