Rules and Regulations. Notice of an extension of an information collection (OMB Control Number 1010-0110)

Agency: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior
Action: Notice of an extension of an information collection (OMB Control Number 1010-0110)
Citation: FR Doc. 00-19340

Summary

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are soliciting comments on an information collection titled, Training Evaluation and Outreach Forms. We will submit an information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval after this comment period closes.

Dates

Submit written comments on or before October 2, 2000.

Supplementary Information

Title: Training Evaluation and Outreach Forms. OMB Control Number: 1010-0110. Bureau Form Number: n/a. Abstract: The Department of the Interior (DOI) is responsible for matters relevant to mineral resource development on Federal and Indian Lands and the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) is responsible for managing the production of minerals from Federal and Indian Lands and the OCS; for collecting royalties from lessees who produce minerals; and for distributing the funds collected in accordance with applicable laws. The Secretary also has an Indian trust responsibility to manage Indian lands and seek advice and information from Indian beneficiaries. We perform the royalty management functions and assist the Secretary in carrying out DOI's Indian trust responsibility. We provide training and outreach to our constituents to facilitate their compliance with laws and regulations and to ensure that constituents are well informed. We use training and outreach evaluation questionnaires to improve on our training and outreach efforts and to assure its continued relevance. We present training sessions to the oil and gas and solid minerals reporters on various aspects of royalty reporting, production reporting, and valuation. We also provide outreach sessions to individual Indian minerals owners, Indian Tribes, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs on Indian royalty management issues. Additionally, we provide training sessions to our financial and systems contractors and State and Tribal auditors. During the last few minutes of each training or outreach session, RMP asks participants to complete and return evaluation questionnaires. Participant response is voluntary. Some questions are uniform across all of the evaluation questionnaires; however, we also ask questions specific to each type of training or outreach or specific to our audiences. Proprietary information is not requested, and there are no questions of a sensitive nature included in this information collection. Frequency: On occasion. Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: 1800 industry representatives, State auditors, Indian auditors, Indian Tribes, and Indian allottees, MMS contractors, and MMS employees. Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping “Hour” Burden: 126 hours. Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping “Non-hour Cost” Burden: n/a. Comments: The Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 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. The PRA also requires agencies to estimate the total annual reporting “non-hour cost” burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information. We have not identified non-hour cost burdens and need to know if there are other costs associated with the collection of this information for either total capital and startup cost components or annual operation, maintenance, and purchase of service components. Your estimates should consider the costs to generate, maintain, and disclose or provide the information. 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, sampling, drilling, and testing equipment; and record storage facilities. Your estimates should not include 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. The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 provides that an agency shall 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. Dated: July 25, 2000. R. Dale Fazio, Acting Associate Director for Royalty Management. [FR Doc. 00-19340 Filed 7-31-00; 8:45 am]