[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 1, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19316-19317]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10691]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Minerals Management Service


Information Collection Solicitation for Comments

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service, DOI.

ACTION: Notice of Information Collection Solicitation.
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Minerals 
Management Service (MMS) is soliciting comments on an information 
collection for Production Accounting and Auditing System Reports on 
Solid Minerals.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before July 1, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments sent via the U.S. Postal Service should be sent to: 
Minerals Management Service, Royalty Management Program, Rules and 
Procedures Staff, P.O. Box 25165, MS 3101, Denver, Colorado 80215-0165.
    Comments sent via courier or overnight delivery service should be 
sent to: Minerals Management Service, Royalty Management Program, Rules 
and Procedures Staff, MS 3101, Building 85, Room A-212, Denver Federal 
Center, Denver, Colorado 80225-0165.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis C. Jones, Rules and Procedures 
Staff, phone (303) 231-3046, FAX (303) 231-3194, e-Mail 
Dennis(__)J<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cea1a0abbd8ebda3babee0a3a3bde0a9a1b8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5a35343f291a29372e2a74373729743d352c">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In compliance with the requirement of 
Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 each 
agency shall provide notice and otherwise consult with members of the 
public and affected agencies concerning collection of information in 
order to solicit comments to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall 
have practical utility; (b) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's 
estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (d) minimize the burden of the collection of information 
on those who are to respond, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    The Secretary of the Interior is responsible for the collection of 
royalties from lessees who produce minerals from leased Federal and 
Indian lands, and the Secretary is authorized to manage lands, to 
collect royalties due, and to distribute royalties collected. MMS 
performs the royalty management functions assigned to the Secretary and 
has implemented the Production Accounting and Auditing System (PAAS) to 
improve the management of minerals produced from Federal and Indian 
land.
    PAAS is an integrated computer system based on production 
processing reports submitted by lease operators and is designed to 
track minerals produced from Federal and Indian lands from the point of 
production to the point of disposition, or royalty determination, and/
or point of sale. PAAS data is compared to data in the MMS Auditing and 
Financial System (AFS), which provides payment and sales volumes and 
values as reported by payors. The comparison enables MMS to verify that 
proper royalties are being received for the minerals produced.
    The Secretary is authorized to prescribe proper rules and 
regulations and to do any and all things necessary to accomplish the 
purpose of applicable laws. Citations include: 30 U.S.C. 189, (public 
lands), 30 U.S.C. 359, (acquired lands) and 25 U.S.C. 396d, (Indian 
lands). Current regulations applicable to this information collection 
are at 30 CFR 212.200 and 30 CFR 216 et seq. Regulations of the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs (BIA), 25 CFR 211 et seq., provide by cross-reference 
that the pertinent provisions of 30 CFR Chapter II, Parts 200-290 apply 
to Indian leases.
    Lessees of Federal and Indian leases agree to provide information 
of all operations conducted on a lease and the volume and quality of 
all production from the lease at such times and in such form as the 
Secretary may prescribe. Rules require lessees to provide accurate, 
complete, and timely reports for all minerals produced, in the manner 
and form prescribed by MMS (30 CFR 216.21).

[[Page 19317]]

    PAAS uses four forms to record solid minerals data. Two forms are 
necessary to establish a reference data base. Form MMS-4050, Mine 
Information Form (MIF), is filed as the first step in reporting solid 
mineral data to PAAS. It is prepared by BLM or MMS when a mine is first 
approved, or to change previously reported data from each mine that 
includes Federal or Indian leases. Form MMS-4051-S, Facility and 
Measurement Information Form (FMIF) identifies the scales and meters 
that measure production at each mine or storage or secondary processing 
facility.
    Two operations reports provide information on production, sales 
volumes, and inventories of mines and processing facilities. Form MMS-
4059, Solid Minerals Operations Report (SMOR) is submitted by all 
Federal and Indian lease operators producing solid minerals subject to 
royalties and has two parts. Part A, Production and Disposition of Raw 
Materials, is submitted by operators of all producing mines that 
include Federal or Indian leases within the approved mine plan, and is 
required only if production is sold directly from the mine. Part B, 
Mine Sales From a Facility, is submitted only by those mine operators 
whose production is sold after secondary processing, or from remote 
storage.
    Form MMS-4060, Solid Minerals Facility Report (SMFR), is submitted 
to MMS by operators of secondary processing or remote storage 
facilities that handle solid mineral production on which royalties have 
not been determined and also has two parts. Part A, Process Operations, 
identifies the operator and the facility, and for each line item, the 
mine, type of product received, and quantity and quality of input and 
output of the processing facility. Part B, Inventory, identifies for 
each product and its source mine the beginning inventory, raw materials 
received, amount of production, disposition, quantity sold or 
transferred, the facility or measuring point to which production is 
transferred, and ending inventory.
    The MMS has analyzed PAAS requirements to ensure that the 
information requested is the minimum necessary and places the least 
possible burden on industry. There are no special reporting provisions 
for small organizations. To reduce the reporting burden, MMS provides 
toll-free telephone assistance, distributes information packages with 
copies of the PAAS Reporter Handbook providing step-by-step 
instructions in completing required forms, and conducts training at 
various sites around the country.

    Dated: April 22, 1996.
Robert E. Brown,
Acting Associate Director for Royalty Management.
[FR Doc. 96-10691 Filed 4-30-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P

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