Sections 11 and 25 of the amended OCS
Lands Act require the holders of OCS oil and gas or sulfur leases
to submit exploration plans or development and production plans to
the Secretary for approval prior to commencing leasing activities.
As a Federal agency, BOEM has a continuing affirmative duty to
comply with the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered
Species Act, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. This includes a
substantive duty to carry out any agency action in a manner that is
not likely to jeopardize protected species as well as a procedural
duty to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries before
engaging in a discretionary action that may affect a protected
species. The regulations at 30 CFR 550, Subpart B, concern plans
and information that must be submitted to conduct activities on a
lease, right-of-use and easement, or unit and are the subject of
this collection. BOEM and other Federal agencies (e.g., FWS, NOAA
Fisheries) analyze and evaluate the information and data collected
under Subpart B to ensure that planned operations are safe; will
not adversely affect the marine, coastal, or human environment; and
will conserve the resources of the OCS. BOEM uses the information
to: (a) make an informed decision on whether to approve the
proposed planning documents as submitted, or whether modifications
are necessary without the analysis and evaluation of the required
information.
Based on several information
collection revisions, BOEM estimates the burden for the renewal
will be 286,144 annual burden hours with 1,291 responses, and
$3,688,524 non-hour cost burdens. In calculating the information
collection burdens, BOEM accounted for decreases in the number of
plans submitted annually and for the changes resulting from the
Gulf of Mexico Biological Opinion (GOM BiOp). Per the GOM BiOp,
BOEM requires monthly marine mammal observation and monitoring
reports and a final report within 90 days of the completion of an
OCS survey. Because the GOM BiOp replaced BOEM’s NTL 2016-G02,
which had required two reports each month, BOEM estimates an
overall decrease in the burden related to these monitoring reports.
The GOM BiOp requires additional reporting if one or more
individuals from a protected species are observed within an
enclosed moon pool, which is an opening in the bottom of a marine
platform, drill ship or vessel, through which deepwater drilling is
done. The operator must report the observation within 24 hours and
daily thereafter as long as any individuals from a protected
species remain within the moon pool. With this new requirement,
BOEM estimates a slight increase in annual reporting. While the GOM
BiOp increased certain reporting burdens for lessees and operators
in the Gulf of Mexico, the overall non-hour costs are estimated to
decrease slightly due to the anticipated reduction in the number of
plans submitted to BOEM.
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-0141 280-282; 284 - Post-Approval Requirements for the EP, DPP, and DOCD
2023-14822_30 day notice_07132023.pdf
2023.05.03_0151 Supporting Statement.docx
200-209; 211-228; 231-285 - Contents of Exploration Plans (EP)