[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 192 (Thursday, October 3, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61381-61383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-24248]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[OMB Control Number 1010-0187]; [MMAA104000]
Information Collection; Proposed Collection for OMB Review;
Comment Request: Project Planning for the Use of Outer Continental
Shelf Sand, Gravel, and Shell Resources in Construction Projects That
Qualify for a Negotiated Noncompetitive Agreement
ACTION: 60-day notice.
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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is inviting comments on a
renewal of a collection of information that we will submit to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The
information collection request (ICR) concerns the paperwork
requirements that respondents will submit to BOEM to obtain Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS) sand, gravel, and shell resources for use in
shore protection, beach and coastal restoration and other authorized
projects, which qualify for a noncompetitive negotiated agreement.
DATES: Submit written comments by December 2, 2013.
[[Page 61382]]
ADDRESSES: Please send your comments on this ICR to the BOEM
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Arlene Bajusz, Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management, 381 Elden Street, HM-3127, Herndon, Virginia
20170 (mail); or [email protected] (email); or 703-787-1209 (fax).
Please reference ICR 1010-0187 in your comment and include your name
and return address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain information pertaining to
this notice and/or the Marine Minerals Program, contact the Program at
(703) 787-1215. For a copy of the ICR, contact Arlene Bajusz under
ADDRESSES.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 1010-0187.
Title: Project Planning for the Use of Outer Continental Shelf
Sand, Gravel, and Shell Resources in Construction Projects that Qualify
for a Negotiated Noncompetitive Agreement.
Abstract: Under the authority delegated by the Secretary of the
Interior, BOEM is authorized, pursuant to section 8(k)(2) of the OCS
Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1337(k)(2)), to convey rights to OCS sand, gravel,
and shell resources by noncompetitive negotiated agreement (NNA) for
use in shore protection and beach and coastal restoration, or for use
in construction projects funded in whole or part by, or authorized by,
the Federal Government.
Background
Since 1994, 39 shore protection or beach and coastal restoration
projects have been completed using OCS sand resources, conveying more
than 75 million cubic yards of OCS material and restoring more than 225
miles of shoreline. Recently, the program has seen an increase in
demand for OCS resources due to the decreasing availability of sand
sources located in State waters and an increase in coastal storm
intensity, duration, and frequency. In order for BOEM to continue to
meet the needs of local, State and regional entities, information
regarding upcoming projects must be acquired to plan for future
projects and anticipated workload. Therefore, BOEM will issue calls for
information about needed resources and locations from interested
parties to develop and maintain a project schedule. This ICR addresses
the information needed from States, local governments, Federal
agencies, environmental and other interest organizations, and all other
interested parties to update and maintain the project schedule. It
includes the potential for an annual call for information and the
potential for a call in response to an emergency declaration, such as a
tropical storm.
BOEM's calls for information (e.g., letters or Federal Register
notices) will request interested parties to submit, in writing or
electronically, a description of their proposed projects for which OCS
resources will be used. The description must include the offshore
borrow sites if known; the estimated date of construction; a short
description of current project funding; the name of a primary point of
contact with that person's mailing address, telephone number, and email
address; as well as any additional information concerning the status of
the project that would be useful to BOEM. This information may include
detailed maps; geospatial data and coordinates of desired sand
resources and sites that would be nourished; a description of the
environmental documents that have been completed to date concerning any
portion of the project; a cited reference list; status of geological
and geophysical permit (if required); information concerning known or
suspected archaeological or historic artifacts; interpretations of
geology and extent of sand areas; known volumes of sand resource site;
historical data related to the proposed borrow or placement area; and a
description of the status of Federal, State, and/or local permits
required for the project.
In order to meet the needs of the States under the current BOEM
staff and funding resources, BOEM may request the relevant States to
prioritize their own projects based on several criteria including
likelihood of project funding and progress of environmental work.
The information provided by States will help BOEM determine
appropriate future resource allocation, identify potential conflicts of
use, conduct environmental analyses, develop NNAs, and meet all
necessary environmental and legal requirements. With this renewal, we
are also including a provision for a call in response to emergency
declarations, such as a tropical storm. Hurricane Sandy demonstrated
BOEM's need for accurate and timely information following a natural
disaster declaration. Therefore, we are increasing the estimated hour
burden for this collection.
We will protect information from respondents considered proprietary
under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its
implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2). No items of a sensitive
nature are collected. Responses are required to obtain or retain
benefits.
Frequency: Annually and on occasion.
Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise States,
counties, localities and tribes.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: We are
estimating that the annual reporting burden for this collection is
about 200 hours, assuming an emergency declaration is made each year.
Individual Entity Compilation: 25 entities x 1 hour/entity x 2
responses/year = 50 hours; Individual State Compilation: 15 States x 5
hours/State x 2 responses/year = 150 hours (50 county hours + 150 State
hours = 200 total burden hours).
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have
identified no non-hour paperwork cost burdens for this collection.
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: Before submitting an ICR to OMB, PRA section
3506(c)(2)(A) 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 on: (a) Whether or not the
collection of information is necessary, including whether or not the
information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the burden
estimates; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden on
respondents.
Agencies must also estimate the non-hour cost burdens to
respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of
information. Therefore, if you have costs to generate, maintain, and
disclose this information, you should comment and provide your total
capital and startup costs or annual operation, maintenance, and
purchase of service costs. You should describe the methods you use to
estimate major cost factors, including system and technology
acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, discount
rate(s), and the period over which you incur costs. Capital and startup
costs include, among other items, computers and software you purchase
to prepare for collecting information, monitoring, and record storage
facilities. You should not include estimates for equipment or services
purchased: (a) Before October 1, 1995; (b) to comply with requirements
not associated with the information collection; (c) for reasons other
than to provide information or keep records for
[[Page 61383]]
the Government; or (d) as part of customary and usual business or
private practices.
We will summarize written responses to this notice and address them
in our submission for OMB approval. As a result of your comments, we
will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to
OMB.
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: September 26, 2013.
Deanna Meyer-Pietruszka,
Chief, Office of Policy, Regulations, and Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2013-24248 Filed 10-2-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P