2018-20800. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Oil-Spill Response Requirements for Facilities Located Seaward of the Coast Line

AGENCY:

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) proposes to renew an information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before October 25, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

Send written comments on this information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget's Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior by email at [e-mail]; or via facsimile to [phone]. Please provide a copy of your comments to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement; Regulations and Standards Branch; ATTN: Nicole Mason; 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166; or by email to [e-mail]. Please reference OMB Control Number 1014-0007 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this ICR, contact Nicole Mason by email at [e-mail], or by telephone at [phone]. You may also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.

A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on March 6, 2018 (83 FR 9542). We received one comment in response to the Federal Register Notice. BSEE has reviewed the comment and considers it to be outside the scope of this current information collection comment request. However, BSEE does feel the comment has merit and could be examined in a future revision to the 30 CFR 254 regulations.

We are again soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are especially interested in public comments addressing the following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper functions of BSEE; (2) Will this information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) Is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) How might BSEE enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) How might BSEE minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology.

Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. 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.

Abstract: The regulations at 30 CFR 254 establish requirements for spill-response plans for oil-handling facilities seaward of the coast line, including associated pipelines, and are the subject of this collection. This request also covers any related Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) that BSEE issues to clarify, supplement, or provide additional guidance on some aspects of our regulations.

BSEE uses the information collected under 30 CFR 254 to determine compliance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) by lessees/operators. Specifically, BSEE needs the information to:

• Determine that lessees/operators have an adequate plan and are sufficiently prepared to implement a quick and effective response to a discharge of oil from their facilities or operations.
• Review plans prepared under the regulations of a State and submitted to BSEE to satisfy the requirements in 30 CFR 254 to ensure that they meet minimum requirements of OPA.
• Verify that personnel involved in oil-spill response are properly trained and familiar with the requirements of the spill-response plans and to lead and witness spill-response exercises.
• Assess the sufficiency and availability of contractor equipment and materials.
• Verify that sufficient quantities of equipment are available and in working order.
• Oversee spill-response efforts and maintain official records of pollution events.
• Assess the efforts of lessees/operators to prevent oil spills or prevent substantial threats of such discharges.

Title of Collection: 30 CFR part 254, Oil-Spill Response Requirements for Facilities Located Seaward of the Coast Line.

OMB Control Number: 1014-0007.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Potential respondents comprise Federal oil, gas, or sulphur lessees or operators of facilities located in both State and Federal waters seaward of the coast line and oil-spill response companies.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: Varies, not all of the potential respondents will submit information in any given year and some may submit multiple times.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 1,675.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 10 minutes to 338 hours, depending on activity.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 60,989.

Respondent's Obligation: Most responses are mandatory, while others are required to obtain or retain benefits.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion, monthly, annually, biennially, and varies by section.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: We have not identified any non-hour cost burdens associated with this collection of information.

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 authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Dated: August 3, 2018.

Doug Morris,

Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.