Information Collection: Geological and Geophysical Explorations of the Outer Continental Shelf; Submitted for OMB Review; Comment Request MMAA104000, 75174-75178 [2014-29564]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 242 / Wednesday, December 17, 2014 / Notices
comments to the RAC at the BLM
Albuquerque District Office, 435
Montano Rd., Albuquerque, NM, 87107.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
´
Martın Visarraga, BLM Albuquerque
District Office, 435 Montano Rd.,
Albuquerque, NM 87107, 505–761–
8902. Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8229
to contact the above individual during
normal business hours. The FIRS is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
to leave a message or question with the
above individual. You will receive a
reply during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 10member Albuquerque District RAC
advises the Secretary of the Interior,
through the BLM, on a variety of
planning and management issues
associated with public land
management in New Mexico’s
Albuquerque District.
Planned agenda items include a
welcoming and introduction of new
Council members; election of chair and
vice chair; an update on the Rio Puerco
Management Plan, Sun Zia Southwest
Transmission Project, Kinder Morgan
Lobos CO2 Pipeline Project, Mobile
Workforce, Force Account Crew, law
enforcement, Rio Puerco Management
Committee, and a discussion on estray
horses.
A half-hour comment period during
which the public may address the RAC
will begin at 11 a.m. All RAC meetings
are open to the public. Depending on
the number of individuals wishing to
comment and time available, the time
for individual oral comments may be
limited.
Michael H. Tupper,
Deputy State Director, Lands and Resources.
[FR Doc. 2014–29523 Filed 12–16–14; 8:45 a.m.]
BILLING CODE 4310–FB–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
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[OMB Number 1010–0048]
Information Collection: Geological and
Geophysical Explorations of the Outer
Continental Shelf; Submitted for OMB
Review; Comment Request
MMAA104000
ACTION:
30-day notice.
To comply with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) is notifying the
public that we have submitted an
SUMMARY:
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information collection request (ICR) to
the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and approval. The ICR
concerns the paperwork requirements in
the regulations under 30 CFR 551,
Geological and Geophysical (G&G)
Explorations of the Outer Continental
Shelf. This notice provides the public a
second opportunity to comment on the
paperwork burden of this collection.
DATES: Submit written comments by
January 16, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments on this
ICR to the Desk Officer for the
Department of the Interior at OMB–
OIRA at (202) 395–5806 (fax) or OIRA_
submission@omb.eop.gov (email). Please
provide a copy of your comments to the
BOEM Information Collection Clearance
Officer, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, 381 Elden Street, HM–
3127, Herndon, Virginia 20170 (mail) or
boemcmts@gmail.com (email). Please
reference ICR 1010–0048 in your
comment and include your name and
return address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Office of Policy, Regulations, and
Analysis at boemcmts@gmail.com
(email) or (202) 513–7672. You may
review the ICR and form online at
https://www.reginfo.gov. Follow the
instructions to review Department of the
Interior collections under review by
OMB.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 1010–0048.
Title: 30 CFR 551, Geological and
Geophysical (G&G) Explorations of the
Outer Continental Shelf.
Form: BOEM–0327, Requirements for
G&G Explorations or Scientific Research
on the Outer Continental Shelf.
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
to prescribe rules and regulations to
administer leasing of mineral resources
on the OCS. The OCS Lands Act (43
U.S.C. 1340) states that ‘‘any person
authorized by the Secretary may
conduct geological and geophysical
explorations in the outer Continental
Shelf, which do not interfere with or
endanger actual operations under any
lease maintained or granted pursuant to
this subchapter, and which are not
unduly harmful to aquatic life in such
area.’’ The section further requires that
permits to conduct such activities may
only be issued if it is determined that
the applicant is qualified; the activities
do not result in pollution or create
hazardous or unsafe conditions; the
activities do not unreasonably interfere
with other uses of the area or disturb
any site, structure, or object of historical
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or archaeological significance.
Applicants for permits are required to
submit form BOEM–0327 to provide the
information necessary to evaluate their
qualifications, and upon approval,
respondents are issued a permit.
Also, as a Federal agency, we have a
continuing affirmative duty to comply
with the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA), Endangered Species Act
(ESA), and Marine Mammal Protection
Act (MMPA). This includes a
substantive duty not to take agency
actions that are likely to jeopardize
protected species as well as a
procedural duty to consult with the Fish
and Wildlife Service (FWS) and
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Fisheries (NOAA
Fisheries) before engaging in a
discretionary action that may affect a
protected species.
The Independent Offices
Appropriations Act (31 U.S.C. 9701), the
Omnibus Appropriations Bill (Pub. L.
104–133, 110 Stat. 1321, April 26,
1996), and the OMB Circular A–25
authorize Federal agencies to recover
the full cost of services that confer
special benefits. All G&G permits are
subject to cost recovery, and BOEM
regulations specify service fees for these
requests.
Regulations to carry out these
responsibilities are contained in 30 CFR
551 and are the subject of this
information collection renewal. BOEM
uses the information to ensure there is
no environmental degradation, personal
harm or unsafe operations and
conditions, damage to historical or
archaeological sites, or interference with
other uses; to analyze and evaluate
preliminary or planned drilling
activities; to monitor progress and
activities in the OCS; to acquire G&G
data and information collected under a
Federal permit offshore; and to
determine eligibility for reimbursement
from the government for certain costs.
Information on the G&G characteristics
of oil- and gas-bearing physiographic
regions aids the Secretary in obtaining
a proper balance among the potentials
for environmental damage, the
discovery of oil and gas, and associated
impacts on affected coastal States.
In this renewal, we are including the
estimated G&G permit applications and
information that will be submitted for
the Atlantic OCS. As a result of the
BOEM Record of Decision regarding
G&G survey activities on the Mid- and
South Atlantic OCS Planning Areas
(issued on July 23, 2014 (79 FR 42815)),
BOEM will now consider G&G permit
applications for this area.
Also in this renewal, BOEM is
updating form BOEM–0327 to clarify
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 242 / Wednesday, December 17, 2014 / Notices
the types of copies being requested,
delete incorrect language, make
recommendations for faster processing,
update addresses, and reference NEPA
mitigation requirements. To respond to
the types of questions BOEM receives
from permittees on the form, BOEM is
also clarifying wording, providing
examples/tables to reduce confusion,
and clarifying Regional differences,
when necessary, to further assist
permittees. BOEM is not asking for more
information, just outlining current
requirements in more detail.
These improvements do not change
the hour burden for the form; however,
based on public comments and
respondent outreach, BOEM is making
significant changes to the estimated
hour burdens associated with the
application. For the majority of permit
applications, which are associated with
G&G exploration in the Gulf of Mexico
OCS Region, BOEM is increasing the
hour burden from 3 to 300 hours. For
applications in the frontier areas of the
Alaska OCS Region and Atlantic OCS,
BOEM is adjusting the burden to be
significantly higher (from 300 to 1,000
hours), not because of the form changes,
but because of the requirements to
submit environmental information
sufficient for the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
review about the effects of sound on
marine mammals and other protected
species. BOEM expects it will take more
time for companies to compile and
submit the necessary information to
obtain the required authorizations to
acquire a BOEM permit in these frontier
areas, as well as to coordinate with
other agencies. Due diligence, however,
is still expected as full environmental
review is authoritative within all OCS
Regions.
BOEM believes the increased burden
hours in this renewal accommodate the
various requirements for all OCS
Regions that companies must meet for
environmental compliance to obtain
G&G data, such as obtaining BOEM
permits, coordinating their activities
with the Department of Defense (DOD)
and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA), as well as the
additional requirement from the
National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) to obtain an Incidental Take
Authorization under the MMPA.
To complement the changes made in
form BOEM–0327, BOEM is separating
the requirements in the BOEM-issued
permits by OCS Region to further assist
permittees and clarify Regional
differences. The actual permits are filled
in by BOEM and do not incur a
respondent hour burden.
We protect proprietary information
according to the Freedom of Information
Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its implementing
regulations (43 CFR part 2), and under
regulations at 30 CFR 551. No items of
a sensitive nature are collected.
Responses are mandatory.
Frequency: On occasion, annual, or as
specified in permits.
Description of Respondents: Potential
respondents comprise Federal OCS oil,
gas, and sulphur permittees or notice
filers.
Estimated Reporting and
Recordkeeping Hour Burden: We
estimate the burden for this collection to
be about 40,954 hours. The following
table details the individual components
and respective hour burden estimates of
this ICR.
BURDEN TABLE
Non-hour cost burden *
Citation 30 CFR 551
Reporting and recordkeeping requirement
Hour burden
Average number of
annual responses
1,000 AK** ..
1,000 ATL**
300 GOM ....
Annual burden
hours
4 Applications ............
9 Applications ............
74 Applications ..........
30 CFR 551.1 through 551.6
551.4(a), (b); 551.5(a), (b),
(d); 551.6; 551.7.
Apply for permits (form BOEM–0327) to conduct G&G
exploration, including deep stratigraphic tests/revisions when necessary and mitigations. Submit required information in manner specified.
4,000
9,000
22,200
87 applications × $2,012 = $175,044
551.4(b); 551.5(c), (d);
551.6.
1 ..................
1 Notice .....................
1
1 ..................
1 Notice .....................
1
Subtotal .................................................................................................................................................
89 ..............................
35,202
551.6(b); 551.7(b)(5) ...........
File notices to conduct scientific research activities, including notice to BOEM prior to beginning and after
concluding activities.
Notify BOEM if specific actions should occur; report archaeological resources (no instances reported since
1982). Consult with other users.
$175,044 non-hour cost burden
30 CFR 551.7 through 551.9
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551.7; 551.8 ........................
Submit APD and Supplemental APD to BSEE ................
Burden included under BSEE regulations at 30 CFR 250, Subpart D
(1014–0018)
0
551.7; 551.8(b) ....................
Submit information on test drilling activities under a permit, including required information and plan revisions
(e.g., drilling plan and environmental report).
Enter into agreement for group participation in test drilling, including publishing summary statement; provide
BOEM copy of notice/list of participants (no agreements submitted since 1989).
1 ..................
1 Submission .............
1
1 ..................
1 Agreement ..............
1
551.7(c) ...............................
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 242 / Wednesday, December 17, 2014 / Notices
BURDEN TABLE—Continued
Non-hour cost burden *
Citation 30 CFR 551
Reporting and recordkeeping requirement
Average number of
annual responses
Annual burden
hours
Burden included under 30 CFR Part
556 (1010–0006)
0
Hour burden
551.7(d) ...............................
Submit bond(s) on deep stratigraphic test and required
securities.
551.8(a) ...............................
Request reimbursement for certain costs associated
with BOEM inspections (no requests in many years).
Submit modifications to, and status/final reports on, activities conducted under a permit.
1 ..................
1 Request ..................
1
38 AK ** .......
1,520
................
4 Respondents × 10
Reports = 40.
9 Respondents × 10
Reports = 90.
55 Respondents × 3
Reports = 165.
2 Notices ...................
Subtotal .................................................................................................................................................
300 ............................
5,274
0
551.8(b), (c) .........................
38 ATL** ......
2 GOM ........
551.9(c) ...............................
Notify BOEM to relinquish a permit .................................
⁄
12
3,420
330
1
30 CFR 551.10 through 551.13
551.10(c) .............................
File appeals ......................................................................
Exempt under 5 CFR 1320.4(a)(2), (c)
551.11; 551.12 ....................
Notify BOEM and submit G&G data and/or information
collected and/or processed by permittees, bidders, or
3rd parties, etc., including reports, logs or charts, results, analyses, descriptions, information as required,
and agreements, in manner specified.
Request reimbursement for certain costs associated
with reproducing data/information.
4 ..................
40 Submissions .........
160
2 ..................
40 Submissions .........
80
...........................................................................................
.....................
80 ..............................
240
Submit comments on BOEM intent to disclose data and/
or information to the public.
Submit comments on BOEM intent to disclose data and/
or information to an independent contractor/agent.
Contractor/agent submits written commitment not to sell,
trade, license, or disclose data and/or information
without BOEM consent.
General departure and alternative compliance requests
not specifically covered elsewhere in part 551 regulations.
1 ..................
2 Comments ..............
2
1 ..................
2 Comments ..............
2
1 ..................
2 Commitments .........
2
1 ..................
2 Requests ................
2
...........................................................................................
.....................
8 ................................
8
551.13 ..................................
Subtotal ........................
30 CFR 551.14
551.14(a), (b) .......................
551.14(c)(2) .........................
551.14(c)(4) .........................
551.1–551.14 .......................
Subtotal ........................
Extension for Permit Form & Recordkeeping
551.14(b) (BOEM–0327) .....
Request extension of permit time period; enter agreements.
Retain G&G data/information for 10 years and make
available to BOEM upon request.
1 ..................
100 Extensions ..........
100
1 ..................
130 Recordkeepers ...
130
Subtotal ........................
...........................................................................................
.....................
230 ............................
230
Total Burden .........
...........................................................................................
.....................
707 ............................
40,954
$175,044 non-hour cost burden.
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* Fees are subject to modification per inflation annually.
** Burden hours for the frontier areas of the Alaska Region and Atlantic OCS are significantly higher because of NEPA and mitigation requirements. BOEM is accounting for the total time to compile/submit the necessary information to obtain the required authorizations to acquire a
BOEM permit. There are currently no such activities ongoing in the Pacific OCS Region.
Estimated Reporting and
Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden:
We have identified one non-hour cost
burden for this collection of
information. Under § 551.5(a) there is an
application fee of $2,012 when
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respondents submit a permit application
(refer to the table above).
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
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displays a currently valid OMB control
number. Until OMB approves a
collection of information, you are not
obligated to respond.
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Comments: We invite comments
concerning this information collection
on:
• Whether or not the collection of
information is necessary, including
whether or not the information will
have practical utility;
• The accuracy of our burden
estimates;
• Ways to enhance the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be
collected; and
• Ways to minimize the burden on
respondents.
To comply with the public
consultation process, on August 22,
2014, BOEM published a Federal
Register notice (79 FR 49807)
announcing that we would submit this
ICR to OMB for approval. This notice
provided the required 60-day comment
period. We received two sets of
comments, which are discussed below.
Discussion of Public Comments
Received
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(1) International Assoc. of Geophysical
Contractors (IAGC) With American
Petroleum Institute (API)
The IAGC and API jointly submitted
one set of comments. BOEM has
addressed each point separately below.
Comment: Section D 3—Sound
propagation information for Gulf of
Mexico (GOM) Simsource Surveys is
unwarranted.
Response: BOEM has given this
comment due consideration and
decided not to remove GOM simsource
survey submissions at this time.
Simsource surveys are new to the GOM
and have not been considered
previously in a Gulf of Mexico
Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement. As such, in the near term,
BOEM will scrutinize these surveys in
more detail than surveys that use serial
or sequential methods of energizing
source arrays. After a suitable period of
time, this review may not be needed.
Comment: Burden Estimates from
BOEM are flawed. BOEM should
recognize the substantial hour burden
associated with permit application
preparation. Expert consultants have
detailed 300 to 1,000 hours for
preparation of an application for G&G
activity permits and marine mammal
take permits.
Response: In response to the comment
and to respondent feedback, BOEM is
increasing the hour burden to fill out
the permit application form for the Gulf
of Mexico OCS Region from 3 to 300
hours and for the other OCS areas from
300 to 1,000 hours. Companies
conducting G&G activities in the Gulf of
Mexico OCS Region have experience in
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compiling and submitting the necessary
information to obtain the required
authorizations. However, in the frontier
areas outside of the Gulf of Mexico OCS
Region, BOEM expects it will take more
time for companies to compile and
submit the necessary information to
obtain the required authorizations to
acquire a BOEM permit in these areas as
well as coordinate with other agencies.
Therefore, the burden for applicants in
the other OCS Regions to describe the
environmental effects and proposed
mitigations is estimated much higher.
Comment: Section D. Proprietary
Information Attachment Required for an
Application for Geophysical Permit—
Item 10 is requiring the applicant to list
‘‘all proposed initial and final processed
data sets that will result from
acquisition under this activity.’’ An
applicant can identify to BOEM what
the original final processed data will be,
but will be unable to provide other
Forms of the processed data that the
market may demand at the time the
applicant submits form BOEM–0327.
Response: After review, BOEM will
continue this requirement. The burden
is considered minimal as BOEM only
expects the permittee to conjecture what
processing/end products are known at
the time the permit application is
submitted. This information often
provides BOEM with a starting place for
determining what type of products to
expect from a survey. Inaccuracies or
later changes are not penalized.
Comment: Section A. General
Information—Item 4 requests an
applicant provide a ‘‘Commencement
Date’’ for the proposed geophysical
activity. It is difficult for an applicant to
provide a specific date because it is
highly dependent on when the permit is
used and when the vessel(s) and crew
can be mobilized into the area of
proposed activity.
Response: The ‘‘expected’’
commencement and ‘‘expected’’
completion date requirements will
remain in the application as they
provide BOEM with an idea of how long
the permittee expects the duration of the
activity to be. The planned time frame
for the activity is especially critical in
Alaska for NEPA review. These dates
are critical for determining the possible
environmental effects of the activity for
such issues as the timing of subsistence
hunting and presence of different
protected species. The effective date of
a permit will still be the issuance date
that starts the 12-month clock ticking.
For Atlantic OCS permits, BOEM plans
to coordinate the effective date of the
permit with the effective date of the
Incidental Harassment Authorization to
the extent practicable. The goal is to
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provide the permittee with as close to
the maximum 12 months of operating
time as possible.
Comment: Section A. General
Information—Item 6 requests the
applicant provide the vessel(s) name,
registry number and registered owner(s).
It can be difficult for an applicant to
provide this information. This
requirement does not accommodate the
global nature of the geophysical
industry nor the unpredictable timeline
and regulatory uncertainty attendant
with the requirements of the MMPA,
NEPA and ESA. Geophysical contractors
utilize vessels that are in high demand
and that operate globally. It is difficult
for an applicant to identify (with
complete certainty) a specific vessel that
will be available and will be used for a
survey to be conducted several months
to over a year later. Furthermore, the
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is provided
the same information at the time the
vessel(s) mobilize into the U.S. OCS.
Consequently, the information request
in BOEM Form 0327 is unnecessary. In
the alternative, the Associations
recommend that BOEM Form 0327
require an applicant to submit the type
of vessel(s) to be utilized in the survey
(e.g., vessel classification, streamer
versus OBN, number of streamers) and
at the time the geophysical contractor
notifies the USCG, the BOEM will also
be notified of vessel(s) name, registry
number(s) and registered owner(s).
Response: Homeland Security, as well
as the Department of Defense, has
contacted BOEM in the past concerning
survey vessels. Therefore, this
requirement needs to be retained.
However, BOEM agrees that the
information for this requirement may or
may not be known at the time the
permit application is submitted.
Currently, if the applicants know this
information they can provide it with the
application. If they do not, BOEM
allows them to provide it at a later date
prior to operations beginning. In these
cases, email is often used to provide the
information to BOEM in a timely
manner. In a few instances, the
permittee did not know which vessels
were going to be used when the permit
was issued. In these instances the
permit cover letter stated that operations
could not commence until the vessel
information was provided to BOEM,
usually by email for quick turnaround
time. BOEM understands that this is of
particular concern for Atlantic permits.
The GOM flexibility will be extended to
the Atlantic permits as well. The Alaska
Region requires vessel information for
the NEPA analysis. Companies are
directed to provide vessel specs that
represent the most likely type of vessels
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that will be used for the activity. The
final vessel information must be
submitted ideally before the permit is
issued, but definitely prior to
commencement of operations pending
approval from the NEPA staff.
(2) North American Submarine Cable
Assoc. (NASCA)
Comment: NASCA urges BOEM to
modify form BOEM–0327 to require
permit applicants to identify and
coordinate with submarine cables in the
vicinity of any planned G&G activities.
Response: BOEM believes that ‘‘other
uses’’ currently on the form would
include submarine cable companies and
that the current coordination processes
with regard to submarine cables are
working well in mature areas such as
the Gulf of Mexico and should work just
as well in the other Regions. In
recognition of the concerns expressed in
the NASCA comments, we have
acknowledged such other uses by
adding the words ‘‘including submarine
cables’’ in form BOEM–0327 (under
General Requirements paragraph E).
Furthermore, we will add ‘‘Submarine
Cable Coordination’’ to the list of
Stipulations we attach to every permit.
The NASCA would need to provide
points of contact, etc., for the permittee.
The matter would then be dealt with
between the permittee and the
submarine cable company.
Public Availability of Comments:
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.
Dated: December 9, 2014.
Deanna Meyer-Pietruszka,
Chief, Office of Policy, Regulations, and
Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2014–29564 Filed 12–16–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MR–P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
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[OMB Number 1140–0072]
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives, Department of
Justice.
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60-day notice.
The Department of Justice
(DOJ), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives (ATF), will
submit the following information
collection request to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and approval in accordance with
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
The proposed information collection is
published to obtain comments from the
public and affected agencies.
DATES: Comments are encouraged and
will be accepted for 60 days until
February 17, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If
you have additional comments
especially on the estimated public
burden or associated response time,
suggestions, or need a copy of the
proposed information collection
instrument with instructions or
additional information, please contact
Christopher R. Reeves, Chief, Federal
Explosives Licensing Center, 244 Needy
Road, Martinsburg, WV 25405 or email
at Christopher.R.Reeves@usdoj.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Written
comments and suggestions from the
public and affected agencies concerning
the proposed collection of information
are encouraged. Your comments should
address one or more of the following
four points:
• Evaluate whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility;
• Evaluate the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
• Evaluate whether and if so how the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected can be
enhanced; and
• 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
responses.
SUMMARY:
Overview of This Information
Collection 1140–0072
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Proposed eCollection
eComments Requested; Employee
Possessor Questionnaire
AGENCY:
ACTION:
1. Type of Information Collection:
Extension without change of a currently
approved collection.
2. The Title of the Form/Collection:
Employee Possessor Questionnaire.
PO 00000
Frm 00065
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
3. The agency form number, if any,
and the applicable component of the
Department sponsoring the collection:
Form number: ATF Form 5400.28.
Component: Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S.
Department of Justice.
4. Affected public who will be asked
or required to respond, as well as a brief
abstract:
Primary: Individual or households.
Other: Business or other for-profit.
Abstract: Each employee possessor in
the explosives business or operations
required to ship, transport, receive, or
possess (actual or constructive),
explosive materials must submit this
form. The form will be submitted to
ATF to determine whether the person
who provided the information is
qualified to be an employee possessor in
an explosive business.
5. An estimate of the total number of
respondents and the amount of time
estimated for an average respondent to
respond: An estimated 10,000
respondents will take 20 minutes to
complete the form.
6. An estimate of the total public
burden (in hours) associated with the
collection: The estimated annual public
burden associated with this collection is
3,334 hours.
If additional information is required
contact: Jerri Murray, Department
Clearance Officer, United States
Department of Justice, Justice
Management Division, Policy and
Planning Staff, Two Constitution
Square, 145 N Street NE., Room 3E–
405B, Washington, DC 20530.
Dated: December 11, 2014.
Jerri Murray,
Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S.
Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2014–29455 Filed 12–16–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410–FY–P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
[OMB Number 1140–0046]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Proposed eCollection
eComments Requested; Certification
on Agency Letterhead Authorizing
Purchase of Firearm for Official Duties
of Law Enforcement Officer
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives, Department of
Justice.
ACTION: 60-day notice.
AGENCY:
The Department of Justice
(DOJ), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives (ATF), will
submit the following information
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\17DEN1.SGM
17DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 242 (Wednesday, December 17, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75174-75178]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29564]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[OMB Number 1010-0048]
Information Collection: Geological and Geophysical Explorations
of the Outer Continental Shelf; Submitted for OMB Review; Comment
Request MMAA104000
ACTION: 30-day notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is notifying the public that
we have submitted an information collection request (ICR) to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The ICR
concerns the paperwork requirements in the regulations under 30 CFR
551, Geological and Geophysical (G&G) Explorations of the Outer
Continental Shelf. This notice provides the public a second opportunity
to comment on the paperwork burden of this collection.
DATES: Submit written comments by January 16, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments on this ICR to the Desk Officer for the
Department of the Interior at OMB-OIRA at (202) 395-5806 (fax) or
OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov (email). Please provide a copy of your
comments to the BOEM Information Collection Clearance Officer, Bureau
of Ocean Energy Management, 381 Elden Street, HM-3127, Herndon,
Virginia 20170 (mail) or boemcmts@gmail.com (email). Please reference
ICR 1010-0048 in your comment and include your name and return address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Policy, Regulations, and
Analysis at boemcmts@gmail.com (email) or (202) 513-7672. You may
review the ICR and form online at https://www.reginfo.gov. Follow the
instructions to review Department of the Interior collections under
review by OMB.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 1010-0048.
Title: 30 CFR 551, Geological and Geophysical (G&G) Explorations of
the Outer Continental Shelf.
Form: BOEM-0327, Requirements for G&G Explorations or Scientific
Research on the Outer Continental Shelf.
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 to prescribe rules and regulations to
administer leasing of mineral resources on the OCS. The OCS Lands Act
(43 U.S.C. 1340) states that ``any person authorized by the Secretary
may conduct geological and geophysical explorations in the outer
Continental Shelf, which do not interfere with or endanger actual
operations under any lease maintained or granted pursuant to this
subchapter, and which are not unduly harmful to aquatic life in such
area.'' The section further requires that permits to conduct such
activities may only be issued if it is determined that the applicant is
qualified; the activities do not result in pollution or create
hazardous or unsafe conditions; the activities do not unreasonably
interfere with other uses of the area or disturb any site, structure,
or object of historical or archaeological significance. Applicants for
permits are required to submit form BOEM-0327 to provide the
information necessary to evaluate their qualifications, and upon
approval, respondents are issued a permit.
Also, as a Federal agency, we have a continuing affirmative duty to
comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Endangered
Species Act (ESA), and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). This
includes a substantive duty not to take agency actions that are likely
to jeopardize protected species as well as a procedural duty to consult
with the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration Fisheries (NOAA Fisheries) before engaging
in a discretionary action that may affect a protected species.
The Independent Offices Appropriations Act (31 U.S.C. 9701), the
Omnibus Appropriations Bill (Pub. L. 104-133, 110 Stat. 1321, April 26,
1996), and the OMB Circular A-25 authorize Federal agencies to recover
the full cost of services that confer special benefits. All G&G permits
are subject to cost recovery, and BOEM regulations specify service fees
for these requests.
Regulations to carry out these responsibilities are contained in 30
CFR 551 and are the subject of this information collection renewal.
BOEM uses the information to ensure there is no environmental
degradation, personal harm or unsafe operations and conditions, damage
to historical or archaeological sites, or interference with other uses;
to analyze and evaluate preliminary or planned drilling activities; to
monitor progress and activities in the OCS; to acquire G&G data and
information collected under a Federal permit offshore; and to determine
eligibility for reimbursement from the government for certain costs.
Information on the G&G characteristics of oil- and gas-bearing
physiographic regions aids the Secretary in obtaining a proper balance
among the potentials for environmental damage, the discovery of oil and
gas, and associated impacts on affected coastal States.
In this renewal, we are including the estimated G&G permit
applications and information that will be submitted for the Atlantic
OCS. As a result of the BOEM Record of Decision regarding G&G survey
activities on the Mid- and South Atlantic OCS Planning Areas (issued on
July 23, 2014 (79 FR 42815)), BOEM will now consider G&G permit
applications for this area.
Also in this renewal, BOEM is updating form BOEM-0327 to clarify
[[Page 75175]]
the types of copies being requested, delete incorrect language, make
recommendations for faster processing, update addresses, and reference
NEPA mitigation requirements. To respond to the types of questions BOEM
receives from permittees on the form, BOEM is also clarifying wording,
providing examples/tables to reduce confusion, and clarifying Regional
differences, when necessary, to further assist permittees. BOEM is not
asking for more information, just outlining current requirements in
more detail.
These improvements do not change the hour burden for the form;
however, based on public comments and respondent outreach, BOEM is
making significant changes to the estimated hour burdens associated
with the application. For the majority of permit applications, which
are associated with G&G exploration in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region,
BOEM is increasing the hour burden from 3 to 300 hours. For
applications in the frontier areas of the Alaska OCS Region and
Atlantic OCS, BOEM is adjusting the burden to be significantly higher
(from 300 to 1,000 hours), not because of the form changes, but because
of the requirements to submit environmental information sufficient for
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review about the effects
of sound on marine mammals and other protected species. BOEM expects it
will take more time for companies to compile and submit the necessary
information to obtain the required authorizations to acquire a BOEM
permit in these frontier areas, as well as to coordinate with other
agencies. Due diligence, however, is still expected as full
environmental review is authoritative within all OCS Regions.
BOEM believes the increased burden hours in this renewal
accommodate the various requirements for all OCS Regions that companies
must meet for environmental compliance to obtain G&G data, such as
obtaining BOEM permits, coordinating their activities with the
Department of Defense (DOD) and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA), as well as the additional requirement from the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to obtain an Incidental Take
Authorization under the MMPA.
To complement the changes made in form BOEM-0327, BOEM is
separating the requirements in the BOEM-issued permits by OCS Region to
further assist permittees and clarify Regional differences. The actual
permits are filled in by BOEM and do not incur a respondent hour
burden.
We protect proprietary information according to the Freedom of
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and its implementing regulations (43 CFR
part 2), and under regulations at 30 CFR 551. No items of a sensitive
nature are collected. Responses are mandatory.
Frequency: On occasion, annual, or as specified in permits.
Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise Federal
OCS oil, gas, and sulphur permittees or notice filers.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: We estimate the
burden for this collection to be about 40,954 hours. The following
table details the individual components and respective hour burden
estimates of this ICR.
Burden Table
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-hour cost burden *
Reporting and -------------------------------------------------------------
Citation 30 CFR 551 recordkeeping Average number of annual Annual burden
requirement Hour burden responses hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30 CFR 551.1 through 551.6
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
551.4(a), (b); 551.5(a), Apply for permits 1,000 AK**...... 4 Applications............ 4,000
(b), (d); 551.6; 551.7. (form BOEM-0327) to 1,000 ATL**..... 9 Applications............ 9,000
conduct G&G 300 GOM......... 74 Applications........... 22,200
exploration,
including deep
stratigraphic tests/
revisions when
necessary and
mitigations. Submit
required
information in
manner specified.
-------------------------------------------------------------
87 applications x $2,012 = $175,044
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
551.4(b); 551.5(c), (d); File notices to 1............... 1 Notice.................. 1
551.6. conduct scientific
research
activities,
including notice to
BOEM prior to
beginning and after
concluding
activities.
551.6(b); 551.7(b)(5)....... Notify BOEM if 1............... 1 Notice.................. 1
specific actions
should occur;
report
archaeological
resources (no
instances reported
since 1982).
Consult with other
users.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal........................................................ 89........................ 35,202
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$175,044 non-hour cost burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30 CFR 551.7 through 551.9
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
551.7; 551.8................ Submit APD and Burden included under BSEE regulations at 30 0
Supplemental APD to CFR 250, Subpart D (1014-0018)
BSEE.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
551.7; 551.8(b)............. Submit information 1............... 1 Submission.............. 1
on test drilling
activities under a
permit, including
required
information and
plan revisions
(e.g., drilling
plan and
environmental
report).
551.7(c).................... Enter into agreement 1............... 1 Agreement............... 1
for group
participation in
test drilling,
including
publishing summary
statement; provide
BOEM copy of notice/
list of
participants (no
agreements
submitted since
1989).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 75176]]
551.7(d).................... Submit bond(s) on Burden included under 30 CFR Part 556 (1010- 0
deep stratigraphic 0006)
test and required
securities.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
551.8(a).................... Request 1............... 1 Request................. 1
reimbursement for
certain costs
associated with
BOEM inspections
(no requests in
many years).
551.8(b), (c)............... Submit modifications 38 AK **........ 4 Respondents x 10 Reports 1,520
to, and status/ = 40.
final reports on,
activities
conducted under a
permit.
38 ATL**........ 9 Respondents x 10 Reports 3,420
= 90.
2 GOM........... 55 Respondents x 3 Reports 330
= 165.
551.9(c).................... Notify BOEM to \1/2\........... 2 Notices................. 1
relinquish a permit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal........................................................ 300....................... 5,274
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30 CFR 551.10 through 551.13
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
551.10(c)................... File appeals........ Exempt under 5 CFR 1320.4(a)(2), (c) 0
----------------------------------------------
551.11; 551.12.............. Notify BOEM and 4............... 40 Submissions............ 160
submit G&G data and/
or information
collected and/or
processed by
permittees,
bidders, or 3rd
parties, etc.,
including reports,
logs or charts,
results, analyses,
descriptions,
information as
required, and
agreements, in
manner specified.
551.13...................... Request 2............... 40 Submissions............ 80
reimbursement for
certain costs
associated with
reproducing data/
information.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................ .................... ................ 80........................ 240
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30 CFR 551.14
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
551.14(a), (b).............. Submit comments on 1............... 2 Comments................ 2
BOEM intent to
disclose data and/
or information to
the public.
551.14(c)(2)................ Submit comments on 1............... 2 Comments................ 2
BOEM intent to
disclose data and/
or information to
an independent
contractor/agent.
551.14(c)(4)................ Contractor/agent 1............... 2 Commitments............. 2
submits written
commitment not to
sell, trade,
license, or
disclose data and/
or information
without BOEM
consent.
551.1-551.14................ General departure 1............... 2 Requests................ 2
and alternative
compliance requests
not specifically
covered elsewhere
in part 551
regulations.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................ .................... ................ 8......................... 8
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extension for Permit Form & Recordkeeping
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
551.14(b) (BOEM-0327)....... Request extension of 1............... 100 Extensions............ 100
permit time period;
enter agreements.
Retain G&G data/ 1............... 130 Recordkeepers......... 130
information for 10
years and make
available to BOEM
upon request.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................ .................... ................ 230....................... 230
-------------------------------------------------------------
Total Burden........ .................... ................ 707....................... 40,954
-------------------------------------------------------------
$175,044 non-hour cost burden.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Fees are subject to modification per inflation annually.
** Burden hours for the frontier areas of the Alaska Region and Atlantic OCS are significantly higher because of
NEPA and mitigation requirements. BOEM is accounting for the total time to compile/submit the necessary
information to obtain the required authorizations to acquire a BOEM permit. There are currently no such
activities ongoing in the Pacific OCS Region.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have
identified one non-hour cost burden for this collection of information.
Under Sec. 551.5(a) there is an application fee of $2,012 when
respondents submit a permit application (refer to the table above).
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.
[[Page 75177]]
Comments: We invite comments concerning this information collection
on:
Whether or not the collection of information is necessary,
including whether or not the information will have practical utility;
The accuracy of our burden estimates;
Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
Ways to minimize the burden on respondents.
To comply with the public consultation process, on August 22, 2014,
BOEM published a Federal Register notice (79 FR 49807) announcing that
we would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. This notice provided the
required 60-day comment period. We received two sets of comments, which
are discussed below.
Discussion of Public Comments Received
(1) International Assoc. of Geophysical Contractors (IAGC) With
American Petroleum Institute (API)
The IAGC and API jointly submitted one set of comments. BOEM has
addressed each point separately below.
Comment: Section D 3--Sound propagation information for Gulf of
Mexico (GOM) Simsource Surveys is unwarranted.
Response: BOEM has given this comment due consideration and decided
not to remove GOM simsource survey submissions at this time. Simsource
surveys are new to the GOM and have not been considered previously in a
Gulf of Mexico Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. As such, in
the near term, BOEM will scrutinize these surveys in more detail than
surveys that use serial or sequential methods of energizing source
arrays. After a suitable period of time, this review may not be needed.
Comment: Burden Estimates from BOEM are flawed. BOEM should
recognize the substantial hour burden associated with permit
application preparation. Expert consultants have detailed 300 to 1,000
hours for preparation of an application for G&G activity permits and
marine mammal take permits.
Response: In response to the comment and to respondent feedback,
BOEM is increasing the hour burden to fill out the permit application
form for the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region from 3 to 300 hours and for the
other OCS areas from 300 to 1,000 hours. Companies conducting G&G
activities in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region have experience in
compiling and submitting the necessary information to obtain the
required authorizations. However, in the frontier areas outside of the
Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, BOEM expects it will take more time for
companies to compile and submit the necessary information to obtain the
required authorizations to acquire a BOEM permit in these areas as well
as coordinate with other agencies. Therefore, the burden for applicants
in the other OCS Regions to describe the environmental effects and
proposed mitigations is estimated much higher.
Comment: Section D. Proprietary Information Attachment Required for
an Application for Geophysical Permit--Item 10 is requiring the
applicant to list ``all proposed initial and final processed data sets
that will result from acquisition under this activity.'' An applicant
can identify to BOEM what the original final processed data will be,
but will be unable to provide other Forms of the processed data that
the market may demand at the time the applicant submits form BOEM-0327.
Response: After review, BOEM will continue this requirement. The
burden is considered minimal as BOEM only expects the permittee to
conjecture what processing/end products are known at the time the
permit application is submitted. This information often provides BOEM
with a starting place for determining what type of products to expect
from a survey. Inaccuracies or later changes are not penalized.
Comment: Section A. General Information--Item 4 requests an
applicant provide a ``Commencement Date'' for the proposed geophysical
activity. It is difficult for an applicant to provide a specific date
because it is highly dependent on when the permit is used and when the
vessel(s) and crew can be mobilized into the area of proposed activity.
Response: The ``expected'' commencement and ``expected'' completion
date requirements will remain in the application as they provide BOEM
with an idea of how long the permittee expects the duration of the
activity to be. The planned time frame for the activity is especially
critical in Alaska for NEPA review. These dates are critical for
determining the possible environmental effects of the activity for such
issues as the timing of subsistence hunting and presence of different
protected species. The effective date of a permit will still be the
issuance date that starts the 12-month clock ticking. For Atlantic OCS
permits, BOEM plans to coordinate the effective date of the permit with
the effective date of the Incidental Harassment Authorization to the
extent practicable. The goal is to provide the permittee with as close
to the maximum 12 months of operating time as possible.
Comment: Section A. General Information--Item 6 requests the
applicant provide the vessel(s) name, registry number and registered
owner(s). It can be difficult for an applicant to provide this
information. This requirement does not accommodate the global nature of
the geophysical industry nor the unpredictable timeline and regulatory
uncertainty attendant with the requirements of the MMPA, NEPA and ESA.
Geophysical contractors utilize vessels that are in high demand and
that operate globally. It is difficult for an applicant to identify
(with complete certainty) a specific vessel that will be available and
will be used for a survey to be conducted several months to over a year
later. Furthermore, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is provided the same
information at the time the vessel(s) mobilize into the U.S. OCS.
Consequently, the information request in BOEM Form 0327 is unnecessary.
In the alternative, the Associations recommend that BOEM Form 0327
require an applicant to submit the type of vessel(s) to be utilized in
the survey (e.g., vessel classification, streamer versus OBN, number of
streamers) and at the time the geophysical contractor notifies the
USCG, the BOEM will also be notified of vessel(s) name, registry
number(s) and registered owner(s).
Response: Homeland Security, as well as the Department of Defense,
has contacted BOEM in the past concerning survey vessels. Therefore,
this requirement needs to be retained. However, BOEM agrees that the
information for this requirement may or may not be known at the time
the permit application is submitted. Currently, if the applicants know
this information they can provide it with the application. If they do
not, BOEM allows them to provide it at a later date prior to operations
beginning. In these cases, email is often used to provide the
information to BOEM in a timely manner. In a few instances, the
permittee did not know which vessels were going to be used when the
permit was issued. In these instances the permit cover letter stated
that operations could not commence until the vessel information was
provided to BOEM, usually by email for quick turnaround time. BOEM
understands that this is of particular concern for Atlantic permits.
The GOM flexibility will be extended to the Atlantic permits as well.
The Alaska Region requires vessel information for the NEPA analysis.
Companies are directed to provide vessel specs that represent the most
likely type of vessels
[[Page 75178]]
that will be used for the activity. The final vessel information must
be submitted ideally before the permit is issued, but definitely prior
to commencement of operations pending approval from the NEPA staff.
(2) North American Submarine Cable Assoc. (NASCA)
Comment: NASCA urges BOEM to modify form BOEM-0327 to require
permit applicants to identify and coordinate with submarine cables in
the vicinity of any planned G&G activities.
Response: BOEM believes that ``other uses'' currently on the form
would include submarine cable companies and that the current
coordination processes with regard to submarine cables are working well
in mature areas such as the Gulf of Mexico and should work just as well
in the other Regions. In recognition of the concerns expressed in the
NASCA comments, we have acknowledged such other uses by adding the
words ``including submarine cables'' in form BOEM-0327 (under General
Requirements paragraph E). Furthermore, we will add ``Submarine Cable
Coordination'' to the list of Stipulations we attach to every permit.
The NASCA would need to provide points of contact, etc., for the
permittee. The matter would then be dealt with between the permittee
and the submarine cable company.
Public Availability of Comments: 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.
Dated: December 9, 2014.
Deanna Meyer-Pietruszka,
Chief, Office of Policy, Regulations, and Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2014-29564 Filed 12-16-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
