Agency Information Collection Activities: Requirements for Coal Exploration, 55114 [2017-25096]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 222 (Monday, November 20, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 55114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-25096]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

[S1D1S SS08011000 SX064A000 189S180110; S2D2S SS08011000 SX064A000 
18XS501520; OMB Control Number 1029-0112]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Requirements for Coal 
Exploration

AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, 
the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are 
proposing to renew an information collection for requirements for coal 
exploration.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
January 19, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this information collection request 
(ICR) by mail to: The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and 
Enforcement, Information Collection Clearance Officer, Attn: John 
Trelease, 1849 C Street NW., Mail Stop 4559, Washington, DC 20240. 
Comments may also be submitted electronically to jtrelease@osmre.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact John Trelease by email at jtrelease@osmre.gov, 
or by telephone at (202) 208-2783.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, we provide the general public and other Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and 
continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact 
of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's 
reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information 
collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired 
format.
    We are soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described 
below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the 
following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper 
functions of the OSMRE; (2) is the estimate of burden accurate; (3) how 
might the OSMRE enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (4) how might the OSMRE minimize the 
burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use 
of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. 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.
    This notice provides the public with 60 days in which to comment on 
the following information collection activity:
    Title of Collection: 30 CFR part 772--Requirements for coal 
exploration.
    OMB Control Number: 1029-0112.
    Abstract: OSMRE and State regulatory authorities use the 
information collected under 30 CFR part 772 to keep track of coal 
exploration activities, evaluate the need for an exploration permit, 
and ensure that exploration activities comply with the environmental 
protection and reclamation requirements of 30 CFR parts 772 and 815, 
and section 512 of SMCRA (30 U.S.C. 1262).
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Persons planning to conduct coal 
exploration and State regulatory authorities.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 1,024 persons 
submitting exploration notices or permits, and 24 State regulatory 
authorities.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 1,125 responses by 
persons submitting exploration notices or permits, and 1,031 responses 
by State regulatory authorities.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from .5 hours to 70 
hours for persons submitting exploration notices or permits, depending 
on activity, .5 hours to 53 hours for State regulatory authorities, 
depending on activity.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 7,644 hours.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: Once.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $2,408.
    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 authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

    Authority: The authorities for this action are the Surface 
Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, as amended (30 U.S.C. 
1201 et seq.), and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.).

    Dated: October 5, 2017.
John A. Trelease,
Acting Chief, Division of Regulatory Support.
[FR Doc. 2017-25096 Filed 11-17-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-05-P