[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 193 (Thursday, October 4, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60715-60717]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-24471]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)

[Docket ID BSEE-2012-0010; OMB Number 1014-0007]


Information Collection Activities: Oil-Spill Response 
Requirements for Facilities Located Seaward of the Coast Line; 
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) to renew approval of the paperwork 
requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR Part 254, ``Oil-Spill 
Response Requirements for Facilities Located Seaward of the Coast 
Line.'' This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to 
comment on the paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

DATES: You must submit comments by November 5, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments by either fax (202) 395-5806 or email 
([email protected]) directly to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of 
the Interior (1014-0007). 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-2012-0010 then click 
search. Follow the instructions to submit public comments and view all 
related materials. We will post all comments.
     Email [email protected], fax (703) 787-1546, or mail 
or hand-carry comments to: Department of the Interior; Bureau of Safety 
and Environmental Enforcement; Regulations and Standards Branch; 
Attention: Nicole Mason; 381 Elden Street, HE3313; Herndon, Virginia 
20170-4817. Please reference 1014-0007 in your comment and include your 
name and return address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Mason, Regulations and 
Standards Branch, (703) 787-1605, 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 254, Oil-Spill Response 
Requirements for Facilities Located Seaward of the Coast Line.
    OMB Control Number: 1014-0007.
    Abstract: The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended by 
the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), requires that a spill-response 
plan be submitted for offshore facilities prior to February 18, 1993. 
The OPA specifies that after that date, an offshore facility may not 
handle, store, or transport oil unless a plan has been submitted. The 
authority and responsibility were delegated to BSEE by Executive Order 
12777--Implementation of Section 311 of the Federal Water Pollution 
Control Act of October 18, 1972, as Amended, and the Oil Pollution Act 
of 1990. Regulations at 30 CFR 254 establish requirements for spill-
response plans for oil-handling

[[Page 60716]]

facilities seaward of the coast line, including associated pipelines. 
This request also covers the related Notices to Lessees and Operators 
(NTLs) that BSEE issues to clarify, supplement, or provide additional 
guidance on some aspects of our regulations.
    The BSEE uses the information collected under 30 CFR 254 to 
determine compliance with 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; and
     Assess the efforts of lessees/operators to prevent oil 
spills or prevent substantial threats of such discharges.
    No confidential or proprietary information is collected in 30 CFR 
254. Responses are mandatory.
    Frequency: On occasion, monthly, annually, and biennially.
    Description of Respondents: 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.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The estimated 
annual hour burden for this information collection is a total of 60,198 
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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Average  Number
30 CFR 254  and NTLs            Reporting requirement            Hour  burden       of annual      Annual burden
                                                                                    responses          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               Subpart A--General
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1(a) thru (d);        Submit spill response plan for OCS                   250  26 new plans               6,500
2(a); 3 thru 5;        facilities and related documents.
7; 20 thru 29;
44(b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1(e)                  Request BSEE jurisdiction over facility              0.5  2 requests                     1
                       landward of coast line (no recent
                       request received).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2(b)                  Submit certification of capability to                 19  1 certification               19
                       respond to worst case discharge or
                       substantial threat of such.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2(c); 30              Submit revised spill response plan for                64  177 revised               11,328
                       OCS facilities at least every 2 years;                    plans
                       notify BSEE of no change.
                                                               -------------------------------------------------
                                                                             1  1 plan                         1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2(c)                  Request deadline extension for                         4  11 extensions                 44
                       submission of revised plan.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8                     Appeal BSEE orders or decisions.........  Exempt under 5 CFR 1320.4(a)(2),               0
                                                                               (c)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Subtotal  218 responses             17,893
                                                                                                           hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               Subpart C--Related Requirements for OCS Facilities
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40                    Make records of all OSRO-provided                      5  20 records                   100
                       services, equipment, personnel
                       available to BSEE.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
41                    Conduct annual training; retain training              49  197 owners/                9,653
                       records for 2 years.                                     operators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
42(a) thru (e)        Conduct triennial response plan                      200  134 exercises             26,800
                       exercise; retain exercise records for 3
                       years.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
42(f)                 Inform BSEE of the date of any exercise                1  170                          170
                       (triennial).                                             notifications
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
43                    Inspect response equipment monthly;                  3.5  55 inspections x           2,310
                       retain inspection & maintenance records                   12 months = 660
                       for 2 years.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
46(a) NTL             Notify NRC of all oil spills from owner/   Burden would be included in the               0
                       operator facility.                                 NRC inventory
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
46(b) NTL(s)          Notify BSEE of oil spills of one barrel                2  61 notifications             122
                       or more from owner/operator facility;                    & reports
                       submit follow-up report; after
                       catastrophic event may be requested to
                       meet w/BSEE to discuss storm recovery
                       strategies/pollution.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
46(c)                 Notify BSEE & responsible party of oil                 2  24 notifications              48
                       spills from operations at another
                       facility.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Subtotal  1,266                     39,203
                                                                                responses                  hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 60717]]

 
   Subpart D--Oil Spill Response Requirements for Facilities Located in State Waters Seaward of the Coast Line
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
50; 51                Submit response plan for facility in                  42  10 plans                     420
                       State waters by modifying existing OCS
                       plan.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
50; 52                Submit response plan for facility in                 100  9 plans                      900
                       State waters following format for OCS
                       plan.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
50; 53                Submit response plan for facility in                  89  18 plans                   1,602
                       State waters developed under State
                       requirements.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
54                    Submit description of oil-spill                        5  36 submissions               180
                       prevention procedures and demonstrate
                       compliance.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                      Subtotal  73 responses               3,102
                                                                                                           hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               TOTAL HOUR BURDEN                                1,557                     60,198
                                                                                Responses                  Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have 
identified no 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 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 June 6, 2012, we 
published a Federal Register notice (77 FR 33479) announcing that we 
would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided the 
required 60-day comment period. In addition, Sec.  254.9 provides the 
OMB control number for the information collection requirements imposed 
by the 30 CFR 254 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.
    Acting BSEE Information Collection Clearance Officer: Cheryl 
Blundon (703) 787-1607.

    Dated: September 18, 2012.
Robert W. Middleton,
Deputy Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2012-24471 Filed 10-3-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-VH-P