Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of revision of a currently approved information

collection (OMB Control Number 1010-0058).

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[[Page 36941]]

SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and

respondent burden, MMS invites the public and other Federal agencies to

comment on a proposal to extend and revise the currently approved

collection of information discussed below. The Paperwork Reduction Act

of 1995 (PRA) provides that 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 Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) control number.

DATE: Submit written comments by September 8, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Mail or hand carry comments to the Department of the

Interior; Minerals Management Service; attention: Rules Processing

Team; Mail Stop 4024; 381 Elden Street; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Rules Processing Team,

telephone (703) 787-1600. You may also contact Alexis London to obtain

a copy of the collection of information at no cost.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: 30 CFR 250, Subpart I, Platforms and Structures, (1010-

0058).

Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, 43 U.S.C.

1331 et seq., gives the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) the

responsibility to preserve, protect, and develop oil and gas resources

in the OCS 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; balance orderly energy resource development with protection

of human, marine, and coastal environments; ensure the public a fair

and equitable return on offshore resources in the OCS; and preserve and

maintain free enterprise competition. Specifically, the OCS Lands Act

(43 U.S.C. 1356) requires the issuance of ``* * * regulations which

require that any vessel, rig, platform, or other vehicle or structure *

* * (2) which is used for activities pursuant to this subchapter,

comply, * * * with such minimum standards of design, construction,

alteration, and repair as the Secretary * * * establishes; * * * '' The

OCS Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1332(6)) also states, ``operations in the

outer Continental Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner * * * to

prevent or minimize the likelihood of * * * physical obstruction to

other users of the water or subsoil and seabed, or other occurrences

which may cause damage to the environment or to property, or endanger

life or health.''

To carry out these responsibilities, the Minerals Management

Service (MMS) has issued rules governing structural safety of platforms

and structures used in the OCS and their subsequent abandonment and

site clearance. These rules and the associated information collection

requirements are contained in 30 CFR part 250, subpart I, Platforms and

Structures. In addition, MMS issues Notices to Lessees and Operators

(NTLs) that clarify, explain, or interpret regulations and standards.

The MMS OCS Regions use the information submitted under subpart I

to determine the structural integrity of all offshore structures and

ensure that such integrity will be maintained throughout the useful

life of these structures. The MMS uses the information to ascertain, on

a case-by-case basis, that the platforms and structures are

structurally sound and safe for their intended use to ensure safety of

personnel and pollution prevention. The information is also necessary

to assure that abandonment and site clearance are properly performed.

More specifically, MMS uses the information to:

a. Review information concerning damage to a platform to assess the

adequacy of proposed repairs.

b. Review plans for platform construction (construction is divided

into three phases--design, fabrication, and installation) to ensure the

structural integrity of the platform.

c. Review verification plans and reports for unique platforms to

ensure that all nonstandard situations are given proper consideration

during the design, fabrication, and installation phases of platform

construction.

d. Review platform design, fabrication, and installation records to

ensure that the platform is constructed according to approved plans.

e. Review inspection reports to ensure that platform integrity is

maintained for the life of the platform.

f. Ensure that any object (wellheads, platforms, etc.) installed on

the OCS is properly removed and the site cleared so as not to conflict

with or harm other users of the OCS.

The currently approved information collection for Subpart I

includes the burden for a proposed rule to add a Sec. 250.145, Seismic

Reassessment of California OCS Platforms. After considering the

comments received on the proposed rule, MMS has decided to take no

further action this proposed rule. We will formally announce this

decision in the next publication of the Unified Agenda.

The MMS will protect proprietary information submitted with the

plans in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act; 30 CFR 250.18,

Data and information to be made available to the public; and 30 CFR

Part 252, OCS Oil and Gas Information Program. No items of a sensitive

nature are collected. Responses are mandatory.

Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130

Federal OCS sulphur or oil and gas lessees.

Frequency: The frequency of reporting is on occasion and varies by

subpart I regulatory section.

Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: 24,743

reporting burden hours; 7,150 recordkeeping burden hours. The estimated

average annual burden per respondent is approximately 245 hours. This

estimate: (a) reflects the elimination of the proposed burden for

Sec. 250.145, (b) updates the average number of annual responses, and

(c) includes previously omitted burden estimates for current subpart I

requirements.

Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: In the

previous request to OMB to approve this collection of information, we

included a reporting cost burden associated with adding proposed

Sec. 250.145. The decision is take no further action on that proposed

rule eliminates the estimated cost burden. We have identified no other

information collection cost burdens for this collection of information.

Comments: The MMS will summarize written responses to this notice

and address them in its submission for OMB approval. All comments will

become a matter of public record. As a result of comments we receive

and our consultations with a representative sample of respondents, we

will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to

OMB. In calculating the burden, MMS assumed that respondents perform

many of the requirements and maintain records in the normal course of

their activities. The MMS considers these to be usual and customary and

took that into account in estimating the burden.

(1) The MMS specifically solicits comments on the following

questions:

(a) Is the proposed collection of information necessary for MMS to

properly perform its functions, and will it be useful?

(b) Are the estimates of the burden hours of the proposed

collection reasonable?

(c) Do you have any suggestions that would enhance the quality,

clarity, or usefulness of the information to be collected?

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(d) Is there a way to minimize the information collection burden on

respondents, including through the use of appropriate automated

electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology?

(2) In addition, the PRA requires agencies to estimate the total

annual reporting and recordkeeping cost burden to respondents or

recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information. We need to

know if you have any. Your response should split the cost estimate into

two components: (a) total capital and startup cost component; and (b)

annual operation, maintenance, and purchase of service components. Your

estimates should consider the costs to generate, maintain, and disclose

or provide the information. You should describe the methods you use to

estimate major cost factors, including system and technology

acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, discount

rate(s), and the period over which you incur costs. Capital and startup

costs include, among other items, computers and software you purchase

to prepare for collecting information; monitoring, sampling, drilling,

and testing equipment; and record storage facilities. Generally, your

estimates should not include equipment or services purchased: (i)

before October 1, 1995; (ii) to comply with requirements not associated

with the information collection; (iii) for reasons other than to

provide information or keep records for the Government; or (iv) as part

of customary and usual business or private practices.

MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach,

(202) 208-7744.

Dated: June 29, 1998.

William S. Cook,

Acting Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.

[FR Doc. 98-18070 Filed 7-7-98; 8:45 am]

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