07-4280. Notice of Proposed Information Collection for 1029-0030 and 1029-0049

AGENCY:

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Department of Interior.

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 822—Special Permanent Program Performance Standards—Operations in Alluvial Valley Floors. These collection requests have been forwarded tot he Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The information collection requests describe the nature of the information collections and the expected burden and cost.

DATES:

OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information collections but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, public comments should be submitted to OMB by October 1, 2007, in order to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Department of Interior Desk Officer, by telefax at [phone] or via 3-mail to [e-mail]. Also, please send a copy of your comments to John Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave, NW., Room 202-SIB, Washington, DC 20240, or electronically to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request a copy of either information collection request contact John Trelease at [phone], or electronically to [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR 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)]. OSM has submitted two requests to OMB to renew its approval of the collections of information contained in: 30 CFR 764—State Processes for Designating Areas Unsuitable for Surface Coal Mining Operations; and 30 CFR 822—Special Permanent Program Performance Standards—Operations in Alluvial Valley Floors. OSM is requesting a 3-year term of approval for each information collection activity.

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. The OMB control numbers for these collections are 1029-0030 for Part 764, and 1029-0049 for Part 822.

As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice soliciting comments on these collections of information was published on April 27, 2007 (72 FR 19215). No comments were received. This notice provides the public with an additional 30 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 Areas designated by Act of Congress.

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), Pub. L. 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 mending 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 Responses: 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 Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) 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 a alluvial valley floors and the State regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Responses: 42.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,300.

Send comments on the need for the collection of information for the performance of the functions of the agency; the accuracy of the agency's burden estimates; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and ways to minimize the information collection burdens on respondents, such as use of automated means of collections of the information, to the addresses listed under ADDRESSES. Please refer to the appropriate OMB control number in all correspondence.

Dated: August 28, 2007.

John R. Craynon,

Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.