Agency Information Collection Activities; Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation

AGENCY:

Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to renew an information collection with revisions.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before September 20, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this ICR, contact Jennifer Spencer by email at j35spenc@blm.gov, or by telephone at 307-775-6261. Individuals who are hearing or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY assistance. 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 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), 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 provide 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 May 25, 2021 (86 FR 28142). No comments were received.

As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the following:

(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether or not the information will have practical utility;

(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of response.

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.

Abstract: The BLM's royalty-free standards contained in 43 CFR parts 3160 and 3170 apply to Federal and Indian (except Osage Tribe) oil and gas leases. The information collection requirements contained in standards are designed to address circumstances under which oil or gas produced from onshore wells may be used royalty-free in operations. OMB Control Number 1004-0211 is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2021. This request is for OMB to renew this OMB Control Number for an additional three (3) years.

There are currently no policy revisions proposed in this request to OMB. The BLM is requesting, however, that OMB revise the burden estimates as a result of a court decision, State of Wyoming v. DOI, where the requirements of certain portions of Subsection 3179 were vacated resulting in a reduction of 1,025 responses and 3,610 burden hours for this OMB control number. Currently, there are 1,075 responses and 4,010 annual burden hours approved under this OMB Control Number, and the BLM is requesting that these burden numbers be revised downward to 50 responses and 400 hours.

Title of Collection: Production Subject to Royalties, and Resource Conservation (43 CFR parts 3160 and 3170).

OMB Control Number: 1004-0211.

Form Numbers: 3160-005.

Type of Review: Extension and revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Holders of Federal and Indian (except Osage Tribe) oil and gas leases.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 50.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 50.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: 8 hours.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 400.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor and, notwithstanding any other provision of law, 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.).