[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 193 (Friday, October 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56288-56290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21894]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Natural Resources Revenue
[Docket No. ONRR-2011-0025; DS63644000 DRT000000.CH7000 223D1113RT, OMB
Control Number 1012-0003]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Delegated and
Cooperative Activities With States and Indian Tribes
AGENCY: Office of Natural Resources Revenue (``ONRR''), Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(``PRA''), ONRR is proposing to renew an information collection.
Currently, the information collection is authorized by the Office of
Management and Budget (``OMB'') under OMB Control Number 1012-0003,
which expires on December 31, 2021. Through this Information Collection
Request (``ICR''), ONRR seeks renewed authority to collect information
to review and approve a delegation proposal from a State that is
seeking to perform royalty management functions and to prepare a
cooperative agreement with a State or Indian Tribe seeking to perform
royalty audits and investigations.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
November 8, 2021.
ADDRESSES: All comment submissions must (1) reference ``OMB Control
Number 1012-0003'' in the subject line; (2) be sent to ONRR before the
close of the comment period listed under DATES; and (3) be sent through
one of the following two methods:
Electronically via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Please
visit https://www.regulations.gov. In the Search Box, enter the Docket
ID Number for this ICR renewal (``ONRR-2011-0025'') to locate the
document and click the ``Comment Now!'' button. Follow the prompts to
submit your comment prior to the close of the comment period.
Email Submissions: Please email your comments to
[email protected] with the OMB Control Number (``OMB
Control Number 1012-0003'') listed in the subject line of your email.
Email submissions must be postmarked on or before the close of the
comment period.
Docket: To access the docket to view ICR publications in the
Federal Register, go to https://www.regulations.gov and search ``ONRR-
2011-0025''. The docket will display renewal notices recently published
in the Federal Register, publications associated with prior renewals,
and applicable public comments received for this ICR.
OMB ICR Data: OMB also maintains information on ICR renewals and
approvals. You may access this information at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRASearch. Under the ``OMB Control Number'' heading enter
``1012-0003'' and click the ``Search'' button located at the bottom of
the page. To view the ICR renewal or OMB approval status, click on the
latest entry (based on
[[Page 56289]]
the most recent date). On the ``View ICR--OIRA Conclusion'' page, check
the box next to ``All'' to display all available ICR information
provided by OMB.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this ICR, please contact Mr. Peter Hanley, State and Tribal
Royalty Audit Committee, ONRR, by telephone at (303) 231-3721 or by
email to [email protected]. Individuals who are hearing or speech
impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY
assistance.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et
seq., and 5 CFR 1320.5, all information collections, as defined in 5
CFR 1320.3, require approval by OMB. ONRR may not conduct or sponsor,
and you are not required to respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
As part of ONRR's continuing effort to reduce paperwork and
respondent burdens, ONRR is inviting the public and other Federal
agencies to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing
collections of information in accordance with the PRA and 5 CFR
1320.8(d)(1). This helps ONRR to assess the impact of its information
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It
also helps the public understand ONRR's information collection
requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.
ONRR is especially interested in public comments addressing the
following:
(1) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether
the information will have practical utility;
(2) The accuracy of ONRR's estimate of the burden for this
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology
and assumptions used;
(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
(4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g.,
permitting electronic submission of response.
ONRR published a notice, with a 60-day public comment period
soliciting comments on this collection of information, in the Federal
Register on April 16, 2021 (86 FR 20194). ONRR received one comment in
response to its 60-Day Notice for this ICR. The commenter generally
agreed with ONRR's collection of information under this ICR.
Comments that you submit in response to this 30-Day Notice are a
matter of public record. ONRR will include or summarize each comment in
its 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 ONRR in your comment to
withhold your personal identifying information from public review, ONRR
cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.
Abstract: (a) General Information: For the benefit of all
Americans, ONRR collects, accounts for, and verifies natural resource
and energy revenues due to States, American Indians, and the U.S.
Treasury. See U.S. Department of the Interior Departmental Manual, 112
DM 34.3 (Sept. 9, 2020). ONRR's various functions include working in
partnership with Indian Tribes and States to conduct audits and
reviews. Id. at 34.4(D). For this purpose, ONRR enters into cooperative
agreements with States and Indian Tribes that seek to perform royalty
audits pursuant to 30 U.S.C. 196 and 1732, and reviews and approves
delegation proposals from States that seek to perform royalty
management functions pursuant to 30 U.S.C. 196 and 1735.
(b) Information Collections: This ICR covers the paperwork
requirements under 30 CFR parts 1227, 1228, and 1229. This collection
of information is necessary in order for ONRR to approve States and
Indian Tribes to conduct audits and related investigations of Federal
and Indian oil, gas, coal, other solid minerals, and geothermal royalty
revenues from Federal and Tribal leased lands. ONRR uses the
information collected to: (1) review and approve a delegation proposal
from a State seeking to perform royalty management functions, and (2)
prepare a cooperative agreement with a State or Indian Tribe seeking to
perform royalty audits. The requirements of 30 CFR parts 1227, 1228,
and 1229 are:
(1) 30 CFR part 1227--Delegation to States. Part 1227 governs the
delegation of certain Federal royalty management functions to a State
under 30 U.S.C. 1735, for Federal oil and gas leases covering Federal
lands within the State. This part also governs the delegation of audit
and investigative functions to a State for Federal geothermal leases or
solid mineral leases covering Federal lands within the State (30 U.S.C.
196), or leases covering lands offshore of the State subject to section
8(g) of the OCSLA (43 U.S.C. 1337(g)). To be considered for such
delegation, a State must submit a written proposal to ONRR, which ONRR
must approve. Following the delegation process, 30 CFR part 1227
outlines State responsibilities, compensation, performance reviews, and
the process for terminating a delegation.
(2) 30 CFR part 1228--Cooperative Activities with States and Indian
Tribes. FOGRMA (30 U.S.C. 1732) authorizes the Secretary of the
Interior (``Secretary'') to enter into a cooperative agreement with a
State or Indian Tribe to share oil and gas royalty management
information, and to carry out inspection, audit, investigation, and
enforcement activities on Federal and Indian lands. Federal
regulations, at 30 CFR part 1228, implement this provision and set
forth the requirements and procedures for entering into a cooperative
agreement, the terms of such agreement, and subsequent responsibilities
that must be carried out under the cooperative agreement. To enter into
a cooperative agreement, a State or Indian Tribe must submit a written
proposal to ONRR. The proposal must outline the activities that the
State or Indian Tribe will undertake and must present evidence that the
State or Indian Tribe can meet the standards of the Secretary to
conduct these activities. The State or Indian Tribe also must submit an
annual work plan and budget, as well as quarterly reimbursement
vouchers.
(3) 30 CFR part 1229--Delegation to States. Part 1229 governs
delegations to a State to conduct audits and related investigations for
Federal lands within the State, and for Indian lands for which the
State has received permission from the respective Indian Tribe or
allottees to carry out audit activities delegated to the State under 30
U.S.C. 1735. 30 CFR 1229.4. Under Part 1229, the State must receive the
Secretary's delegation of authority and submit annual audit work plans
detailing its audits and related investigations, annual budgets, and
quarterly reimbursement vouchers. The State also must maintain records.
Title of Collection: 30 CFR parts 1227, 1228, and 1229, Delegated
and Cooperative Activities with States and Indian Tribes.
OMB Control Number: 1012-0003.
Form Numbers: None.
Type of Review: Renewal of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: States and Indian Tribes.
[[Page 56290]]
Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 9 States and 6 Indian
respondents.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 210.
Estimated Completion Time per Response: 75.50 hrs.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 16,697 hours.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefit.
Frequency of Collection: Based on the functions performed,
responses are monthly, quarterly, annually, on occasion, and varied.
Total Estimated Annual Non-Hour Burden Cost: ONRR identified no
``non-hour cost'' burden associated with this collection of
information.
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 PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.).
Kimbra G. Davis,
Director, Office of Natural Resources Revenue.
[FR Doc. 2021-21894 Filed 10-7-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4335-30-P