2016-18630. Notice of Proposed Information Collection; Request for Comments for 1029-0117

AGENCY:

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 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 (OSMRE) is announcing its intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information for Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Legal, Financial, Compliance, and Related Information. The information collection request has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and the expected burden and cost.

DATES:

OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information collection but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, the public should submit comments to OMB by September 6, 2016, in order to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Department of the Interior Desk Officer, via email at [e-mail], or by facsimile to [phone]. Also, please send a copy of your comments to John Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave. NW., Room 203—SIB, Washington, DC 20240, or electronically to [e-mail]. Please reference 1029-0117 in your correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To receive a copy of the information collection request contact John Trelease at [phone], or electronically at [e-mail]. You may also review the information collection request online at http://www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to review Department of the Interior collections under review by OMB.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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)]. OSMRE has submitted a request to OMB to approve the collection of information for 30 CFR part 778—Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Legal, Financial, Compliance, and Related Information. OSMRE is requesting a 3-year term of approval for this 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 number for this collection of information is displayed in 30 CFR 778.8 (1029-0117).

As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on March 18, 2016 (81 FR 14888). No comments were received. This notice provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to comment on the following information collection activity:

Title: 30 CFR part 778—Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Legal, Financial, Compliance, and Related Information.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0117.

Summary: Section 507(b) of 30 U.S.C. 1201 provides that persons conducting coal mining activities submit to the regulatory authority all relevant information regarding ownership and control of the property affected, their compliance status and history. This information is used to ensure all legal, financial and compliance requirements are satisfied prior to issuance or denial of a permit.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once.

Description of Respondents: Surface coal mining permit applicants and State regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Responses: 1,091 Surface coal mining permit applicants and 448 State regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,512.

Total Non-Wage Costs: $0.

Send comments on the agency need for the collection of information to perform its mission; the accuracy of our burden estimates; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and ways to minimize the information collection burden on respondents, such as use of automated means of collection of the information, to the offices listed in the ADDRESSES section. Please refer to OMB control number 1029-0117 in all correspondence.

Before including your address, phone number, email 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.

Dated: August 1, 2016.

John A. Trelease,

Acting Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.