[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 152 (Monday, August 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43209-43210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-20387]
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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 (1010-0079).
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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501, et seq.), we are notifying you that we have submitted the
information collection request (ICR) discussed below to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. We are also
inviting your comments on this ICR.
DATES: Submit written comments by September 8, 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
[[Page 43210]]
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 G, Abandonment of Wells.
OMB Control Number: 1010-0079.
Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (43 U.S.C.
1331 et seq.) gives the Secretary of the Interior 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. In 1978, section 3(6) of the OCS Lands Act was amended to
state that ``operations in the outer Continental Shelf should be
conducted * * * using technology, precautions, and techniques
sufficient to prevent or minimize * * * physical obstruction to other
users of the waters or subsoil and seabed, or other occurrences which
may cause damage to the environment or to property, or endanger life or
health.'' To carry out these responsibilities, we established
regulations at 30 CFR 250, subpart G, ``Abandonment of Wells.''
Respondents submit requests to abandon operations and procedures
for site clearance. They also submit annual reports describing plans
for reentry to complete or permanently abandon a well. For us to decide
the necessity for allowing a well to be temporarily abandoned, the
lessee/operator must show that there is a reason to not permanently
abandon the well and the temporary abandonment is not a significant
threat to fishing, navigation, or other uses of the seabed. If we did
not collect the information, we could not determine: (a) the intent of
the lessee, (b) if the final disposition of the well is being
diligently pursued, (c) any deviations from the approved Exploration or
Development and Production Plan, and (d) if the lessee/operator has
documented the temporary plugging of the well and marked the location.
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 mandatory.
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. We published a
Federal Register notice with the required 60-day comment period
soliciting comments on this ICR on January 14, 1999 (64 FR 2501).
Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130
Federal OCS sulphur or oil and gas lessees.
Frequency: The frequency of reporting is on occasion and annual.
Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: 650
burden hours, averaging approximately 3.25 hours per response. See
following chart.
Burden Breakdown
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Annual
Citation 30 CFR 250 subpart G Requirement Average number per Burden burden
year hours
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701................................ Request approval (40)(1).............. Burden included with 0
to abandon 1010-0045.
operations
(form MMS-124).
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703(c)............................. Submit annual 75 reports........... 2 hours.............. 150
report on plans
for reentry to
complete or
permanently
abandon the
well..
704(a)............................. Request approval 125 requests......... 4 hours.............. 500
of site
clearance
method..
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704(b)............................. Certify location (40)(1).............. Burden included with 0
cleared of 1010-0045..
obstructions
(form MMS-124)..
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Total Reporting................ ................ 200 responses........ ..................... 650
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Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Cost'' Burden: We
have identified no information collection cost burdens for this
collection of information.
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 September 8, 1999.
MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach,
(202) 208-7744.
Dated: June 3, 1999.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 99-20387 Filed 8-6-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
