Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 77 /Wednesday, April 22, 1998 / Notices 19945

plans, feasibility investigations of

measures selected for consideration, and

program criteria. Consequently, the

Draft PEIS is a broad scope document to

provide ‘‘umbrella’’ coverage for

implementing the Enhancement Project

with subsequent tiering for NEPA

compliance of specific follow-on

actions, as appropriate.

Six alternatives, including no action,

are considered in the Draft PEIS. The no

action alternative is presented as the

most likely future condition that could

be expected without the implementation

of additional Title XII provisions

beyond the currently established

riverflows, which includes the new

operational criteria required by the

legislation. This alternative provided

the basis for impact comparisons. Five

action alternatives present the

implementation of all elements of the

Enhancement Project at different levels

of implementation of project

components. A preferred alternative has

not been selected in the Draft PEIS.

Alternative 1 includes implementation

of all the Enhancement Project measures

except the Basin Conservation Program.

Alternative 2 consists of all the

measures cited in Alternative 1 plus

different levels (Alternatives 2A, 2B,

and 2C) of water conservation program

implementation at various locations

within the Yakima basin. Alternative 2A

consists of all the measures cited in

Alternative 1 plus a 7.5-percent basinwide reduction in diversion demand

(except for the Wapato Irrigation Project

and the Yakima-Tieton Canal).

Alternative 2B consists of all the

measures cited in Alternative 1 plus a

15-percent reduction in diversion

demand from the Yakima River

downstream from the Roza Diversion

Dam (except for the Wapato Irrigation

Project and the Yakima-Tieton Canal).

Alternative 2C consists of all the

measures cited in Alternative 1 plus a

21-percent reduction in diversion

demand at diversion points between the

Sunnyside and Roza Canals. Alternative

3 consists of all the measures cited in

Alternative 1 except for implementation

of the Kachess Reservoir augmentation

and specific tributary measures.

Environmental consequences that

would result from implementation of

any of the alternatives should have no

significant adverse impacts, such that

irrigation contracts will not be modified

and any minor adverse impacts

identified could be mitigated to a level

of insignificance by implementation of

mitigation measures. Beneficial impacts

are considered to be enhanced water

quality, increased streamflow, and

overall reinforcement of fish and

wildlife habitat, as well as an increase

in the reliability of irrigation water

supplies.

Dated: April 13, 1998.

John W. Keys, III,

Regional Director, Pacific Northwest Region.

[FR Doc. 98–10631 Filed 4–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–94–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation

and Enforcement

Notice of Proposed Information

Collection

AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining

Reclamation and Enforcement.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation

and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing

that the information collection request

for the title described below has been

forwarded to the Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) for review and

comment. The information collection

request describes the nature of the

information collection and the expected

burden and cost.

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to

approve or disapprove the information

collection but may respond after 30

days. Therefore, public comments

should be submitted to OMB by May 22,

1998, in order to be assured of

consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request a copy of the information

collection request, explanatory

information and related form, contact

John A. Trelease at (202) 208–2783, or

electronically to jtreleas@osmre.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office

of Management and Budget (OMB)

regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which

implement provisions of the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13),

require that interested members of the

public and affected agencies have an

opportunity to comment on information

collection and recordkeeping activities

(see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)). OSM has

submitted a request to OMB to renew its

approval of the collection of information

for the permanent program performance

standards—underground mining

activities, 30 CFR Part 817. OSM is

requesting a 3-year term of approval for

this information collection activity.

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 OMB

control number. The OMB control

number for this collection of

information is listed in 30 CFR 817.10,

which is 1029–0048.

As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a

Federal Register notice soliciting

comments on these collections of

information was published on January

29, 1998 (63 FR 4472). No comments

were received. This notice provides the

public with an additional 30 days in

which to comment on the following

information collection activity:

Title: Permanent Program

Performance Standards—Underground

Mining Activities, 30 CFR Part 817.

OMB Control Number: 1029–0048.

Summary: Sections 515 and 516 of the

Surface Mining Control and

Reclamation Act of 1977 provide that

permittees conducting surface coal

mining operations with underground

mining activities shall meet all

applicable performance standards of the

Act. The information collected is used

by the regulatory authority in

monitoring and inspecting surface coal

mining activities to ensure that they are

conducted in compliance with the

requirements of the Act.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion,

quarterly and annually.

Description of Respondents: 2,837

active underground coal mining

operators.

Total Annual Responses: 52,690.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 183,284.

Send comments on the need for the

collections of information for the

performance of the functions of the

agency; the accuracy of the agency’s

burden estimates; ways to enhance the

quality, utility and clarity of the

information collections; and ways to

minimize the information collection

burdens on respondents, such as use of

automated means of collections of the

information, to the following addresses.

Please refer to the appropriate OMB

control number in all correspondence.

ADDRESSES: Office of Information and

Regulatory Affairs, Office of

Management and Budget, Attention:

Department of Interior Desk Officer, 725

17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503.

Also, please send a copy of your

comments to John A. Trelease, Office of

Surface Mining Reclamation and

Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave.,

NW, Room 210–SIB, Washington, DC

20240, or electronically to

jtreleas@osmre.gov.

Dated: April 15, 1998.

Richard G. Bryson,

Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.

[FR Doc. 98–10579 Filed 4–21–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–05–M