[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 73 (Tuesday, April 16, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15628-15629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-07521]
[[Page 15628]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-HQ-NWRS-2018-N164; FXRS12610900000-189-FF09R24000; OMB Control
Number 1018-0162]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Non-Federal Oil and Gas
Operations on National Wildlife Refuge System Lands
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 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 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) are proposing to renew an
information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
June 17, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request by
mail to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA
22041-3803 (mail); or by email to Info_Coll@fws.gov. Please reference
OMB Control Number 1018-0162 in the subject line of your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this ICR, contact Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information
Collection Clearance Officer, by email at Info_Coll@fws.gov, or by
telephone at (703) 358-2503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, 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.
We are soliciting comments on the proposed information collection
request (ICR) that is described below. We are especially interested in
public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is the collection
necessary to the proper functions of the Service; (2) will this
information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the
estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the Service enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
(5) how might the Service minimize the burden of this collection on the
respondents, including through the use of information technology.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our 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 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: The authority of the Service to regulate non-Federal oil
and gas operations on National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) lands is
broadly derived from the Property Clause of the United States
Constitution (Art. VI, Sec. 3), in carrying out the statutory mandates
of the Secretary of the Interior, as delegated to the Service, to
manage Federal lands and resources under the National Wildlife Refuge
System Administration Act (NWRSAA), as amended by the National Wildlife
Refuge System Improvement Act (NWRSIA; 16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.), and to
specifically manage species within the NWRS under the provisions of
numerous statutes, the most notable of which are the Migratory Bird
Treaty Act (MBTA; 16 U.S.C. 715 et seq.), the Endangered Species Act
(ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956
(FWA; 15 U.S.C. 742f).
The Service's rule at 50 CFR, part 29, subpart D provides for the
continued exercise of non-Federal oil and gas rights while avoiding or
minimizing unnecessary impacts to refuge resources and uses. Other land
management agencies have regulations that address oil and gas
development, including the Department of the Interior's National Park
Service (NPS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's Forest Service. These agencies all require
the submission of information similar to the information requested by
the Service.
The collection of information is necessary for the Service to
properly balance the exercise of non-Federal oil and gas rights within
refuge boundaries with the Service's responsibility to protect wildlife
and habitat, water quality and quantity, wildlife-dependent
recreational opportunities, and the health and safety of employees and
visitors on NWRS lands.
The information collected under 50 CFR, part 29, subpart D
identifies the owner and operator (the owner and operator can be the
same) and details how the operator may access and develop oil and gas
resources. It also identifies the steps the operator intends to take to
minimize any adverse impacts of operations on refuge resource and uses.
No information is submitted unless the operator wishes to conduct oil
and gas operations.
We use the information collected to: (1) Evaluate proposed
operations, (2) ensure that all necessary mitigation measures are
employed to protect refuge resources and values, and (3) ensure
compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including the
National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and its
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the NWRSAA, as amended by the
NWRSIA, and to specifically manage species within the NWRS under the
provisions of numerous statutes, the most notable of which are the
MBTA, the ESA, the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661 et
seq.), and the FWA.
Title of Collection: Non-Federal Oil and Gas Operations on National
Wildlife Refuge System Lands, 50 CFR 29, Subpart D.
OMB Control Number: 1018-0162.
Form Number: FWS Form 3-2469.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Businesses that conduct oil and gas
exploration on national wildlife refuges.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
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Estimated Completion
number of time per Estimated
Activity/requirement annual response total annual
responses (hours) burden hours
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Preexisting Operations (Sec. 29.61)........................... 40 50 2,000
Temporary Access Permit Application (Sec. 29.71).............. 35 17 595
[[Page 15629]]
Accessing Oil and Gas Rights from Non-Federal Surface Location 5 1 5
(Sec. 29.80).................................................
Pre-application Meeting for Operations Permit (Sec. 29.91).... 45 2 90
Operations Permit Application (Sec. Sec. 29.94-29.97)........ 45 140 6,300
Financial Assurance (Sec. Sec. 29.103(b), 29.150)............ 45 1 45
Identification of Wells and Related Facilities (Sec. 45 2 90
29.119(b)).....................................................
Reporting (Sec. 29.121):
Third-Party Monitor Report (Sec. 29.121(b))............... 300 17 5,100
Notification--Injuries/Mortality to Fish and Wildlife and 20 1 20
Threatened/Endangered Plants (Sec. 29.121(c))............
Notification--Accidents involving Serious Injuries/Death and 20 1 20
Fires/Spills (Sec. 29.121(d))............................
Written Report--Accidents Involving Serious Injuries/Deaths 20 16 320
and Fires/Spills (Sec. 29.121(d))........................
Report--Verify Compliance with Permits (Sec. 29.121(e))... 240 4 960
Notification--Chemical Disclosure of Hydraulic Fracturing 5 1 5
Fluids uploaded to FracFocus (Sec. 29.121(f))............
Permit Modifications (Sec. 29.160(a))..................... 10 16 160
Change of Operator:
Transferring Operator Notification (Sec. 29.170).......... 20 8 160
Acquiring Operator's Requirements for Wells Not Under a 19 40 760
Service Permit (Sec. 29.171(a))..........................
Acquiring Operator's Acceptance of an Existing Permit (Sec. 1 8 8
29.171(b))................................................
Extension to Well Plugging (Sec. 29.181(a))...............
Application for Permit...................................... 10 140 1,400
Modification................................................ 5 16 80
Public Information (Sec. 29.210):
Affidavit in Support of Claim of Confidentiality (Sec. 1 1 1
29.210(c) and (d)).........................................
Confidential Information (Sec. 29.210(e) and (f))......... 1 1 1
Maintenance of Confidential Information (Sec. 29.210(h)).. 1 1 1
Generic Chemical Name Disclosure (Sec. 29.210(i))......... 1 1 1
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Totals.................................................. 934 .............. 18,122
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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.).
Dated: April 11, 2019.
Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-07521 Filed 4-15-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P