Notice of Proposed Information Collection

AGENCY:

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing its intention to request approval for the collection of information for the permanent program performance standards—surface mining activities at 30 CFR part 816.

DATES:

Comments on the proposed information collection must be received by December 18, 2000, to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be mailed to John A. Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave., NW, Room 210—SIB, Washington, DC 20240. Comments may also be submitted electronically to jtreleas@osmre.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request a copy of the information collection request, explanatory information and related form, contact John A. Trelease, at (202) 208-2783.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which implementing provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), require that interested members of the public and affected agencies have an opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)). This notice identifies information collections that OSM will be submitting to OMB for extension. These collections are contained in 30 CFR 816.

OSM has revised burden estimates, where appropriate, to reflect current reporting levels or adjustments based on reestimates of burden or respondents. OSM will request a 3-year term of approval for this information collection activity.

Comments are invited on: (1) The need for the collection of information for the performance of the functions of the agency; (2) the accuracy of the agency's burden estimates; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to minimize the information collection burden on respondents, such as use of automated means of collection of the information. A summary of the public comments will accompany OSM's submission of the information collection request to OMB.

This notice provides the public with 60 days in which to comment on the following information collection activity:

Title: Permanent Program Performance Standards—Surface Mining Activities, 30 CFR Part 816.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0047.

Summary: Section 525 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 provides that permittees conducting surface coal mining operations shall meet all applicable performance standards of the Act. The information collected is used by the regulatory authority in monitoring and inspecting surface coal mining activities to ensure that they are conducted in compliance with the requirements of the Act.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once, on occasion, quarterly and annually.

Description of Respondents: Surface coal mining operators.

Total Annual Responses: 731,787.

Total Annual Burden House: 355,405.