Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 172 / Tuesday, September 7, 2010 / Notices 54363 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

BOEMRE Information Collection 

Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz (703) 

787–1025. 

Dated: August 30, 2010 

Doug Slitor, 

Acting Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory 

Programs. 

[FR Doc. 2010–22192 Filed 9–3–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 

Regulation and Enforcement 

[Docket No. MMS–2010–OMM–0011] 

BOEMRE Information Collection 

Activity: 1010–0142, Decommissioning 

Activities, Extension of a Collection, 

Submitted for Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment 

Request 

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management, Regulation and 

Enforcement (BOEMRE), Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of extension of an 

information collection (1010–0142). 

SUMMARY: To comply with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), we are notifying the public that 

we have submitted to OMB an 

information collection request (ICR) to 

renew approval of the paperwork 

requirements in the regulations under 

30 CFR 250, subpart Q, 

Decommissioning Activities, and related 

documents. This notice also provides 

the public a second opportunity to 

comment on the paperwork burden of 

these regulatory requirements. 

DATES: Submit written comments by 

October 7, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments by either 

fax (202) 395–5806 or e-mail 

(OIRA_DOCKET@omb.eop.gov) directly 

to the Office of Information and 

Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: 

Desk Officer for the Department of the 

Interior (1010–0142). Please also submit 

a copy of your comments to BOEMRE by 

any of the means below. 

• Electronically: go to http:// 

www.regulations.gov. In the entry titled 

‘‘Enter Keyword or ID,’’ enter docket ID 

MMS–2010–OMM–0011 then click 

search. Follow the instructions to 

submit public comments and view 

supporting and related materials 

available for this collection. The 

BOEMRE will post all comments. 

• E-mail: cheryl.blundon@mms.gov. 

Mail or hand-carry comments to the 

Department of the Interior; Bureau of 

Ocean Energy Management, Regulation 

and Enforcement; Attention: Cheryl 

Blundon; 381 Elden Street, MS–4024; 

Herndon, Virginia 20170–4817. Please 

reference ICR 1010–0142 in your 

comment and include your name and 

return address. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and 

Standards Branch (703) 787–1607. You 

may also contact Cheryl Blundon to 

obtain a copy, at no cost, of the 

regulation that requires the subject 

collection of information. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: 30 CFR 250, subpart Q, 

Decommissioning Activities. 

OMB Control Number: 1010–0142. 

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 

(Secretary) to prescribe rules and 

regulations to manage the mineral 

resources of the OCS. Such rules and 

regulations will apply to all operations 

conducted under a lease. Operations on 

the OCS must preserve, protect, and 

develop oil and natural gas resources in 

a manner that is consistent with the 

need 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 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. 

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.’’ 

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 (DOI) implementing 

policy, the Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management, Regulation and 

Enforcement (BOEMRE) 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. Applications to remove/ 

decommission a platform are subject to 

cost recovery, and BOEMRE regulations 

specify cost recovery fees for these 

requests. 

This authority and responsibility are 

among those delegated to BOEMRE. The 

regulations at 30 CFR 250, subpart Q, 

concern decommissioning of platforms, 

wells, and pipelines, as well as site 

clearance and platform removal and are 

the subject of this collection. This 

request also covers the related Notices 

to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) that 

BOEMRE issues to clarify, supplement, 

or provide additional guidance on some 

aspects of our regulations. 

The BOEMRE uses the information 

collected under subpart Q primarily for 

the following reasons: 

• To determine the necessity for 

allowing a well to be temporarily 

abandoned, the lessee/operator must 

demonstrate that there is a reason for 

not permanently plugging the well, and 

the temporary abandonment will not 

interfere with fishing, navigation, or 

other uses of the OCS. We use the 

information and documentation to 

verify that the lessee/operator is 

diligently pursuing the final disposition 

of the well and has performed the 

temporary plugging of the wellbore. 

• The information submitted in initial 

decommissioning plans in the Alaska 

and Pacific OCS Regions will permit 

BOEMRE to become involved on the 

ground floor planning of platform 

removals anticipated to occur in these 

OCS regions. 

• Site clearance and platform or 

pipeline removal information ensures 

that all objects (wellheads, platforms, 

etc.) installed on the OCS are properly 

removed using procedures that will 

protect marine life and the environment 

during removal operations, and the site 

cleared so as not to conflict with or 

harm other uses of the OCS. 

• Information regarding 

decommissioning a pipeline in place is 

needed to ensure that it will not 

constitute a hazard to navigation and 

commercial fishing operations, unduly 

interfere with other uses of the OCS, or 

have adverse environmental effects. 

• The information is necessary to 

verify that decommissioning activities 

comply with approved applications and 

procedures and are satisfactorily 

completed. 

Responses are mandatory. 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 its 

implementing regulations (43 CFR 2), 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1
54364 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 172 / Tuesday, September 7, 2010 / Notices 

and 30 CFR 250.197, ‘‘Data and 

information to be made available to the 

public or for limited inspection.’’ 

Frequency: On occasion, annual; and 

as specified in sections. 

Description of Respondents: Potential 

respondents comprise Federal OCS oil, 

gas, and sulphur operators, lessees, and 

holders of pipeline rights-of-way. 

Estimated Reporting and 

Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The 

estimated annual hour burden for this 

information collection is a total of 

15,716 hours. The following chart 

details the individual components and 

burdens. 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. 

Citation 30 CFR 250 

subpart Q Reporting/recordkeeping requirement 

Non-hour cost burdens 

Hour burden Average number of 

annual responses 

Annual burden 

hours 

(rounded) 

General 

1700 thru 1754 ................. General departure and alternative compliance requests not specifically covered elsewhere in subpart Q regulations.3 50 requests ....................... 150 

1703; 1704 ....................... Request approval for decommissioning .................... Burden included in specific requirement. 0 

1704(g); 1712; 1716; 

1717; 1721(a), (d), (f), 

(g); 1722(a), (b), (d); 

1723(b); 1743(a).

Submit form MMS–124 to plug wells; provide subsequent report; request alternate depth departure; 

request procedure to protect obstructions above 

seafloor; report within 30 days, results of trawling; 

certify area cleared of obstructions; remove casing stub or mud line suspension equipment and 

subsea protective covering; or other departures.

Burden covered under 1010-0141. 0 

Subtotal ........................................................................................................................................ 50 responses .................... 150 

Permanently Plugging Wells 

1711 ................................. Required data if permanently plugging a well ........... Requirement not considered Information 

Collection under 5 CFR 1320.3(h)(9). 

0 

1713 ................................. Notify BOEMRE 48 hours before beginning operations to permanently plug a well..5 995 notices ....................... 498 

Subtotal ........................................................................................................................................ 995 responses .................. 498 

Temporary Abandoned Wells 

1721(e); 1722(e), (h)(1); 

1741(c).

Identify and report subsea wellheads, casing stubs, 

or other obstructions; mark wells protected by a 

dome; mark location to be cleared as navigation 

hazard.

U.S. Coast Guard requirements. 0 

1722(c), (g)(2) .................. Notify BOEMRE within 5 days if trawl does not pass 

over protective device or causes damages to it; or 

if inspection reveals casing stub or mud line suspension is no longer protected.

1 10 notices ......................... 10 

1722(f), (g)(3) ................... Submit annual report on plans for re-entry to complete or permanently abandon the well and inspection report.2.5 92 reports ......................... 230 

1722(h) ............................. Request waiver of trawling test ................................. 2 5 requests ......................... 10 

Subtotal ........................................................................................................................................ 107 responses .................. 250 

Removing Platforms and Other Facilities 

1726; 1704(a) ................... Submit initial decommissioning application in the 

Pacific and Alaska OCS Regions.

20 2 applications ................... 40 

1725; 1727; 1728; 1730; 

1704(b).

Submit final application and appropriate data to remove platform or other subsea facility structures 

(including alternate depth departure) or approval 

to maintain, to conduct other operations, or to 

convert to artificial reef.

22 252 applications ............... 5,544 

$4,342 fee × 252 = $1,094,184. 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 172 / Tuesday, September 7, 2010 / Notices 54365 

Citation 30 CFR 250 

subpart Q Reporting/recordkeeping requirement 

Non-hour cost burdens 

Hour burden Average number of 

annual responses 

Annual burden 

hours 

(rounded) 

1725(e) ............................. Notify BOEMRE 48 hours before beginning removal 

of platform and other facilities.

.5 214 notices ....................... 107 

1729; 1704(c) ................... Submit post platform or other facility removal report; 

supporting documentation; signed statements, etc.

9 214 reports ....................... 1,926 

1731(c) ............................. Request deferral of facility removal subject to RUE 

issued under 30 CFR 285.

1 1 request .......................... 1 

Subtotal ........................................................................................................................................ 683 responses .................. 7,618 

$1,094,184 non-hour cost burdens. 

Site Clearance for Wells, Platforms, and Other Facilities 

1740; ................................ Request approval to use alternative methods of well 

site, platform, or other facility clearance.

15 75 requests ....................... 1,125 

1743(b); 1704(f) ............... Verify permanently plugged well, platform, or other 

facility removal site cleared of obstructions; supporting documentation; and submit certification 

letter.

5 189 verifications ............... 945 

Subtotal ........................................................................................................................................ 264 responses .................. 2,070 

Pipeline Decommissioning 

1750; 1751; 1752; 1754; 

1704(d).

Submit application to decommission pipeline in 

place or remove pipeline (L/T or ROW).

10 399 applications ............... 3,990 

$1,059 L/T decommission fee × 230 = $243,570. 

$2,012 ROW decommission fee × 169 = $340,028. 

1753; 1704(e) ................... Submit post pipeline decommissioning report ........... 3 380 reports ....................... 1,140

Subtotal ........................................................................................................................................ 779 responses .................. 5,130 

$583,598 non-hour cost burdens. 

2,878 responses ............... 15,716 

Total Burden ................................................................................................................................ $1,677,782 Non-Hour Cost Burdens. 

1 L/T = Lease Term. 

2 ROW = Right of Way. 

Estimated Reporting and 

Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: 

There are three non-hour paperwork 

costs associated with this information 

collection. The estimated non-hour cost 

burden is $1,677,782. Sections 

250.1751(a), 250.1752(a), and 250.1727 

require respondents to pay a cost 

recovery fee when submitting a request 

to remove a platform or other facility, to 

decommission a lease term pipeline, or 

to decommission a ROW pipeline. The 

fees are required to recover the Federal 

Government’s processing costs. We have 

not identified any other non-hour 

paperwork 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: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 

the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) 

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 

proposed collection of information is 

necessary for the agency to perform its 

duties, including whether the 

information is useful; (b) evaluate the 

accuracy of the agency’s estimate 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 

automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

To comply with the public 

consultation process, on March 22, 

2010, we published a Federal Register 

notice (75 FR 13568) announcing that 

we would submit this ICR to OMB for 

approval. The notice provided the 

required 60-day comment period. In 

addition, § 250.199 provides the OMB 

control number for the information 

collection requirements imposed by the 

30 CFR 250 regulations and forms. The 

regulation also informs the public that 

they may comment at any time on the 

collections of information and provides 

the address to which they should send 

comments. We received one comment in 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1
54366 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 172 / Tuesday, September 7, 2010 / Notices 

response to the Federal Register notice 

and the comment was not germane to 

the collection of information. 

If you wish to comment in response 

to this notice, you may send your 

comments to the offices listed under the 

ADDRESSES section of this notice. The 

OMB has up to 60 days to approve or 

disapprove the information collection 

but may respond after 30 days. 

Therefore, to ensure maximum 

consideration, OMB should receive 

public comments by October 7, 2010. 

Public Comment Procedures: Before 

including your address, phone number, 

e-mail 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. 

BOEMRE Information Collection 

Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz (202) 

208–7744. 

Dated: August 30, 2010. 

Doug Slitor, 

Acting Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory 

Programs. 

[FR Doc. 2010–22210 Filed 9–3–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Ocean Management, 

Regulation and Enforcement 

[Docket No. MMS–2010–OMM–0012] 

BOEMRE Information Collection 

Activity: 1010–0086, Sulphur 

Operations, Extension of a Collection; 

Submitted for Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment 

Request 

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management, Regulation and 

Enforcement (BOEMRE), Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of extension of an 

information collection (1010–0086). 

SUMMARY: To comply with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), we are notifying the public that 

we have submitted to OMB an 

information collection request (ICR) to 

renew approval of the paperwork 

requirements in the regulations under 

30 CFR 250, subpart P, Sulphur 

Operations. This notice also provides 

the public a second opportunity to 

comment on the paperwork burden of 

these regulatory requirements. 

DATES: Submit written comments by 

October 7, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments by either 

fax (202) 395–5806 or e-mail 

(OIRA_DOCKET@omb.eop.gov) directly 

to the Office of Information and 

Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: 

Desk Officer for the Department of the 

Interior (1010–0086). Please also submit 

a copy of your comments to BOEMRE by 

any of the means below. 

• Electronically: Go to http:// 

www.regulations.gov. In the entry titled 

‘‘Enter Keyword or ID,’’ enter docket ID 

MMS–2010–OMM–0012 then click 

search. Follow the instructions to 

submit public comments and view 

supporting and related materials 

available for this collection. The 

BOEMRE will post all comments. 

• E-mail: 

cheryl.blundon@boemre.gov. Mail or 

hand-carry comments to: Department of 

the Interior; Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management, Regulation and 

Enforcement; Attention: Cheryl 

Blundon; 381 Elden Street, MS–4024; 

Herndon, Virginia 20170–4817. Please 

reference ICR 1010–0086 in your 

comment and include your name and 

return address. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and 

Standards Branch, (703) 787–1607. You 

may also contact Cheryl Blundon to 

obtain a copy, at no cost, of the 

regulations that require the subject 

collection of information. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: 30 CFR 250, subpart P, Sulphur 

Operations. 

OMB Control Number: 1010–0086. 

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 

(Secretary) to prescribe rules and 

regulations to manage the mineral 

resources of the OCS. Such rules and 

regulations will apply to all operations 

conducted under a lease, right-of-use 

and easement, and pipeline right-ofway. Operations on the OCS must 

preserve, protect, and develop mineral 

resources in a manner that is consistent 

with the need 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 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. 

Section 5(a) of the OCS Lands Act 

requires the Secretary to prescribe rules 

and regulations ‘‘to provide for the 

prevention of waste, and conservation of 

the natural resources of the Outer 

Continental Shelf, and the protection of 

correlative rights therein’’ and to include 

provisions ‘‘for the prompt and efficient 

exploration and development of a lease 

area.’’ These authorities and 

responsibilities are among those 

delegated to the Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management, Regulation and 

Enforcement (BOEMRE) to ensure that 

operations in the OCS will meet 

statutory requirements; provide for 

safety and protection of the 

environment; and result in diligent 

exploration, development, and 

production of OCS leases. This ICR 

addresses the regulations at 30 CFR 250, 

subpart P, Sulphur Operations, and any 

associated supplementary Notices to 

Lessees and Operators (NTLs) intended 

to provide clarification, description, or 

explanation of these regulations. 

Currently, BOEMRE regulates one 

sulphur lease on the OCS, but it is not 

active. Therefore, this information 

collection and its relevant hours 

represent one respondent. 

Regulations implementing these 

responsibilities are under 30 CFR 250, 

subpart P. Responses are mandatory. No 

questions of a sensitive nature are 

asked. The BOEMRE protects 

information considered proprietary 

according to 30 CFR 250.197, ‘‘Data and 

information to be made available to the 

public or for limited inspection,’’ and 

the Freedom of Information Act (5 

U.S.C. 552) and its implementing 

regulations (43 CFR 2). 

The BOEMRE uses the information 

collected to ascertain the condition of 

drilling sites for the purpose of 

preventing hazards inherent in sulphur 

drilling and production operations and 

to evaluate the adequacy of equipment 

and/or procedures to be used during the 

conduct of drilling, well-completion, 

well-workover, and production 

operations. The BOEMRE uses the 

information to: 

• Ascertain that a discovered sulphur 

deposit can be classified as capable of 

production in paying quantities. 

• Ensure accurate and complete 

measurement of production to 

determine the amount of sulphur 

royalty payments due the United States; 

and that the sale locations are secure, 

production has been measured 

accurately, and appropriate follow-up 

actions are initiated. 

• Review expected oceanographic 

and meteorological conditions to ensure 

the integrity of the drilling unit (this 

information is submitted only if it is not 

otherwise available). 

• Review hazard survey data to 

ensure that the lessee or operator will 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1