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 that the information collection request for 30 CFR 783, Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Information on Environmental Resources has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and the expected burden and cost.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before March 13, 2000, to be assured of consideration.

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 implement 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)). OSM has submitted a request to OMB to renew its approval of the collection of information found at 30 CFR 783, Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Information on Environmental Resources. OSM is requesting a 3-year term of approval for this information collection activity.

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 OMB control number for this collection of information is listed in 30 CFR Part 783, which is 1029-0038.

As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice soliciting comments on these collections of information was published on November 30, 1999 (64 FR 66932). No comments were received. This notice provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to comment.

The following information is provided for the information collection: (1) title of the information collection; (2) OMB control number; (3) summary of the information collection activity; and (4) frequency of collection, description of the respondents, estimated total annual responses, and the total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden for the collection of information. Where appropriate, OSM has revised burden estimates to reflect current reporting levels and adjustments based on reestimates of the burden or number of respondents.

Title: Underground Mining Permit Applications—Minimum Requirements for Information on Environmental Resources, 30 CFR 783.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0038.

Summary: Applicants for underground coal mining permits are required to provide adequate descriptions of the environmental resources that may be affected by proposed underground coal mining activities.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: Once at time of application submission.

Description of Respondents: Underground coal mining applicants, and State regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Responses: 105.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 16,918 hours.

Send comments on the need for the collection of information for the performance of the functions of the agency; the accuracy of the agency's burden estimates; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and ways to minimize the information collection burden on respondents, such as use of automated means of collection of the information, to the following address. Please refer to the appropriate OMB control number in all correspondence.

ADDRESSES:

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Department of Interior Desk Officer, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503, and to John A. Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave, NW, Room 210—SIB, Washington DC 20240.