In accordance
with 5 CFR 1320, the information collection is approved for three
years.
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 Nation’s 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 respondents’ 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 30 CFR 556 - Subpart K - BOEM-152 - Relinquishment of Federal OCS O&G Leases
2019-13575.pdf
30 CFR Part 556 - Subpart K