Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 127 / Monday, July 2, 2018 / Notices 30981 

information collection request (ICR) can 

be obtained by contacting the individual 

listed below in the Addresses section of 

this notice. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted to the office listed in the 

Addresses section of this notice on or 

before August 31, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Nora 

Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer, 

Division of Management Systems, 

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 

2 Massachusetts Avenue NE, 

Washington, DC 20212. Written 

comments also may be transmitted by 

fax to 202–691–5111 (this is not a toll 

free number). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Nora Kincaid, BLS Clearance Officer, 

telephone 202–691–7628 (this is not a 

toll free number). (See Addresses 

Section.) 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the 

timeliest instrument compiled by the 

U.S. Government that is designed to 

measure changes in the purchasing 

power of the urban consumer’s dollar. 

The CPI is used most widely as a 

measure of inflation, and is used in the 

formulation of economic policy. It also 

is used as a deflator of other economic 

series, that is, to adjust other series for 

price changes and to translate these 

series into inflation-free dollars. 

II. Current Action 

Office of Management and Budget 

clearance is being sought for the CPI 

Housing Survey. The continuation of 

the collection of housing rents for the 

CPI is essential since the CPI is the 

nation’s chief source of information on 

retail price changes. If the information 

on rents were not collected, Federal 

fiscal and monetary policies would be 

hampered due to the lack of information 

on price changes in a major sector of the 

U.S. economy, and estimates of the real 

value of the Gross Domestic Product 

could not be made. The consequences to 

both the Federal and private sectors 

would be far reaching and would have 

serious repercussions on Federal 

government policy and institutions. 

III. Desired Focus of Comments 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is 

particularly interested in comments 

that: 

• Evaluate whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of the agency, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility. 

• Evaluate the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden of the 

proposed collection of information, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used. 

• Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected. 

• Minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on those who 

are to respond, including through the 

use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology, 

e.g., permitting electronic submissions 

of responses. 

Title of Collection: CPI Housing 

Survey. 

OMB Number: 1220–0163. 

Type of Review: Extension. 

Affected Public: Individuals or 

households; business or other for-profit. 

Total Respondents: 75,769. 

Frequency: Semi-annually. 

Total Responses: 129,778. 

Average Time per Response: 5.89560 

minutes. 

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 12,752 

hours. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized and/or 

included in the request for Office of 

Management and Budget approval of the 

information collection request; they also 

will become a matter of public record. 

Signed at Washington, DC, this 27th day of 

June 2018. 

Eric P. Molina, 

Acting Chief, Division of Management 

Systems. 

[FR Doc. 2018–14205 Filed 6–29–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4510–24–P 

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

Mine Safety and Health Administration 

[OMB Control No. 1219–0040] 

Proposed Extension of Information 

Collection; Independent Contractor 

Registration and Identification 

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health 

Administration, Labor. 

ACTION: Request for public comments. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as 

part of its continuing effort to reduce 

paperwork and respondent burden, 

conducts a pre-clearance consultation 

program to provide the general public 

and Federal agencies with an 

opportunity to comment on proposed 

collections of information in accordance 

with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1995. This program helps to ensure that 

requested data can be provided in the 

desired format, reporting burden (time 

and financial resources) is minimized, 

collection instruments are clearly 

understood, and the impact of collection 

requirements on respondents can be 

properly assessed. Currently, the Mine 

Safety and Health Administration 

(MSHA) is soliciting comments on the 

information collection for Independent 

Contractor Registration and 

Identification. 

DATES: All comments must be received 

on or before August 31, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning the 

information collection requirements of 

this notice may be sent by any of the 

methods listed below. 

• Federal E-Rulemaking Portal: 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

on-line instructions for submitting 

comments for docket number MSHA– 

2018–0012. 

• Regular Mail: Send comments to 

USDOL–MSHA, Office of Standards, 

Regulations, and Variances, 201 12th 

Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington, 

VA 22202–5452. 

• Hand Delivery: USDOL-Mine Safety 

and Health Administration, 201 12th 

Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington, 

VA 22202–5452. Sign in at the 

receptionist’s desk on the 4th floor via 

the East elevator. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sheila McConnell, Director, Office of 

Standards, Regulations, and 

Variances, MSHA, at 

MSHA.information.collections@dol.gov 

(email); (202) 693–9440 (voice); or (202) 

693–9441 (facsimile). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Section 103(h) of the Federal Mine 

Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine 

Act), 30 U.S.C. 813(h), authorizes 

MSHA to collect information necessary 

to carry out its duty in protecting the 

safety and health of miners. Further, 

section 101(a) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. 

811, authorizes the Secretary of Labor 

(Secretary) to develop, promulgate, and 

revise as may be appropriate, improved 

mandatory health or safety standards for 

the protection of life and prevention of 

injuries in coal or other mines. 

Independent contractors perform 

services or construction at a mine. They 

may be engaged in virtually every type 

of work performed at a mine, including 

activities such as clearing land, 

excavating ore, processing minerals, 

maintaining or repairing equipment, or 

constructing new buildings or new 

facilities, such as shafts, hoists, 

conveyors, or kilns. Independent 

contractors vary in size, the type of 

work performed, and the time spent 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
30982 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 127 / Monday, July 2, 2018 / Notices 

working at mine sites. Some contractors 

work exclusively at mining operations, 

others may work a single contract at a 

mine and never return to MSHA 

jurisdiction. MSHA uses the contractor 

information in this information 

collection request during inspections to 

determine the responsibility for 

compliance with safety and health 

standards. 

II. Desired Focus of Comments 

MSHA is soliciting comments 

concerning the proposed information 

collection related to Independent 

Contractor Registration and 

Identification. MSHA is particularly 

interested in comments that: 

• Evaluate whether the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

agency, including whether the 

information has practical utility; 

• Evaluate the accuracy of MSHA’s 

estimate of the burden of the collection 

of information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

• Suggest methods to enhance the 

quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and 

• Minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on those who 

are to respond, including through the 

use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology, 

e.g., permitting electronic submission of 

responses. 

The information collection request 

will be available on http://

www.regulations.gov. MSHA cautions 

the commenter against providing any 

information in the submission that 

should not be publicly disclosed. Full 

comments, including personal 

information provided, will be made 

available on www.regulations.gov and 

www.reginfo.gov. 

The public may also examine publicly 

available documents at USDOL-Mine 

Safety and Health Administration, 201 

12th South, Suite 4E401, Arlington, VA 

22202–5452. Sign in at the receptionist’s 

desk on the 4th floor via the East 

elevator. 

Questions about the information 

collection requirements may be directed 

to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 

notice. 

III. Current Actions 

This request for collection of 

information contains provisions for 

Independent Contractor Registration 

and Identification. MSHA has updated 

the data with respect to the number of 

respondents, responses, burden hours, 

and burden costs supporting this 

information collection request. 

Type of Review: Extension, without 

change, of a currently approved 

collection. 

Agency: Mine Safety and Health 

Administration. 

OMB Number: 1219–0004. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit. 

Number of Respondents: 22,728. 

Frequency: On occasion. 

Number of Responses: 171,607. 

Annual Burden Hours: 18,531 hours. 

Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper 

Cost: $628. 

MSHA Forms: MSHA Form 7000–52, 

Contractor Identification (ID) Request. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized and 

included in the request for Office of 

Management and Budget approval of the 

information collection request; they will 

also become a matter of public record. 

Sheila McConnell, 

Certifying Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2018–14089 Filed 6–29–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4510–43–P 

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

Mine Safety and Health Administration 

[OMB Control No. 1219–0096] 

Proposed Extension of Information 

Collection; Underground Retorts 

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health 

Administration, Labor. 

ACTION: Request for public comments. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as 

part of its continuing effort to reduce 

paperwork and respondent burden, 

conducts a pre-clearance consultation 

program to provide the general public 

and Federal agencies with an 

opportunity to comment on proposed 

collections of information in accordance 

with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1995. This program helps to ensure that 

requested data can be provided in the 

desired format, reporting burden (time 

and financial resources) is minimized, 

collection instruments are clearly 

understood, and the impact of collection 

requirements on respondents can be 

properly assessed. Currently, the Mine 

Safety and Health Administration 

(MSHA) is soliciting comments on the 

information collection for Underground 

Retorts. 

DATES: All comments must be received 

on or before August 31, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning the 

information collection requirements of 

this notice may be sent by any of the 

methods listed below. 

• Federal E-Rulemaking Portal: 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

on-line instructions for submitting 

comments for docket number MSHA– 

2018–0022. 

• Regular Mail: Send comments to 

USDOL–MSHA, Office of Standards, 

Regulations, and Variances, 201 12th 

Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington, 

VA 22202–5452. 

• Hand Delivery: USDOL-Mine Safety 

and Health Administration, 201 12th 

Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington, 

VA 22202–5452. Sign in at the 

receptionist’s desk on the 4th floor via 

the East elevator. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sheila McConnell, Director, Office of 

Standards, Regulations, and 

Variances, MSHA, at 

MSHA.information.collections@dol.gov 

(email); (202) 693–9440 (voice); or (202) 

693–9441 (facsimile). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Section 103(h) of the Federal Mine 

Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine 

Act), 30 U.S.C. Section 813, authorizes 

MSHA to collect information necessary 

to carry out its duty in protecting the 

safety and health of miners. Further, 

section 101(a) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. 

811, authorizes the Secretary of Labor 

(Secretary) to develop, promulgate, and 

revise as may be appropriate, improved 

mandatory health or safety standards for 

the protection of life and prevention of 

injuries in metal and nonmetal mines. 

Title 30 CFR 57.22401 sets forth the 

safety requirements for using a retort to 

extract oil from shale in underground 

metal and nonmetal I–A and I–B mines 

(those that operate in a combustible ore 

and either liberate methane or have the 

potential to liberate methane based on 

the history of the mine or the geological 

area in which the mine is located). At 

present, this applies only to 

underground oil shale mines. The 

standard requires that prior to ignition 

of underground retorts; mine operators 

must submit a written ignition operation 

plan to the appropriate MSHA District 

Manager which contains site-specific 

safeguards and safety procedures for the 

underground areas of the mine which 

are affected by the retorts. 

II. Desired Focus of Comments 

MSHA is soliciting comments 

concerning the proposed information 

collection related to Underground 

Retorts. MSHA is particularly interested 

in comments that: 

• Evaluate whether the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 


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