Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Surface Mining Permit Applications-Minimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plan

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

[S1D1S SS08011000 SX064A000 189S180110; S2D2S SS08011000 SX064A000 18XS501520; OMB Control Number 1029-0036]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Surface Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plan

AGENCY:

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) are proposing to renew an information collection used by the regulatory authority to determine if surface coal mine applicants can comply with the applicable performance and environmental standards required by the law.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before April 27, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

Send written comments on this information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget's Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior by email at

OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov;

or via facsimile to (202) 395-5806. Please provide a copy of your comments to John Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1849 C. Street NW, Mail Stop 4559, Washington, DC 20240; or by email to

jtrelease@osmre.gov.

Please reference OMB Control Number 1029-0039 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this ICR, contact John Trelease by email at

jtrelease@osmre.gov,

or by telephone at (202) 208-2783. You may also view the ICR at

http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information collection requirements and provides the requested data in the desired format.

A

Federal Register

notice with a 60-day public comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on November 20, 2017 (82 FR 55114). No comments were received.

We are again soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper functions of OSMRE; (2) is the estimate of burden accurate; (3) how might OSMRE enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) how might OSMRE minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology.

Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. Before including your address, phone number, email 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.

Title:

30 CFR part 780—Surface Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plan.

OMB Control Number:

1029-0036.

Abstract:

Sections 507(b), 508(a), 510(b), 515(b) and (d), and 522 of 30 U.S.C. 1201 et. seq. require applicants to submit operation and reclamation plans for coal mining activities. This information collection is needed to determine whether the plans will achieve the reclamation and environmental protections pursuant to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Without this information, Federal and State regulatory authorities cannot review and approve permit application requests.

Form Number:

None.

Type of Review:

Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public:

Applicants for surface coal mine permits, and State regulatory authorities.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents:

133 surface coal mining permit applicants and 24 State regulatory authorities.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses:

4,101.

Estimated Completion Time per Response:

Varies from 2 hours to 160 hours, depending on type of respondent and information requested.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours:

117,731 hours.

Respondent's Obligation:

Required to Obtain or Retain a Benefit.

Frequency of Collection:

One time.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost:

$1,048,503.

Summary Annual Burden to Respondents for 30 CFR Part 780

Section

Number of

applicants

Number of

state

responses

Hours per

applicant

Hours per

state

Burden

hours

requested

Hours

currently

approved

Difference

780.11

133

132

8

7

1,988

806

1,182

780.12

133

132

16

2

2,392

953

1,439

780.13

133

132

80

6.5

11,498

6,661

4,837

780.14

133

132

80

32

14,864

5,638

9,226

780.16

133

132

30

11

5,442

2,996

2,446

780.18

133

132

8

5

1,724

1,156

568

780.21

133

132

160

21.5

24,118

1,376

22,742

780.22

133

132

120

18.5

18,402

3,468

14,934

780.23

133

132

40

9

6,508

5,495

1,013

780.25

133

132

40

10

6,640

1,152

5,488

780.27

27

27

16

2.5

500

345

155

780.29

133

132

16

5

2,788

2,426

362

780.31

133

132

8

5

1,724

1,612

112

780.33

133

132

16

4

2,656

1,734

922

780.35

36

36

27

12

1,404

10,359

−8,955

780.37

133

132

23

7

3,983

4,620

−637

780.38

133

132

77.5

6

11,100

3,470

7,630

Total

765.5

164

117,731

54,267

63,464

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 authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq).

Dated: March 23, 2018.

John A. Trelease,

Acting Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.

[FR Doc. 2018-06214 Filed 3-27-18; 8:45 am]

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