Leasing of Sulfur or Oil and Gas in the Outer Continental Shelf (30 CFR part 550, part 556, and part 560)
Revision of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
Approved with change
01/30/2020
06/26/2019
In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, the information collection is approved for three years.
table that charts list comparision
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
01/31/2023
36 Months From Approved
01/31/2020
10,307
0
22,065
19,054
0
19,454
766,053
0
766,053
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 the OCS. Such rules and regulations 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 Nationâs energy needs as rapidly as possible; balance orderly energy resource development with protection of human, marine, and coastal environments; ensure the public a fair and equitable return on the resources of the OCS; and preserve and maintain free enterprise competition. Also, the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 prohibits certain lease bidding arrangements (42 U.S.C. 6213 (c)).
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 OMB Circular A-25, authorize Federal agencies to recover the full cost of services that provide special benefits. Under the Department of the Interior's policy implementing this Act, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is required to charge the full cost for services that provide special benefits or privileges to an identifiable non-Federal recipient above and beyond those that accrue to the public at large. Instruments of transfer of a lease or interest are subject to cost recovery, and BOEM regulations specify the filing fee for these transfer applications.
These authorities and responsibilities are among those delegated to BOEM under which we issue regulations governing oil and gas and sulphur operations in the OCS. This information collection request addresses the regulations at 30 CFR 556, Leasing of Sulphur or Oil and Gas and Bonding Requirements in the OCS; 30 CFR 550, Subpart J, Pipelines and Pipelines Rights-of-Way; and 30 CFR 560, Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing; and the associated supplementary Notices to Lessees and Operators intended to provide clarification, description, or explanation of these regulations. This ICR also concerns the use of forms to process bonds, transfer interest in leases, and file relinquishments.
The current OMB inventory includes 19,454 annual burden hours for the related collection of information. We expect the burden estimate for the renewal will be 19,054 hours, which reflects a decrease of 400 hour burdens. A reduction of 80 hours is related to respondentsâ submission of designation of operator form (BOEM-1123); this burden is now captured in OMB control number 1010-0114. This was specified in the 2016 Final Rulemaking (1010-AD06).
The remaining reduction of 320 hours is for activities within 30 CFR part 556, subpart C that are not considered information collection activities under 5 CFR 1320.3(h)(4), but were previously counted as information collection activities.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Form BOEM-152 Relinquishment of Federal OCS Oil and Gas Lease
2019-13575.pdf
30 CFR Part 556 - Subpart K