[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 159 (Monday, August 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48757-48761]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-19537]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
[Docket ID BSEE-2014-0007; OMB Control Number 1014-0003; 14XE1700DX
EEEE500000 EX1SF0000.DAQ000]
Information Collection Activities: Oil and Gas Production Safety
Systems; Proposed Collection; Comment Request
ACTION: 60-Day Notice.
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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), BSEE
is inviting comments on 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 a revision to the
paperwork requirements in the regulations under Subpart H, Oil and Gas
Production Safety Systems.
DATES: You must submit comments by October 17, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods
listed below.
Electronically go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the
Search box, enter BSEE-2014-0007 then click search. Follow the
instructions to submit public comments and view all related materials.
We will post all comments.
Email [email protected]. Mail or hand-carry comments
to the Department of the Interior; Bureau of Safety and Environmental
Enforcement; Regulations and Standards Branch; ATTN: Nicole Mason; 381
Elden Street, HE3313; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference
ICR 1014-0003 in your comment and include your name and return address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Mason, Regulations and
Standards Branch at (703) 787-1605 to request additional information
about this ICR.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart H, Oil and Gas Production Safety
Systems.
OMB Control Number: 1014-0003.
Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended
(43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. and 43 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), authorizes the
Secretary of the Interior to prescribe rules and regulations necessary
for the administration of the leasing provisions of that Act related to
mineral resources on the OCS. Such rules and regulations will apply to
all operations conducted under a lease, pipeline right-of-way, or a
right-of-use and easement. Section 1332(6) states that ``operations in
the [O]uter Continental Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner by
well trained personnel using technology, precautions, and other
techniques sufficient to prevent or minimize the likelihood of
blowouts, loss of well control, fires, spillages, physical obstructions
to other users of the waters or subsoil and seabed, or other
occurrences which may cause damage to the environment or to property or
endanger life or health.''
In addition to the general authority of OCS Lands Act, section
301(a) of the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act (FOGRMA), 30
U.S.C. 1751(a), grants authority to the Secretary to prescribe such
rules and regulations as are reasonably necessary to carry out FOGRMA's
provisions. While the majority of FOGRMA is directed to royalty
collection and enforcement, some provisions apply to offshore
operations. For example, section 108 of FOGRMA, 30 U.S.C. 1718, grants
the Secretary broad authority to inspect lease sites for the purpose of
determining whether there is compliance with the mineral leasing laws.
Section 109(c)(2) and (d)(1), 30 U.S.C. 1719(c)(2) and (d)(1), impose
substantial civil penalties for failure to permit lawful inspections
and for knowing or willful preparation or submission of false,
inaccurate, or misleading reports, records, or other information. The
Secretary has delegated some of the authority under FOGRMA to BSEE.
The Independent Offices Appropriations Act (31 U.S.C. 9701), the
Omnibus Appropriations Bill (Pub. L. 104-133, 110 Stat. 1321, April 26,
1996), and OMB Circular A-25, authorize Federal agencies to recover the
full cost of services that confer special benefits. Under the
Department of the Interior's implementing policy, the Bureau of Safety
and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is required to charge fees for
services that provide special benefits or privileges to an identifiable
non-Federal recipient above and beyond those which accrue to the public
at large. Facility Production
[[Page 48758]]
Safety System Applications are subject to cost recovery and BSEE
regulations specify filing fees for these applications.
Regulations implementing these responsibilities are among those
delegated to the BSEE. The regulations at 30 CFR part 250, Subpart H,
pertain to governing oil and gas production safety systems, and any
related Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) that BSEE issues to
clarify and provide additional guidance on some aspects of the
regulations.
We use the information to evaluate equipment and/or procedures that
lessees and operators propose to use during production operations,
including evaluation of requests for departures or use of alternate
procedures or equipment. Information is also used to verify that
production operations are safe and protect the human, marine, and
coastal environment. The BSEE inspectors review the records required by
this subpart to verify compliance with testing and minimum safety
requirements.
The Gulf of Mexico OCS Region (GOMR) has a policy regarding
approval of requests to use a chemical-only fire prevention and control
system in lieu of a water system. The BSEE may require additional
information be submitted to maintain approval. The information is used
to determine if the chemical-only system provides the equivalent
protection of a water system for the egress of personnel should a fire
occur.
We will protect personally identifiable information about
individuals according to the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and DOI's
implementing regulations (43 CFR 2). No questions of a sensitive nature
are asked. We protect proprietary information according to the Freedom
of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and DOI's implementing regulations
(43 CFR 2); 30 CFR 250.197, Data and information to be made available
to the public or for limited inspection; and 30 CFR part 252, OCS Oil
and Gas Information Program. Responses are mandatory.
Frequency: On occasion, or as a result of situations encountered
depending upon the regulatory requirement.
Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise Federal
oil, gas, or sulphur lessees and/or operators.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The currently
approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 62,963 hours
and $343,704 non-hour cost burdens. In this submission, we are
requesting a total of 92,341 burden hours and $323,481 non-hour cost
burdens. The following chart details the individual components and
respective burden estimates of this ICR. 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.
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Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have
identified ten non-hour cost burdens for this collection, all of which
are cost recovery fees required under Sec. 250.802(e). However, the
actual fee amounts are specified in 30 CFR 250.125, which provides a
consolidated table of all of the fees required under the 30 CFR 250
regulations. The total non-hour cost burdens (cost recovery fees) in
this IC request are $323,481 and are as follows:
Submit application for a production safety system with >
125 components--$5,426 per submission; $14,280 per offshore visit; and
$7,426 per shipyard visit.
Submit application for a production safety system with 25-
125 components--$1,314 per submission; $8,967 per offshore visit; and
$5,141 per shipyard visit.
Submit application for a production safety system with <
25 components--$652 per submission.
Submit modification to application for production safety
system with > 125 components--$605 per submission.
Submit modification to application for production safety
system with 25-125 components--$217 per submission.
Submit modification to application for production safety
system with <25 components--$92 per submission.
We have not identified any other non-hour cost burdens associated
with this 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: 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 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.
Agencies must also estimate the non-hour paperwork cost burdens to
respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of
information. Therefore, if you have other than hour burden costs to
generate, maintain, and disclose this information, you should comment
and provide your total capital and startup cost components or annual
operation, maintenance, and purchase of service components. For further
information on this burden, refer to 5 CFR 1320.3(b)(1) and (2), or
contact the Bureau representative listed previously in this notice.
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 Comment Procedures: 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.
BSEE Information Collection Clearance Officer: Cheryl Blundon (703)
787-1607.
Dated: August 7, 2014.
Robert W. Middleton,
Deputy Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2014-19537 Filed 8-15-14; 8:45 am]
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