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 renewed approval for the collections of information for 30 CFR 795, Permanent Regulatory Program—Small Operator Assistance Program (SOAP), and two technical training program course effectiveness evaluation forms. These collection requests have been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The information collection requests describe the nature of the information collections and the expected burden and cost.

DATES:

OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information collections but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, public comments should be submitted to OMB by May 15, 2000, in order to be assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request a copy of either information collection request, explanatory information and related forms, contact John A. Trelease at (202) 208-2783, or electronically to jtreleas@osmre.gov.

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 1820.8(d)). OSM has submitted two requests to OMB to renew its approval of the collections of information contained in: 30 CFR 795, Permanent Regulatory Program—Small Operator Assistance Program (SOAP); and two technical training program course effectiveness evaluation forms. OSM is requesting a 3-year term of approval for each 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 numbers for these collections of information are 1029-0061 for Part 795, and 1029-0110 for the technical training effectiveness evaluation forms.

As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice soliciting comments on these collections of information was published on December 22, 1999 (64 FR 71830). No comments were received. This notice provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to comment on the following information collection activities:

Title: 30 CFR Part 795—Permanent Regulatory Program—Small Operator Assistance Program.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0061.

Summary: This information collection requirement is needed to provide assistance to qualified small mine operators under section 507(c) of Public Law 95-87. The information requested will provide the regulatory authority with data to determine the eligibility of the applicant and the capability and expertise of laboratories to perform required tasks.

Bureau Form Number: FS-6.

Frequency of Collection: Once per application.

Description of Respondents: Small operators, laboratories, and State regulatory authorities.

Total Annual Responses: 160.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 10,635 hours.

Title: Technical Training Program Course Effectiveness Evaluation.

OMB Control Number: 1029-0110.

Summary: Executive Order 12862 requires agencies to survey customers to determine the kind and quality of services they want and their level of satisfaction with existing services. The information supplied by this evaluation will determine customer satisfaction with OSM's training program and identify needs of respondents.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency of Collection: On Occasion.

Description of Respondents: State regulatory authority and Tribal employees and their supervisors.

Total Annual Responses: 315.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 53 hours.

Send comments on the need for the collections 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 collections; and ways to minimize the information collection burdens on respondents, such as use of automated means of collections of the information, to the following addresses. Please refer to OMB control number 1029-0061 for Part 795, and 1029-0110 for the technical training effectiveness evaluation forms.

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. Also, please send a copy of your comments to John A. Trelease, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave, NW, Room 210—SIB, Washington, DC 20240, or electronically to jtreleas@osmre.gov.