Notice2023-23688
Agency Information Collection Activities; Grants to States and Tribes
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 26, 2023
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentSurface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Office
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are proposing to renew an information collection.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 206 (Thursday, October 26, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 206 (Thursday, October 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73618-73620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23688]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
[S1D1S SS08011000 SX064A000 2451S180110; S2D2S SS08011000 SX064A000
24XS501520; OMB Control Number 1029-0059]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Grants to States and
Tribes
AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we,
the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are
proposing to renew an information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
November 27, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find this particular
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Please
provide a copy
[[Page 73619]]
of your comments to Mark Gehlhar, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation
and Enforcement, 1849 C Street NW, Room 4556-MIB, Washington, DC 20240,
or by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#721f15171a1e1a1300321d011f00175c151d04"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e78a80828f8b8f8695a788948a9582c9808891">[email protected]</span></a>. Please reference OMB Control Number
1029-0059 in the subject line of your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this ICR, contact Mark Gehlhar by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#660b01030e0a0e07142609150b140348010910"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a0cdc7c5c8ccc8c1d2e0cfd3cdd2c58ec7cfd6">[email protected]</span></a>, or
by telephone at (202) 208-2716. Individuals in the United States who
are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may
dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay
services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay
services offered within their country to make international calls to
the point-of-contact in the United States. You may also view the ICR at
<a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (PRA; 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), we
provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an
opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing
collections of information. This helps us assess the impact of our
information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting
burden. It also helps the public understand our information collection
requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.
A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period
soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on
October 18, 2022 (87 FR 63088). Comments were received from 14 entities
primarily from respondents applying for grants. Among the most common
concerns were requiring list of projects to be funded at the time of
application and a description of how projects were prioritized and
selected. This was deemed unnecessary by commenters since such lists
would be tentative at the time and likely to change during subsequent
stages of the approval process. Commenters added that changes in the
list would require formal amendments, increasing administrative burden
unnecessarily. OSMRE revised this requirement requesting lists of
eligible problem area descriptions currently inventoried to satisfy the
requirement at the initial application stage.
Commenters were opposed to applicants providing detailed
information on contractor hirings at the time of application because
AML project procurement process occurs much later in the grant's period
of performance. In addition, contracting for AML construction services
is governed by each state's procurement laws dictating how contractor
bids are to be prioritized and documentation requiring worker's
background. This was considered excessively burdensome in the
application process and was viewed by applicants better suited for
post-award project reporting.
Several commenters expressed concern that requiring information for
estimated project benefits submitted with the OSM-51 form duplicates
and goes above what is already provided from OSMRE's abandoned mine
inventory system. In addition, it appeared as duplicative information
because some of the same information is detailed in the Environmental
Assessment prepared for each reclamation project which is reviewed
prior to issuing the authorization to proceed. Commenters stated OSMRE
can collect this benefit-type of information from AML programs in other
ways that are not part of the grant application process.
In response to comments OSMRE opted for a simplified version of the
OSM-51 form to provide flexibility in how information is submitted and
to avoid duplication of other grant information received. In addition,
OSMRE allowed the OSM-51 form to be optional to provide applicants
flexibility in the choice of format for submitting their program
narrative and performance reports.
Commenters also stated that the overall burden hours were
understated. OSMRE performed additional outreach with respondents
resulting in higher estimated burden hours from increases in annual
funding for projects requiring greater time for formalizing
submissions.
As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent
burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other
Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are
especially interested in public comment addressing the following:
(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
(2) The accuracy of our 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.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. 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 us in your comment to withhold your personal
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we
will be able to do so.
Abstract: State and Tribal reclamation and regulatory authorities
are requested to provide specific budget and program information as
part of the grant application and reporting processes authorized by the
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. The Office of Surface
Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) administers three distinct
AML programs with varying criteria for projects and eligibility
criteria. These are comprised of (1) the Abandoned Mine Land Economic
Revitalization (AMLER) Program using appropriated funds from Congress,
(2) the traditional fee-based AML grant distributions authorized by
SMCRA, and (3) the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) (Pub. L. 117-58)
which appropriated funds for the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund
administered by OSMRE. One means that States and Tribes satisfy these
requirements is submission of the OSM-51 form to report program
narrative information as part of their grant applications and to meet
their annual post-award reporting requirement. It is necessary that
each program is recognized, and unique criteria as specified in program
guidance documents is followed when using the OSM-51 form.
Title of Collection: Grants to States and Tribes.
OMB Control Number: 1029-0059.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: State and Tribal governments.
[[Page 73620]]
Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 26.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 279.
Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 1 hour to 29
hours.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2,423.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: Once.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
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 Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Mark J. Gehlhar,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2023-23688 Filed 10-25-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-P
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