2013-00735. Notice of Proposed Information Collection

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 (OSM) is announcing that the information collection request for the State Regulatory Authority: Inspection and Enforcement, has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden and cost.

DATES:

OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information collection requests but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, public comments should be submitted to OMB by February 19, 2013, in order to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments 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 1029-0051 in your correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To receive a copy of the information collection request, contact John Trelease at [phone]. You may also contact Mr. Trelease at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 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 the request to OMB to renew its approval for the collection of information found at 30 CFR part 840. OSM 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 1029-0051, and may be found in OSM's regulations at 30 CFR 840.10. State agencies are required to respond to obtain a benefit.

As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice soliciting comments on this collection was published on October 3, 2012 (77 FR 60459). 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 840—State Regulatory Authority: Inspection and Enforcement.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0051.

Abstract: This provision requires the regulatory authority to conduct periodic inspections of coal mining activities, and prepare and maintain inspection reports for public review. This information is necessary to meet the requirements of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 and its public participation provisions. Public review assures that the State is meeting the requirements for the Act and approved State regulatory program.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once and annually.

Description of Respondents: State Regulatory Authorities.

Total Annual Responses: 106,382.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 748,140.

Total Non-wage Costs: $1,440.

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 burden on respondents, such as use of automated means of collection of the information, to the places listed in ADDRESSES. Please refer to control number 1029-0051 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: December 27, 2012.

Andrew F. DeVito,

Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.