Federal Register, Volume 77 Issue 50 (Wednesday, March 14, 2012)

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15118-15121]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6155]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

[Docket ID No. BSEE-2011-0005; OMB Number 1014-NEW]

Information Collection Activities: Operations in the Outer
Continental Shelf for Minerals Other Than Oil, Gas, and Sulphur;
Submitted for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment
Request

ACTION: 30-day Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we
are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information
collection request (ICR) for approval of the paperwork requirements in
the regulations under Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf for
Minerals Other than Oil, Gas, and Sulphur. This notice also provides
the public a second opportunity to comment on the revised paperwork
burden of these regulatory requirements.

DATES: You must submit comments by April 13, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments by either fax (202) 395-5806 or email
(OIRA_DOCKET@omb.eop.gov) directly to the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of
the Interior (1014-NEW). Please provide a copy of your comments to BSEE
by any of the means below.
Electronically: go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the
entry titled, ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter BSEE-2011-0005 then click
search. Follow the instructions to submit public comments and view all
related materials. We will post all comments.
Email cheryl.blundon@bsee.gov, fax (703) 787-1546, or mail
or hand-carry comments to: Department of the

[[Page 15119]]

Interior; Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement; Attention:
Cheryl Blundon; 381 Elden Street, HE3313; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817.
Please reference 1014--NEW in your comment and include your name and
return address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Regulations
Development Branch, (703) 787-1607, to request additional information
about this ICR. To see a copy of the entire ICR submitted to OMB, go to
http://www.reginfo.gov (select Information Collection Review, Currently
Under Review).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 30 CFR 282, Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf for
Minerals Other than Oil, Gas, and Sulphur.
OMB Control Number: 1014-NEW.
Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended
(43 U.S.C. 1334 and 43 U.S.C. 1337(k)), authorizes the Secretary of the
Interior to implement regulations to grant leases of any mineral other
than oil, gas, and sulphur to qualified parties. This regulation
governs mining operations within the OCS and establishes a
comprehensive leasing and regulatory program for such minerals. This
regulation has been designed to (1) recognize the differences between
the OCS activities associated with oil, gas, and sulphur discovery and
development and those associated with the discovery and development of
other minerals; (2) facilitate participation by States directly
affected by OCS mining activities; (3) provide opportunities for
consultation and coordination with other OCS users and uses; (4)
balance development with environmental protection; (5) insure a fair
return to the public; (6) preserve and maintain free enterprise
competition; and (7) encourage the development of new technology.
The authorities and responsibilities described above are among
those delegated BSEE. Therefore, this ICR addresses the regulations at
30 CFR 282, Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf for Minerals
Other than Oil, Gas, and Sulphur. It should be noted that there has
been no activity in the OCS for minerals other than oil, gas and
sulphur for many years and no information collected. However, because
these are regulatory requirements, the potential exists for information
to be collected; therefore, we are requesting this collection of
information be approved by OMB.
To accommodate the split of regulations from the Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement to BSEE, BSEE is
requesting OMB approval of the already approved burden hours under
1010-0081 to reflect BSEE's new 1014 numbering system.
Responses are mandatory. No questions of a sensitive nature are
asked. BSEE protects proprietary information according to the Freedom
of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its implementing regulations (43
CFR 2), and 30 CFR 282.5, 282.6, and 282.7.
BSEE collects information required under part 282 to determine if
lessees are complying with the regulations that implement the mining
operations program for minerals other than oil, gas, and sulphur.
Specifically, BSEE will use the information:
To ensure that operations for the production of minerals
other than oil, gas, and sulphur in the OCS are conducted in a manner
that will result in orderly resource recovery, development, and the
protection of the human, marine, and coastal environments.
To ensure that adequate measures will be taken during
operations to prevent waste, conserve the natural resources of the OCS,
and to protect the environment, human life, and correlative rights.
To determine if suspensions of activities are in the
national interest, to facilitate proper development of a lease
including reasonable time to develop a mine and construct its
supporting facilities, and to allow for the construction or negotiation
for use of transportation facilities.
To identify and evaluate the cause(s) of a hazard(s)
generating a suspension, the potential damage from a hazard(s) and the
measures available to mitigate the potential for damage.
For technical evaluations that provide a basis for BSEE to
make informed decisions to approve, disapprove, or require modification
of the proposed activities.
Frequency: On occasion, and as a result of situations encountered.
Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise Federal
oil, gas, or sulphur lessees and/or operators.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The estimated
annual hour burden for this information collection is a total of 56
hours. The following chart details the individual components and
estimated hour burdens. In calculating the burdens, we assumed that
respondents perform certain requirements in the normal course of their
activities. We consider these to be usual and customary and took that
into account in estimating the burden.

[[Page 15120]]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporting or recordkeeping Annual burden
Citation 30 CFR 282 requirement Hour burden Average Number of annual responses hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-hour cost burden
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subpart B--Jurisdiction and Responsibilities of Director
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11(d)(1)................................ Request consolidation/ 1 1 request................................... 1
unitization of two or more
leases or lease portions into a
single mining unit.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11(d)(4)................................ State requests different method 1 1 Request................................... 1
of allocating production.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12(f)(l), (h); 13(d).................... Request approval(s) of 20 1 request................................... 20
applicable applications and
permits before commencing a
mining operation under an
approved plan(s).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13(b), (f)(2); 31....................... Request suspension or temporary 2 1 request................................... 2
prohibition or production or
operations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13(e)................................... Submit site-specific study plan 8 1 study..................................... 8
and results.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 study x $100,000 = $100,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14...................................... Submit ``green'' response copy 2 1 response.................................. 2
of Form BSEE-1832 indicating
date violations (INCs)
corrected, etc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal............................ ................................ .............. 6 Responses................................. 34
-------------------------------------------------------------
$100,000 Non-hour cost burden
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subpart C--Obligations and Responsibilities of Lessees
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27(b)................................... Request use of new or 1 1 request................................... 1
alternative technologies,
techniques, etc..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27(c)................................... Notify BSEE of death or serious 1 1 notification.............................. 1
injury; fire, exploration, or
other hazardous event; submit
report.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27(d)(2)................................ Request reimbursement for 2 1 request................................... 2
furnishing food, quarters, and
transportation for BSEE
representatives (no requests
received in many years; minimal
burden).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27(e)................................... Identify vessels, platforms, 1 1 sign...................................... 1
structures, etc. with signs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27(f)(2)................................ Log all drill holes susceptible 3 1 log....................................... 3
to logging; submit copies of
logs to BSEE.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27(h)(3), (4)........................... Mark equipment; record items 1 1 notification.............................. 1
lost overboard; notify BSEE.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
28(d)................................... Demonstrate effectiveness 1 1 demonstration............................. 1
procedure(s) for mitigating
environmental impacts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal............................ ................................ .............. 7 Responses................................. 10
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subpart E--Appeals
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
50...................................... File an appeal.................. Burden exempt under 5 CFR 1320.4(a)(2), (c). 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total burden.................... ................................ .............. 16 Responses................................ 56
-------------------------------------------------------------
$100,000 non-hour cost burden
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have
identified one paperwork non-hour cost burden associated with the
collection of information. Under Sec. 282.13(e)(1), a site-specific
study would be required to determine and evaluate hazards that results
in a suspension of operation. Since this has not been done to date,
BSEE estimated that this study would cost approximately $100,000. There
are no other non-hour cost burdens associated with the collection of
information.
Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.)
provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of
information unless it

[[Page 15121]]

displays a currently valid OMB control number. Until OMB approves a
collection of information, you are not obligated to respond.
Comments: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et
seq.) 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
collection is necessary or useful; (b) evaluate the accuracy 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
technology.
To comply with the public consultation process, on December 22,
2011, we published a Federal Register notice (76 FR 79705) announcing
that we would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided
the required 60-day comment period. In addition, Sec. 282.0 provides
the OMB control number for the information collection requirements
imposed by the 30 CFR 282 regulations. The regulation also informs the
public that they may comment at any time on the collections of
information and provides the address to which they should send
comments. We have received no comments in response to these efforts.
Public Availability of Comments: 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: March 2, 2012.
Douglas W. Morris,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2012-6155 Filed 3-13-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P