[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 201 (Tuesday, October 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64348-64349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-26296]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement
[Docket No. BOEM-2010-0052]
BOEMRE Information Collection Activity: 1010-0182, Increased
Safety Measures for Energy Development on the OCS NTL, Extension of a
Collection; Comment Request
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement
(BOEMRE), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of an extension of an information collection (1010-
0182).
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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA),
BOEMRE is inviting comments on a collection of information that we will
submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and
approval. The information collection request (ICR) concerns the
paperwork requirements in Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) ``No.
2010-N05, Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the
OCS.''
DATES: Submit written comments by December 20, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Blundon, Regulations and
Standards Branch at (703) 787-1607. You may also contact Cheryl Blundon
to obtain a copy, at no cost, of NTL No. 2010-N05 that requires the
subject collection of information.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods
listed below.
Electronically: go to http://www.regulations.gov. In the
entry titled ``Enter Keyword or ID,'' enter docket ID BOEM-2010-0052
then click search. Follow the instructions to submit public comments
and view supporting and related materials available for this
collection. BOEMRE will post all comments.
E-mail [email protected]. Mail or hand-carry
comments to the Department of the Interior; Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, Regulation and Enforcement; Attention: Cheryl Blundon; 381
Elden Street, MS-4024; Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference
ICR 1010-0182 in your comment and include your name and return address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the OCS,
NTL No. 2010-N05.
OMB Control Number: 1010-0182.
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 manage the mineral resources of the OCS. Such rules and
regulations will apply to all operations conducted under a lease,
right-of-use and easement, and pipeline right-of-way. 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; preserve and maintain
free enterprise competition; and ensure that the extent of oil and
natural gas resources of the OCS is assessed at the earliest
practicable time. 43 U.S.C. 1332(6) states that ``operations in the
outer 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.''
To carry out these responsibilities, BOEMRE issues regulations to
ensure that operations in the OCS will meet statutory requirements;
provide for safety and protect the environment; and result in diligent
exploration, development, and production of OCS leases. In addition, we
also issue NTLs that provide clarification, explanation, and
interpretation of our regulations. These NTLs are also used to convey
purely informational material and to cover situations that might not be
adequately addressed in our regulations. The latter is the case for the
information collection required in the NTL. Because of the unusual
nature of this information collection, issuing an NTL is the
appropriate means to collect the information at the time of the event.
The subject of this ICR is an NTL based on the recommendations in
the May 27, 2010, Report from the Secretary of the Interior to the
President of the United States, Increased Safety Measures for Energy
Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (Report). BOEMRE issued NTLs
for operators to comply with the requirements and recommendations of
the report as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf
of Mexico. This collection pertains to one NTL, covered under the
regulations at 30 CFR part 250, subparts, A, D, E, and F. The primary
information collections for these regulations are approved under the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Numbers 1010-0114, 1010-
0141, 1010- 0067, and 1010-0043, respectively. However, BOEMRE believes
that the paperwork burdens in the NTL are in addition to those
currently approved. Only one of the requirements in the NTL has not yet
been fully met; therefore, we are renewing that requirement in this
collection to allow operators and/or lessees more response time than
allowed by the original emergency OMB request.
BOEMRE issued this NTL for lessees and operators to comply with the
requirements and recommendations of
[[Page 64349]]
the report as a result of the Deepwater Horizon accident and subsequent
oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. These events highlight the importance
of ensuring safe operations on the OCS.
The information to be collected is necessary for BOEMRE to assess
safety equipment; ensure the OCS is managed in a safe manner that
includes considering available environmental information and
implementing best available and safest technology. BOEMRE will use the
information collected to evaluate each operator to ensure compliance to
BOEMRE regulations, review documentation for corrective action, and
assess each risk analysis of deepwater drilling.
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), under regulations at 30 CFR
250.197, Data and information to be made available to the public or for
limited inspection, and 30 CFR 252, OCS Oil and Gas Information
Program. No items of a sensitive nature are collected. Responses are
mandatory.
Frequency: On occasion.
Description of Respondents: Potential respondents comprise Federal
oil, gas, or sulphur lessees and/or operators.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: The currently
approved annual reporting burden for this collection is 9,028 hours.
The following chart details the individual components and respective
hour burden estimates of this ICR. In calculating the burdens, we
assumed that respondents perform certain requirements in the normal
course of their activities. We consider these to be usual and customary
and took that into account in estimating the burden.
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NTL No. 2010-N05--Reporting requirement Hour burden
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BOP Certification Requirements for Floating $112,500 per third-party
Drilling Operations.--Submit independent physical inspection and
third party (ITP) physical inspection and design reviews--30 mins.
design review of BOP in accordance with
OEM specs and standards [will cost
approximately $25,000 to $250,000
depending on size etc., average cost =
$112,500]. Include description of the
ITP's qualifications.
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Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have
identified one non-hour paperwork cost burdens for this collection. The
non-hour cost burden is $112,500 for each third party physical
inspection and design review.
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: Before submitting an ICR to OMB, PRA section
3506(c)(2)(A) 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.
Agencies must also estimate the non-hour paperwork cost burdens to
respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of
information. Therefore, if you have costs to generate, maintain, and
disclose this information, you should comment and provide your total
capital and startup cost components or annual operation, maintenance,
and purchase of service components. You should describe the methods you
use to estimate major cost factors, including system and technology
acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, discount
rate(s), and the period over which you incur costs. Capital and startup
costs include, among other items, computers and software you purchase
to prepare for collecting information, monitoring, and record storage
facilities. You should not include estimates for equipment or services
purchased: (i) Before October 1, 1995; (ii) to comply with requirements
not associated with the information collection; (iii) for reasons other
than to provide information or keep records for the Government; or (iv)
as part of customary and usual business or private practices.
We will summarize written responses to this notice and address them
in our submission for OMB approval. As a result of your comments, we
will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to
OMB.
Public Comment Procedures: 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.
BOEMRE Information Collection Clearance Officer: Arlene Bajusz
(703) 787-1025.
Dated: October 14, 2010.
William S. Hauser,
Acting Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2010-26296 Filed 10-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P