[Federal Register: February 19, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 33)]
[Notices]               
[Page 9139-9140]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19fe08-81]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service

 
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of extension of an information collection (1010-0150).

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we 
are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information 
collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork 
requirements in Form MMS-144, ``Rig Movement Notification Report.'' 
This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to comment on 
the paperwork burden of these regulatory requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by March 20, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments either by fax (202) 395-6566 or e-
mail (OIRA_DOCKET@omb.eop.gov) directly to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department 
of the Interior (1010-0150). Mail or hand carry a copy of your comments 
to the Department of the Interior; Minerals Management Service; 
Attention: Cheryl Blundon; Mail Stop 4024; 381 Elden Street; Herndon, 
Virginia 20170-4817. If you wish to e-mail your comments to MMS, the 
address is: rules.comments@mms.gov. Reference Information Collection 
1010-0150 in your subject line and mark your message for return 
receipt. Include your name and return address in your message text.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and 
Standards Branch, (703) 787-1607. You

[[Page 9140]]

may also contact Cheryl Blundon to obtain a copy, at no cost, of the 
regulation and the form that requires the subject collection of 
information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Form MMS-144, Rig Movement Notification Report.
    Form: Form MMS-144.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-0150.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended 
(43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq. and 43 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), authorizes the 
Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to prescribe rules and 
regulations to administer leasing of the OCS. Such rules and 
regulations will apply to all operations conducted under a lease. 
Operations on the OCS must preserve, protect, and develop oil and 
natural gas resources 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; to balance orderly energy resource development 
with protection of human, marine, and coastal environments; to ensure 
the public a fair and equitable return on the resources of the OCS; and 
to preserve and maintain free enterprise competition. Section 1332(6) 
of the Act requires that ``operations in the [O]uter Continental Shelf 
should be conducted in a safe manner by well-trained personnel using 
technology, precautions, and techniques sufficient to prevent or 
minimize the likelihood of blowouts, loss of well control, fires, 
spillages, physical obstruction to other users of the waters or subsoil 
and seabed, or other occurrences which may cause damage to the 
environment or to property, or endanger life or health.''
    This ICR concerns the regulations in 30 CFR 250 Subparts D, E, and 
F, specifically sections 403(c), 502, and 602, on the movement of 
drilling, completion, and workover rigs and related equipment on and 
off an offshore platform or from well to well on the same offshore 
platform. The requirement for operators to notify MMS of rig movements 
is only specifically stated in Sec.  250.403(c). However, because of 
the increased volume of activity in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region 
(GOMR) and because the GOMR needs accurate and up-to-date information 
on rig locations for inspection planning, it has been standard 
procedure to require this notification as a condition of approval for 
drilling, well workover, recompletion, or abandonment operations 
(Sec. Sec.  250.502 and 250.602).
    The MMS District Offices use the information reported to ascertain 
the precise arrival and departure of all rigs in OCS waters. The 
accurate location of these rigs is necessary to better facilitate the 
scheduling of inspections by MMS personnel.
    We will protect information from respondents considered proprietary 
under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its 
implementing regulations (43 CFR Part 2) and under regulations at 30 
CFR 250.197, ``Data and information to be made available to the public 
or for limited inspection.'' No items of a sensitive nature are 
collected. Responses are mandatory.
    Frequency: The frequency is on occasion.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 130 
Federal OCS oil and gas lessees.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: We estimate 
respondents will average 6 minutes to fill out and complete Form MMS-
144 and there will be 1,870 annual responses. The total annual estimate 
is 187 burden hours.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have identified no ``non-hour cost'' burdens associated for this 
collection.
    Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) 
provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. 
Until OMB approves a collection of information, you are not obligated 
to respond.
    Comments: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et 
seq.) requires each agency ``* * * to provide notice * * * and 
otherwise consult with members of the public and affected agencies 
concerning each proposed collection of information * * *'' Agencies 
must specifically solicit comments to: (a) Evaluate whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the agency to 
perform its duties, including whether the information is useful; (b) 
evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) enhance the quality, 
usefulness, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) 
minimize the burden on the respondents, including the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    To comply with the public consultation process, on July 17, 2007, 
we published a Federal Register notice (72 FR 39074) announcing that we 
would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided the 
required 60-day comment period. In addition, Sec.  250.199 provides the 
OMB control number for the information collection requirements imposed 
by form MMS-144. The regulation also informs the public that they may 
comment at any time on the collections of information and provides the 
address to which they should send comments. We have received no 
comments in response to these efforts.
    If you wish to comment in response to this notice, you may send 
your comments to the offices listed under the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice. The OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the 
information collection but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, to 
ensure maximum consideration, OMB should receive public comments by 
March 20, 2008.
    Public Comment Procedure: Before including your address, phone 
number, e-mail 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.
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz, (202) 
208-7744.

    Dated: January 14, 2008.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. E8-2962 Filed 2-15-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P