[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45681-45682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22874]
[[Page 45681]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of revision of a currently approved information
collection (OMB Control Number 1010-0006).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and
respondent burden, MMS invites the public and other Federal agencies to
comment on a proposal to extend and revise the currently approved
collection of information discussed below. The Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995 (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 Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) control number.
DATES: Submit written comments by October 27, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to the Rules Processing Team,
Minerals Management Service, Mail Stop 4020, 381 Elden Street, Herndon,
Virginia 20170-4817.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Rules Processing Team,
telephone (703) 787-1600.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 30 CFR Part 256, Leasing of Sulphur or Oil and Gas in the
Outer Continental Shelf.
Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), as
amended, 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq., requires the Secretary of the Interior
(Secretary) to preserve, protect, and develop offshore oil and gas
resources; to make such resources available to meet the Nation's energy
needs as rapidly as possible; to balance orderly energy resource
development with protection of the human, marine, and coastal
environments; to ensure the public a fair and equitable return on the
resources of the OCS; and to preserve and maintain free enterprise
competition. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA)
prohibits certain lease bidding arrangements (42 U.S.C. 6213 (c)).
The MMS uses the information collected under Part 256 to determine
if applicants are qualified to hold leases in the OCS. For example, MMS
uses the information to: (a) verify the qualifications of a bidder on
an OCS lease sale; (b) develop the semiannual List of Restricted Joint
Bidders that identifies parties which are ineligible to bid jointly
with each other on OCS lease sales, under limitations established by
the EPCA; (c) ensure the qualification of assignees; (d) document that
a leasehold or geographical subdivision has been surrendered by the
record title holder, and (e) verify that lessees have adequate bonding
coverage. If MMS did not collect the information, we would be unable to
comply with the mandates of the OCSLA and the EPCA.
The individual responses to Calls for Information are the only
information collected involving the protection of confidentiality. The
MMS will protect specific individual replies from disclosure as
proprietary information in accordance with section 26 of the OCSLA and
30 CFR 256.10(d). No items of a sensitive nature are collected.
Responses are required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130
Federal OCS sulphur or oil and gas lessees.
Frequency: The frequency of reporting and number of responses vary
for each section and are mostly on occasion or annual (see chart
below). There are no recordkeeping requirements in 30 CFR part 256.
Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: 17,525
burden hours (see chart below).
Burden Breakdown
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Burden per
Citation 30 CFR Part 256 Reporting requirement Annual Number of response Annual burden
responses (hours) hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subparts A, E, H, L, M......... None...................
(1)Not applicable 0......................
Subparts B, D, F............... Public notice and
comment process
through the Federal
Register.
(1)Exempt as defined in 5 CFR 0......................
1320.3(h)(4)
Subpart C...................... Reports from Federal
agencies.
(1)Exempt as defined in 5 CFR 0......................
1320.3(c)(4)
Various Subparts: 256.37; Request approval for
256.53; 256.68; 256.70; various operations or
256.71; 256.72; 256.73. submit plans or
applications.
(1)Burden included with other 0......................
approved collections in 30 CFR
Part 250
Subpart G: 256.41; 256.43...... Submit qualification of 200 responses..... 4.5 900
bidders for joint bids
and statement of
production.
256.46......................... Submit bids............ 2,000 bids........ 1 2,000
256.47(c)...................... File agreement to 1 agreement....... 4 4
accept joint lease on
tie bids.
256.47(e)(1), (e)(3)........... Request for
reconsideration of bid
rejection.
(1)Exempt as defined in 5 CFR 0......................
1320.3(h)(9)
256.47; 256.50................. Execute lease (includes 629 leases........ 1 629
submission of evidence
of authorized agent
and request for dating
of leases).
Subpart I...................... Provide bonding
document
certifications, etc.
(1)Exempt as defined in 5 CFR 0......................
1320.3(h)(1)
256.53(c), (d), (f)............ Demonstrate ability to 150 submissions... .25 37.5
carry out present and
future financial
obligations and/or
request reduction in
amount of supplemental
bond required.
256.55(b)...................... Notify MMS of action 1 notice.......... .5 .5
filed alleging lessee,
surety, or guarantor
are insolvent or
bankrupt.
[[Page 45682]]
256.56......................... Provide plan to fund 3 submissions..... 8 24
lease-specific
abandonment account
and related
information.
256.57......................... Provide third-party 10 submissions.... .5 5
guarantee, related
notices, and annual
update.
256.58(a)...................... Request termination of 50 requests....... .5 25
period of liability
and cancellation of
bond.
Subpart J: 256.62; 256.64; File application for 2,275 applications 5 11,375
256.67. assignment or transfer.
256.64(a)(8)................... Submit non-required
documents for record
purposes.
(1)Voluntary, non-required 0......................
submissions of documents the
lessee wants MMS to file with
the lease.
Subpart K: 256.76.............. File written request 505 relinquish- 5 2,525
for relinquishment. ments.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Reporting.......... ....................... 5,824............. ................ 17,525
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $420,875
for transfer application fees (approximately 2,275 applications x
$185 fee) and $62,500 for non-required documents filing fees
(approximately 2,500 requests x $25 fee).
Comments: The MMS will summarize written responses to this notice
and address them in its submission for OMB approval. All comments will
become a matter of public record. As a result of comments we receive
and our consultations with a representative sample of respondents, we
will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to
OMB. In calculating the burden shown in the chart above, MMS assumed
that respondents perform many of the requirements and maintain records
in the normal course of their activities. The MMS considers these to be
usual and customary and took that into account in estimating the
burden.
(1) The MMS specifically solicits comments on the following
questions:
(a) Is the proposed collection of information necessary for MMS to
properly perform its functions, and will it be useful?
(b) Are the estimates of the burden hours of the proposed
collection reasonable?
(c) Do you have any suggestions that would enhance the quality,
clarity, or usefulness of the information to be collected?
(d) Is there a way to minimize the information collection burden on
respondents, including through the use of appropriate automated
electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology?
(2) In addition, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 requires
agencies to estimate the total annual cost burden to respondents or
recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information. We need to
know if you have any other cost burdens in addition to the filing fees
required in 30 CFR part 256. Your response should split the cost
estimate into two components:
(a) total capital and startup cost component, and
(b) annual operation, maintenance, and purchase of services
component.
Your estimates should consider the costs to generate, maintain, and
disclose or provide the information. 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, sampling, drilling,
and testing equipment; and record storage facilities. Generally, your
estimates should not include 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.
MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach,
(202) 208-7744.
Dated: August 19, 1997.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 97-22874 Filed 8-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
