[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45681-45682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22874]



[[Page 45681]]

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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of revision of a currently approved information 
collection (OMB Control Number 1010-0006).

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

SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, MMS invites the public and other Federal agencies to 
comment on a proposal to extend and revise the currently approved 
collection of information discussed below. The Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (PRA) provides that 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 Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) control number.

DATES: Submit written comments by October 27, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to the Rules Processing Team, 
Minerals Management Service, Mail Stop 4020, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, 
Virginia 20170-4817.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Rules Processing Team, 
telephone (703) 787-1600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: 30 CFR Part 256, Leasing of Sulphur or Oil and Gas in the 
Outer Continental Shelf.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), as 
amended, 43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq., requires the Secretary of the Interior 
(Secretary) to preserve, protect, and develop offshore oil and gas 
resources; to make such resources available to meet the Nation's energy 
needs as rapidly as possible; to balance orderly energy resource 
development with protection of the human, marine, and coastal 
environments; to ensure the public a fair and equitable return on the 
resources of the OCS; and to preserve and maintain free enterprise 
competition. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA) 
prohibits certain lease bidding arrangements (42 U.S.C. 6213 (c)).
    The MMS uses the information collected under Part 256 to determine 
if applicants are qualified to hold leases in the OCS. For example, MMS 
uses the information to: (a) verify the qualifications of a bidder on 
an OCS lease sale; (b) develop the semiannual List of Restricted Joint 
Bidders that identifies parties which are ineligible to bid jointly 
with each other on OCS lease sales, under limitations established by 
the EPCA; (c) ensure the qualification of assignees; (d) document that 
a leasehold or geographical subdivision has been surrendered by the 
record title holder, and (e) verify that lessees have adequate bonding 
coverage. If MMS did not collect the information, we would be unable to 
comply with the mandates of the OCSLA and the EPCA.
    The individual responses to Calls for Information are the only 
information collected involving the protection of confidentiality. The 
MMS will protect specific individual replies from disclosure as 
proprietary information in accordance with section 26 of the OCSLA and 
30 CFR 256.10(d). No items of a sensitive nature are collected. 
Responses are required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS sulphur or oil and gas lessees.
    Frequency: The frequency of reporting and number of responses vary 
for each section and are mostly on occasion or annual (see chart 
below). There are no recordkeeping requirements in 30 CFR part 256.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: 17,525 
burden hours (see chart below).

                                                Burden Breakdown                                                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Burden  per                    
   Citation  30 CFR  Part 256     Reporting  requirement   Annual  Number of      response       Annual  burden 
                                                               responses           (hours)            hours     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subparts A, E, H, L, M.........  None...................                                                        
  (1)Not applicable              0......................                                                        
Subparts B, D, F...............  Public notice and                                                              
                                  comment process                                                               
                                  through the Federal                                                           
                                  Register.                                                                     
  (1)Exempt as defined in 5 CFR  0......................                                                        
1320.3(h)(4)                                                                                                    
Subpart C......................  Reports from Federal                                                           
                                  agencies.                                                                     
  (1)Exempt as defined in 5 CFR  0......................                                                        
1320.3(c)(4)                                                                                                    
Various Subparts: 256.37;        Request approval for                                                           
 256.53; 256.68; 256.70;          various operations or                                                         
 256.71; 256.72; 256.73.          submit plans or                                                               
                                  applications.                                                                 
  (1)Burden included with other  0......................                                                        
approved collections in 30 CFR                                                                                  
Part 250                                                                                                        
Subpart G: 256.41; 256.43......  Submit qualification of  200 responses.....              4.5             900   
                                  bidders for joint bids                                                        
                                  and statement of                                                              
                                  production.                                                                   
256.46.........................  Submit bids............  2,000 bids........              1             2,000   
256.47(c)......................  File agreement to        1 agreement.......              4                 4   
                                  accept joint lease on                                                         
                                  tie bids.                                                                     
256.47(e)(1), (e)(3)...........  Request for                                                                    
                                  reconsideration of bid                                                        
                                  rejection.                                                                    
  (1)Exempt as defined in 5 CFR  0......................                                                        
1320.3(h)(9)                                                                                                    
256.47; 256.50.................  Execute lease (includes  629 leases........              1               629   
                                  submission of evidence                                                        
                                  of authorized agent                                                           
                                  and request for dating                                                        
                                  of leases).                                                                   
Subpart I......................  Provide bonding                                                                
                                  document                                                                      
                                  certifications, etc.                                                          
  (1)Exempt as defined in 5 CFR  0......................                                                        
1320.3(h)(1)                                                                                                    
256.53(c), (d), (f)............  Demonstrate ability to   150 submissions...               .25             37.5 
                                  carry out present and                                                         
                                  future financial                                                              
                                  obligations and/or                                                            
                                  request reduction in                                                          
                                  amount of supplemental                                                        
                                  bond required.                                                                
256.55(b)......................  Notify MMS of action     1 notice..........               .5                .5 
                                  filed alleging lessee,                                                        
                                  surety, or guarantor                                                          
                                  are insolvent or                                                              
                                  bankrupt.                                                                     

[[Page 45682]]

                                                                                                                
256.56.........................  Provide plan to fund     3 submissions.....              8                24   
                                  lease-specific                                                                
                                  abandonment account                                                           
                                  and related                                                                   
                                  information.                                                                  
256.57.........................  Provide third-party      10 submissions....               .5               5   
                                  guarantee, related                                                            
                                  notices, and annual                                                           
                                  update.                                                                       
256.58(a)......................  Request termination of   50 requests.......               .5              25   
                                  period of liability                                                           
                                  and cancellation of                                                           
                                  bond.                                                                         
Subpart J: 256.62; 256.64;       File application for     2,275 applications              5            11,375   
 256.67.                          assignment or transfer.                                                       
256.64(a)(8)...................  Submit non-required                                                            
                                  documents for record                                                          
                                  purposes.                                                                     
  (1)Voluntary, non-required     0......................                                                        
submissions of documents the                                                                                    
lessee wants MMS to file with                                                                                   
the lease.                                                                                                      
Subpart K: 256.76..............  File written request     505 relinquish-                 5             2,525   
                                  for relinquishment.      ments.                                               
                                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total Reporting..........  .......................  5,824.............  ................         17,525   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $420,875 
for transfer application fees (approximately 2,275 applications  x  
$185 fee) and $62,500 for non-required documents filing fees 
(approximately 2,500 requests  x  $25 fee).
    Comments: The MMS will summarize written responses to this notice 
and address them in its submission for OMB approval. All comments will 
become a matter of public record. As a result of comments we receive 
and our consultations with a representative sample of respondents, we 
will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to 
OMB. In calculating the burden shown in the chart above, MMS assumed 
that respondents perform many of the requirements and maintain records 
in the normal course of their activities. The MMS considers these to be 
usual and customary and took that into account in estimating the 
burden.
    (1) The MMS specifically solicits comments on the following 
questions:
    (a) Is the proposed collection of information necessary for MMS to 
properly perform its functions, and will it be useful?
    (b) Are the estimates of the burden hours of the proposed 
collection reasonable?
    (c) Do you have any suggestions that would enhance the quality, 
clarity, or usefulness of the information to be collected?
    (d) Is there a way to minimize the information collection burden on 
respondents, including through the use of appropriate automated 
electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology?
    (2) In addition, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 requires 
agencies to estimate the total annual cost burden to respondents or 
recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information. We need to 
know if you have any other cost burdens in addition to the filing fees 
required in 30 CFR part 256. Your response should split the cost 
estimate into two components:
    (a) total capital and startup cost component, and
    (b) annual operation, maintenance, and purchase of services 
component.
    Your estimates should consider the costs to generate, maintain, and 
disclose or provide the information. 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, sampling, drilling, 
and testing equipment; and record storage facilities. Generally, your 
estimates should not include equipment or services purchased: (i) 
before October 1, 1995; (ii) to comply with requirements not associated 
with the information collection; (iii) for reasons other than to 
provide information or keep records for the Government; or (iv) as part 
of customary and usual business or private practices.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.

    Dated: August 19, 1997.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 97-22874 Filed 8-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P