2017-04360. Notice of Proposed Information Collection; Request for Comments for 1029-0067

AGENCY:

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is announcing its intention to request renewed authority for the collection of information for the Form OSM-23, Restriction on financial interests of state employees and its associated regulations. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previously approved the collection and assigned it clearance number 1029-0067.

DATES:

Comments on the proposed information collection must be received by May 8, 2017, to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be mailed to John Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave. NW., Room 203-SIB, Washington, DC 20240. Comments may also be submitted electronically to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

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

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)]. This notice identifies an information collection that OSMRE will be submitting to OMB for approval. This collection is contained in 30 CFR part 705 and Form OSM-23, Restriction on financial interests of state employees. OSMRE will request 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 part 705 is 1029-0067. Responses are mandatory in accordance with 517(g) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.

Comments are invited on: (1) The need for the collection of information for the performance of the functions of the agency; (2) the accuracy of the agency's burden estimates; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to minimize the information collection burden on respondents, such as the use of automated means of collection of the information. A summary of the public comments will accompany OSMRE's submission of the information collection request to OMB.

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.

This notice provides the public with 60 days in which to comment on the following information collection activity:

Title: 30 CFR 705—Restrictions on financial interests of state employees.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0067.

Summary: Respondents are state employees who supply information on employment and financial interests. The purpose of the collection is to ensure compliance with section 517(g) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, which places an absolute prohibition on having a direct or indirect financial interest in underground or surface coal mining operations.

Bureau Form Number: OSM-23.

Frequency of Collection: Entrance on duty and annually.

Description of Respondents: Any state regulatory authority employee or member of advisory boards or commissions established in accordance with state law or regulation to represent multiple interests who performs any function or duty under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.

Total Annual Responses: 2,520.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 428.

Dated: February 15, 2017.

John A. Trelease,

Acting Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.