81_FR_61907 81 FR 61734 - Agency Request for Emergency Approval of an Information Collection

81 FR 61734 - Agency Request for Emergency Approval of an Information Collection

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 173 (September 7, 2016)

Page Range61734-61736
FR Document2016-21390

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (PRA), the Department of Transportation (DOT) provides notice that it will submit an information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for emergency approval of a proposed information collection. Upon receiving the requested six-month emergency approval by OMB, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R), U.S. Department of Transportation will follow the normal PRA procedures to obtain extended approval for this proposed information collection. This collection involves information on barrier failure reporting in oil and gas operations on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), as referenced in recently issued Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), U.S. Department of the Interior regulations at 30 CFR 250.730(c) (81 FR 25887, Apr. 29, 2016) and the BSEE final rule amending and updating oil and gas production safety system (30 CFR 250.803) to be published in the Federal Register on September 7, 2016. BTS and BSEE have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop an industry-wide repository of barrier failure data, analyze and aggregate information collected under this program, and publish reports that will provide BSEE, the industry, and all OCS stakeholders with essential information about failure types and modes of critical safety barriers for offshore operations. BTS and BSEE have determined that it is in the public interest to collect and process barrier failure reports or other data deemed necessary to administer BSEE's safety program pertaining to barrier failures, under a pledge of confidentiality for statistical purposes only. The confidentiality of notices and reports submitted directly to BTS will be protected in accordance with the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 note), which provides substantial additional confidentiality protections than can be provided for reports submitted directly to BSEE. Currently, reports on equipment failures are submitted directly to BSEE with limited information related to barrier failure events and root cause. Feedback from the industry during the data collection form drafting process indicates substantial reluctance to provide detailed barrier failure event information without the additional protections of CIPSEA. Reports submitted directly to BTS under CIPSEA will use a longer data collection form that includes additional essential detail about a barrier failure event such as equipment history information, certain important event data information, and root cause information. The additional detail included in the longer form is critical to comprehensively assess failures and determine appropriate exposure denominators for risk estimates, in service of BSEE's mission to protect safety and prevent environmental harm. Emergency processing of this collection of information is needed prior to the expiration of time periods established under the PRA because the use of normal clearance procedures is reasonably likely to result in the collection of only limited data on barrier failure events during the established PRA time periods. The use of normal clearance procedures will prevent collection of this data during the established PRA time periods, which will inhibit BSEE's ability to comprehensively assess barrier failures and risks, identify barrier failure trends, and identify causes of critical safety barrier failure events.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 173 (Wednesday, September 7, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61734-61736]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21390]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

[Docket Number DOT-OST-2016-0169]


Agency Request for Emergency Approval of an Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R), U.S. 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (PRA), the Department of Transportation (DOT) 
provides notice that it will submit an information collection request 
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for emergency 
approval of a proposed information collection. Upon receiving the 
requested six-month emergency approval by OMB, the Bureau of 
Transportation Statistics (BTS), Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Research and Technology (OST-R), U.S. Department of Transportation will 
follow the normal PRA procedures to obtain extended approval for this 
proposed information collection.
    This collection involves information on barrier failure reporting 
in oil and gas operations on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), as 
referenced in recently issued Bureau of Safety and Environmental 
Enforcement (BSEE), U.S. Department of the Interior regulations at 30 
CFR 250.730(c) (81 FR 25887, Apr. 29, 2016) and the BSEE final rule 
amending and updating oil and gas production safety system (30 CFR 
250.803) to be published in the Federal Register on September 7, 2016. 
BTS and BSEE have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to 
develop an industry-wide repository of barrier failure data, analyze 
and aggregate information collected under this program, and publish 
reports that will provide BSEE, the industry, and all OCS stakeholders 
with essential information about failure types and modes of critical 
safety barriers for offshore operations.
    BTS and BSEE have determined that it is in the public interest to 
collect and process barrier failure reports or other data deemed 
necessary to administer BSEE's safety program pertaining to barrier 
failures, under a pledge of confidentiality for statistical purposes 
only. The confidentiality of notices and reports submitted directly to 
BTS will be protected in accordance with the Confidential Information 
Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA) (44 U.S.C. 
3501 note), which provides substantial additional confidentiality 
protections than can be provided for reports submitted directly to 
BSEE.
    Currently, reports on equipment failures are submitted directly to 
BSEE with limited information related to barrier failure events and 
root cause. Feedback from the industry during the data collection form 
drafting process indicates substantial reluctance to provide detailed 
barrier failure event information without the additional protections of 
CIPSEA. Reports submitted directly to BTS under CIPSEA will use a 
longer data collection form that includes additional essential detail 
about a barrier failure event such as equipment history information, 
certain important event data information, and root cause information. 
The additional detail included in the longer form is critical to 
comprehensively assess failures and determine appropriate exposure 
denominators for risk estimates, in service of BSEE's mission to 
protect safety and prevent environmental harm.
    Emergency processing of this collection of information is needed 
prior to the expiration of time periods established under the PRA 
because the use of normal clearance procedures is reasonably likely to 
result in the collection of only limited data on barrier failure events 
during the established PRA time periods. The use of normal clearance 
procedures will prevent collection of this data during the established 
PRA time periods, which will inhibit BSEE's ability to comprehensively 
assess barrier failures and risks, identify barrier failure trends, and 
identify causes of critical safety barrier failure events.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information related to this ICR, 
including applicable supporting documentation may be obtained by 
contacting Demetra V. Collia, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, Office of Statistical and Economic 
Analysis, RTS-31, E36-302, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 
20590-0001; Phone No. (202) 366-1610; Fax No. (202) 366-3383; Email: 
[email protected]. Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., EST, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

DATES: Comments should be submitted as soon as possible upon 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Comments and 
questions should be

[[Page 61735]]

directed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), 
Attn: OST OMB Desk Officer, 725 17th Street NW., Washington DC 20503. 
Comments and questions about the ICR identified below may be 
transmitted electronically to OIRA at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. The Data Collection

    The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35; as 
amended) and 5 CFR part 1320 require each Federal agency to obtain OMB 
approval to initiate an information collection activity. BTS is seeking 
OMB approval for the following BTS information collection activity:
    Title: Barrier Failure Reporting in Oil and Gas Operations on the 
Outer Continental Shelf.
    OMB Control Number: 2138-TBD.
    Type of Review: Approval of data collection. This information 
collection is limited to the establishment of BTS as an authorized 
repository for the previously approved information collections (OMB 
Control Number 1014-0028, expiration 04/30/2019, and OMB Control Number 
1014-0003, expiration 08/31/2019) in order to ensure the 
confidentiality of submissions under CIPSEA.
    Respondents: BTS has entered into a MOU with BSEE to facilitate the 
collection of information from respondents identified in the BSEE 
notices for OMB Control Numbers 1014-0028 and 1014-0003. Responsibility 
for establishing the actual scope and burden for this collection 
resides with BSEE. This BTS information collection request does not 
create any additional burden for respondents. For the purposes of this 
collection BTS has identified BSEE as the sole respondent.
    Number of Potential Responses: For the purposes of this collection 
BTS has identified BSEE as the sole respondent reporting to BTS at the 
annual frequency of one.
    Estimated Time per Response: 60 minutes.
    Frequency: Once. Total Annual Burden: 1 hour.
    Abstract: CIPSEA can provide strong confidentiality protection for 
information acquired for statistical purposes under a pledge of 
confidentiality. CIPSEA Guidance from the Office of Management and 
Budget advises that a nonstatistical agency or unit (BSEE) that wishes 
to acquire information with CIPSEA protection may consider entering 
into an agreement with a Federal statistical agency or unit (BTS). BTS 
and BSEE have determined that it is in the public interest to collect 
and process the blowout preventer (BOP) failure reports required by 30 
CFR 250.730(c), safety and pollution prevention equipment (SPPE) 
failure reports required by 30 CFR 250.803, or other data deemed 
necessary to administer BSEE's safety program pertaining to barrier 
failures under a pledge of confidentiality for statistical purposes 
only. BTS has agreed through an MOU with BSEE to undertake the 
information collection identified in the BSEE notices for OMB Control 
Numbers 1014-0028 and 1014-0003 in order to ensure the confidentiality 
of submissions under CIPSEA. Since this information collection is 
limited to the establishment of BTS as an authorized repository for the 
previously approved information collections (OMB Control Number 1014-
0028, expiration 04/30/2019, and OMB Control Number 1014-0003, 
expiration 08/31/2019), this information collection request does not 
create any additional burden for respondents.
    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 
35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1:48 and 44 U.S.C. 3501 note.

II. Background

    In August 2013, BTS and BSEE signed an interagency agreement (IAA) 
to develop and implement SafeOCS, a voluntary program for confidential 
reporting of `near misses' occurring on the Outer Continental Shelf 
(OCS). The goal of the voluntary near miss reporting system is to 
provide BTS with essential information about accident precursors and 
other hazards associated with OCS oil and gas operations. Under the 
program, BTS will develop and publish aggregate reports that BSEE, the 
industry and all OCS stakeholders can use--in conjunction with incident 
reports and other sources of information--to reduce safety and 
environmental risks and continue building a more robust OCS safety 
culture.
    On July 28, 2016, new BSEE regulations became effective, requiring 
in part, the reporting of well control barrier-related failure event 
and analysis information. Further, BSEE's final rule amending and 
updating oil and gas production safety systems regulations which 
require, in part, the reporting of SPPE failure event and analysis 
information will become effective on November 8, 2016. BSEE requested 
and BTS agreed to expand the scope of SafeOCS to include reports of 
equipment failure mandated by 30 CFR 250.730(c) or 30 CFR 250.803.
    Both BTS and BSEE agree that reports of equipment failures are 
considered a type of precursor safety information that can be included 
in SafeOCS to provide a means of identifying industry-wide data trends 
on barrier failures or potential for barrier failures. This data 
collection will provide companies in the oil and gas industry a trusted 
means to report sensitive proprietary and safety information related to 
equipment failures and to foster trust in the confidential collection, 
handling, and storage of the raw data.
    Feedback from the industry during the rulemaking and form drafting 
processes indicates substantial reluctance to provide detailed barrier 
failure event information without the additional protections of CIPSEA. 
Reports submitted directly to BSEE use an abbreviated data collection 
form that includes only limited information related to barrier failure 
events. Reports submitted directly to BTS use a longer data collection 
form that includes additional essential detail about a barrier failure 
event such as equipment history information, certain important event 
data information, and root cause information. The additional detail 
included in the longer form is critical to comprehensively assess 
failures and determine appropriate exposure denominators for risk 
estimates, in service of BSEE's mission to prevent safety and 
environmental harm.
    BTS will use the data collected to establish a comprehensive source 
of barrier-related failure data for statistical purposes. With input 
from subject matter experts, BTS will process and analyze information 
on equipment failures, and publish results of such analyses in public 
reports. Such reports will provide BSEE, the industry, and all OCS 
stakeholders with essential information about failure types and modes 
of critical safety barriers for offshore operations, provide valuable 
information to identify and close gaps in risk management, and 
contribute to research and development of intervention programs aimed 
at preventing accidents and fatalities in the OCS.
    BTS will: (1) Collect failure notices, failure analysis reports, 
and design change/modified procedures reports, as described in 30 CFR 
250.730(c) and 30 CFR 250.803, submitted by industry operators, their 
contractors, original equipment manufacturers, and others employed in 
the oil and gas industry; (2) develop an analytical database using the 
reported data and other pertinent information; (3) conduct statistical

[[Page 61736]]

analyses; (4) develop and publish aggregate public reports and other 
data produces; and (5) protect the confidentiality of notices and 
reports in accordance with BTS' own statute (49 U.S.C. 6307) and 
CIPSEA. In accordance with these confidentiality statutes, only 
statistical (aggregated) and non-identifying data will be made publicly 
available by BTS through its reports. BTS will not release to BSEE or 
any other public or private entity any information that might reveal 
the identity of individuals or organizations mentioned in failure 
notices or reports without explicit consent of the respondent and any 
other affected entities.
    Respondents who report a barrier-related failure will be asked to 
fill out a form based upon the requirements of 30 CFR 250.730(c) and 
cited industry standards. They will also be asked to submit 
supplemental information and analysis as described in 30 CFR 250.730(c) 
or 30 CFR 250.803 and cited industry standards. Respondents will have 
the option to mail or submit the reports electronically to BTS. 
Respondents will be asked to provide information such as: (1) Name and 
contact information; (2) time and location of the failure event; (3) a 
short description of the failure event and operating conditions that 
existed at the time of the event; (4) contributing factors to the 
event; (5) results of an investigation or safety analysis report; (6) 
any design or procedural changes as a result of the reported equipment 
failure; and (7) any other information that might be useful in 
determining ways to prevents such failures from occurring.
    BTS requests emergency processing of this information collection 
because the use of normal clearance procedures is likely to result in 
the collection of only limited data on barrier failure events during 
the established PRA time periods. The use of normal clearance 
procedures will prevent collection of this data during the established 
PRA time periods, which will inhibit BSEE's ability to comprehensively 
assess barrier failures and risks, identify barrier failure trends, and 
identify causes of critical safety barrier failure events.
    The BSEE Well Control Rule failure data collection for BOP 
equipment was substantially driven by an event of major national 
significance, which also captured international attention. One 
important element of this event was the failure of BOP equipment. The 
event resulted in the deaths of 11 people and the largest oil spill in 
US history. It is in the public interest to commence immediate 
collection of the additional information on equipment history and 
important event data to enable a better understanding of underlying 
root causes.

III. Request for Public Comment

    BTS requests comments on any aspects of this information collection 
request, including: (1) Ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, and 
clarity of the collected information; and (2) ways to minimize the 
collection burden without reducing the quality of the information 
collected, including additional use of automated collection techniques 
or other forms of information technology.

Patricia Hu,
Director, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Research and Technology, U.S. Department of 
Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2016-21390 Filed 9-6-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P



                                                  61734                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 173 / Wednesday, September 7, 2016 / Notices

                                                  improper report or failure to report is                 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION                          Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002
                                                  required to report the following                                                                              (CIPSEA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 note), which
                                                  information to NHTSA: (1) A signed and                  Bureau of Transportation Statistics                   provides substantial additional
                                                  dated document that identifies (a) each                 [Docket Number DOT–OST–2016–0169]                     confidentiality protections than can be
                                                  previous improper report and each                                                                             provided for reports submitted directly
                                                  failure to report as required under 49                  Agency Request for Emergency                          to BSEE.
                                                  U.S.C. 30166, including a regulation,                   Approval of an Information Collection                    Currently, reports on equipment
                                                  requirement, request or order issued                                                                          failures are submitted directly to BSEE
                                                                                                          AGENCY:   Bureau of Transportation                    with limited information related to
                                                  thereunder, for which protection is                     Statistics (BTS), Office of the Assistant
                                                  sought and (b) the specific predicate                                                                         barrier failure events and root cause.
                                                                                                          Secretary for Research and Technology                 Feedback from the industry during the
                                                  under which the improper or omitted                     (OST–R), U.S. Department of                           data collection form drafting process
                                                  report should have been provided; and                   Transportation.                                       indicates substantial reluctance to
                                                  (2) the complete and correct information                ACTION: Notice and request for                        provide detailed barrier failure event
                                                  that was required to be submitted but                   comments.                                             information without the additional
                                                  was improperly submitted or was not                                                                           protections of CIPSEA. Reports
                                                  previously submitted, including                         SUMMARY:    In compliance with the
                                                                                                          Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44                   submitted directly to BTS under
                                                  relevant documents that were not                                                                              CIPSEA will use a longer data collection
                                                  previously submitted to NHTSA or, if                    U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (PRA), the
                                                                                                          Department of Transportation (DOT)                    form that includes additional essential
                                                  the person cannot do so, provide a                                                                            detail about a barrier failure event such
                                                  detailed description of that information                provides notice that it will submit an
                                                                                                          information collection request (ICR) to               as equipment history information,
                                                  and/or the content of those documents                                                                         certain important event data
                                                                                                          the Office of Management and Budget
                                                  and the reason why the individual                                                                             information, and root cause information.
                                                                                                          (OMB) for emergency approval of a
                                                  cannot provide them to NHTSA. See 49                                                                          The additional detail included in the
                                                                                                          proposed information collection. Upon
                                                  U.S.C. 30170(a)(2) and 49 CFR 578.7;                    receiving the requested six-month                     longer form is critical to
                                                  see also 66 FR 38380 (July 24, 2001)                    emergency approval by OMB, the                        comprehensively assess failures and
                                                  (safe harbor final rule); 65 FR 81414                   Bureau of Transportation Statistics                   determine appropriate exposure
                                                  (Dec. 26, 2000) (safe harbor interim final              (BTS), Office of the Assistant Secretary              denominators for risk estimates, in
                                                  rule).                                                  for Research and Technology (OST–R),                  service of BSEE’s mission to protect
                                                                                                          U.S. Department of Transportation will                safety and prevent environmental harm.
                                                  ADDRESSES:    Send comments, within 30                                                                           Emergency processing of this
                                                  days, to the Office of Information and                  follow the normal PRA procedures to
                                                                                                                                                                collection of information is needed prior
                                                  Regulatory Affairs, Office of                           obtain extended approval for this
                                                                                                                                                                to the expiration of time periods
                                                  Management and Budget, 725 17th                         proposed information collection.
                                                                                                             This collection involves information               established under the PRA because the
                                                  Street NW., Washington, DC 20503,                                                                             use of normal clearance procedures is
                                                                                                          on barrier failure reporting in oil and
                                                  Attention NHTSA Desk Officer.                                                                                 reasonably likely to result in the
                                                                                                          gas operations on the Outer Continental
                                                     Comments are invited on: Whether                     Shelf (OCS), as referenced in recently                collection of only limited data on barrier
                                                  the proposed collection of information                  issued Bureau of Safety and                           failure events during the established
                                                  is necessary for the proper performance                 Environmental Enforcement (BSEE),                     PRA time periods. The use of normal
                                                  of the functions of the Department,                     U.S. Department of the Interior                       clearance procedures will prevent
                                                  including whether the information will                  regulations at 30 CFR 250.730(c) (81 FR               collection of this data during the
                                                  have practical utility; the accuracy of                 25887, Apr. 29, 2016) and the BSEE                    established PRA time periods, which
                                                                                                          final rule amending and updating oil                  will inhibit BSEE’s ability to
                                                  the Department’s estimate of the burden
                                                                                                          and gas production safety system (30                  comprehensively assess barrier failures
                                                  of the proposed information collection;
                                                                                                          CFR 250.803) to be published in the                   and risks, identify barrier failure trends,
                                                  ways to enhance the quality, utility, and                                                                     and identify causes of critical safety
                                                  clarity of the information to be                        Federal Register on September 7, 2016.
                                                                                                          BTS and BSEE have entered into a                      barrier failure events.
                                                  collected; and ways to minimize the
                                                                                                          memorandum of understanding (MOU)                     FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                  burden of the collection of information
                                                                                                          to develop an industry-wide repository                Information related to this ICR,
                                                  on respondents, including the use of                                                                          including applicable supporting
                                                  automated collection techniques or                      of barrier failure data, analyze and
                                                                                                          aggregate information collected under                 documentation may be obtained by
                                                  other forms of information technology.                                                                        contacting Demetra V. Collia, Bureau of
                                                                                                          this program, and publish reports that
                                                  A comment to OMB is most effective if                                                                         Transportation Statistics, Office of the
                                                                                                          will provide BSEE, the industry, and all
                                                  OMB receives it within 30 days of                                                                             Assistant Secretary for Research and
                                                                                                          OCS stakeholders with essential
                                                  publication.                                                                                                  Technology, U.S. Department of
                                                                                                          information about failure types and
                                                    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506; delegation of              modes of critical safety barriers for                 Transportation, Office of Statistical and
                                                  authority at 49 CFR 1.95.                               offshore operations.                                  Economic Analysis, RTS–31, E36–302,
                                                                                                             BTS and BSEE have determined that                  1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
                                                    Issued: August 30, 2016.
                                                                                                          it is in the public interest to collect and           Washington, DC 20590–0001; Phone No.
                                                  Paul A. Hemmersbaugh,                                                                                         (202) 366–1610; Fax No. (202) 366–
                                                                                                          process barrier failure reports or other
                                                  Chief Counsel.                                          data deemed necessary to administer                   3383; Email: demetra.collia@dot.gov.
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES




                                                  [FR Doc. 2016–21426 Filed 9–6–16; 8:45 am]              BSEE’s safety program pertaining to                   Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5
                                                  BILLING CODE 4910–59–P                                  barrier failures, under a pledge of                   p.m., EST, Monday through Friday,
                                                                                                          confidentiality for statistical purposes              except Federal holidays.
                                                                                                          only. The confidentiality of notices and              DATES: Comments should be submitted
                                                                                                          reports submitted directly to BTS will                as soon as possible upon publication of
                                                                                                          be protected in accordance with the                   this notice in the Federal Register.
                                                                                                          Confidential Information Protection and               Comments and questions should be


                                             VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:30 Sep 06, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00073   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\07SEN1.SGM   07SEN1


                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 173 / Wednesday, September 7, 2016 / Notices                                             61735

                                                  directed to the Office of Information and               agency or unit (BTS). BTS and BSEE                    equipment failure mandated by 30 CFR
                                                  Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Attn: OST                    have determined that it is in the public              250.730(c) or 30 CFR 250.803.
                                                  OMB Desk Officer, 725 17th Street NW.,                  interest to collect and process the                      Both BTS and BSEE agree that reports
                                                  Washington DC 20503. Comments and                       blowout preventer (BOP) failure reports               of equipment failures are considered a
                                                  questions about the ICR identified                      required by 30 CFR 250.730(c), safety                 type of precursor safety information that
                                                  below may be transmitted electronically                 and pollution prevention equipment                    can be included in SafeOCS to provide
                                                  to OIRA at oira_submissions@                            (SPPE) failure reports required by 30                 a means of identifying industry-wide
                                                  omb.eop.gov.                                            CFR 250.803, or other data deemed                     data trends on barrier failures or
                                                                                                          necessary to administer BSEE’s safety                 potential for barrier failures. This data
                                                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                                                                          program pertaining to barrier failures                collection will provide companies in the
                                                  I. The Data Collection                                  under a pledge of confidentiality for                 oil and gas industry a trusted means to
                                                                                                          statistical purposes only. BTS has                    report sensitive proprietary and safety
                                                     The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
                                                                                                          agreed through an MOU with BSEE to                    information related to equipment
                                                  (44 U.S.C. chapter 35; as amended) and
                                                                                                          undertake the information collection                  failures and to foster trust in the
                                                  5 CFR part 1320 require each Federal
                                                                                                          identified in the BSEE notices for OMB                confidential collection, handling, and
                                                  agency to obtain OMB approval to
                                                                                                          Control Numbers 1014–0028 and 1014–                   storage of the raw data.
                                                  initiate an information collection                                                                               Feedback from the industry during
                                                  activity. BTS is seeking OMB approval                   0003 in order to ensure the
                                                                                                          confidentiality of submissions under                  the rulemaking and form drafting
                                                  for the following BTS information                                                                             processes indicates substantial
                                                  collection activity:                                    CIPSEA. Since this information
                                                                                                          collection is limited to the                          reluctance to provide detailed barrier
                                                     Title: Barrier Failure Reporting in Oil                                                                    failure event information without the
                                                  and Gas Operations on the Outer                         establishment of BTS as an authorized
                                                                                                          repository for the previously approved                additional protections of CIPSEA.
                                                  Continental Shelf.                                                                                            Reports submitted directly to BSEE use
                                                     OMB Control Number: 2138–TBD.                        information collections (OMB Control
                                                                                                          Number 1014–0028, expiration 04/30/                   an abbreviated data collection form that
                                                     Type of Review: Approval of data                                                                           includes only limited information
                                                  collection. This information collection                 2019, and OMB Control Number 1014–
                                                                                                          0003, expiration 08/31/2019), this                    related to barrier failure events. Reports
                                                  is limited to the establishment of BTS as                                                                     submitted directly to BTS use a longer
                                                  an authorized repository for the                        information collection request does not
                                                                                                          create any additional burden for                      data collection form that includes
                                                  previously approved information                                                                               additional essential detail about a
                                                  collections (OMB Control Number                         respondents.
                                                                                                                                                                barrier failure event such as equipment
                                                  1014–0028, expiration 04/30/2019, and                     Authority: The Paperwork Reduction
                                                                                                                                                                history information, certain important
                                                  OMB Control Number 1014–0003,                           Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as                 event data information, and root cause
                                                  expiration 08/31/2019) in order to                      amended; and 49 CFR 1:48 and 44                       information. The additional detail
                                                  ensure the confidentiality of                           U.S.C. 3501 note.                                     included in the longer form is critical to
                                                  submissions under CIPSEA.                               II. Background                                        comprehensively assess failures and
                                                     Respondents: BTS has entered into a                                                                        determine appropriate exposure
                                                  MOU with BSEE to facilitate the                           In August 2013, BTS and BSEE signed                 denominators for risk estimates, in
                                                  collection of information from                          an interagency agreement (IAA) to                     service of BSEE’s mission to prevent
                                                  respondents identified in the BSEE                      develop and implement SafeOCS, a                      safety and environmental harm.
                                                  notices for OMB Control Numbers                         voluntary program for confidential                       BTS will use the data collected to
                                                  1014–0028 and 1014–0003.                                reporting of ‘near misses’ occurring on               establish a comprehensive source of
                                                  Responsibility for establishing the                     the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The                barrier-related failure data for statistical
                                                  actual scope and burden for this                        goal of the voluntary near miss reporting             purposes. With input from subject
                                                  collection resides with BSEE. This BTS                  system is to provide BTS with essential               matter experts, BTS will process and
                                                  information collection request does not                 information about accident precursors                 analyze information on equipment
                                                  create any additional burden for                        and other hazards associated with OCS                 failures, and publish results of such
                                                  respondents. For the purposes of this                   oil and gas operations. Under the                     analyses in public reports. Such reports
                                                  collection BTS has identified BSEE as                   program, BTS will develop and publish                 will provide BSEE, the industry, and all
                                                  the sole respondent.                                    aggregate reports that BSEE, the                      OCS stakeholders with essential
                                                     Number of Potential Responses: For                   industry and all OCS stakeholders can                 information about failure types and
                                                  the purposes of this collection BTS has                 use—in conjunction with incident                      modes of critical safety barriers for
                                                  identified BSEE as the sole respondent                  reports and other sources of                          offshore operations, provide valuable
                                                  reporting to BTS at the annual                          information—to reduce safety and                      information to identify and close gaps in
                                                  frequency of one.                                       environmental risks and continue                      risk management, and contribute to
                                                     Estimated Time per Response: 60                      building a more robust OCS safety                     research and development of
                                                  minutes.                                                culture.                                              intervention programs aimed at
                                                     Frequency: Once. Total Annual                          On July 28, 2016, new BSEE                          preventing accidents and fatalities in
                                                  Burden: 1 hour.                                         regulations became effective, requiring               the OCS.
                                                     Abstract: CIPSEA can provide strong                  in part, the reporting of well control                   BTS will: (1) Collect failure notices,
                                                  confidentiality protection for                          barrier-related failure event and analysis            failure analysis reports, and design
                                                  information acquired for statistical                    information. Further, BSEE’s final rule               change/modified procedures reports, as
                                                  purposes under a pledge of                              amending and updating oil and gas                     described in 30 CFR 250.730(c) and 30
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                                                  confidentiality. CIPSEA Guidance from                   production safety systems regulations                 CFR 250.803, submitted by industry
                                                  the Office of Management and Budget                     which require, in part, the reporting of              operators, their contractors, original
                                                  advises that a nonstatistical agency or                 SPPE failure event and analysis                       equipment manufacturers, and others
                                                  unit (BSEE) that wishes to acquire                      information will become effective on                  employed in the oil and gas industry; (2)
                                                  information with CIPSEA protection                      November 8, 2016. BSEE requested and                  develop an analytical database using the
                                                  may consider entering into an                           BTS agreed to expand the scope of                     reported data and other pertinent
                                                  agreement with a Federal statistical                    SafeOCS to include reports of                         information; (3) conduct statistical


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                                                  61736                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 173 / Wednesday, September 7, 2016 / Notices

                                                  analyses; (4) develop and publish                       information on equipment history and                     Title: Estate and Gift Taxes; Qualified
                                                  aggregate public reports and other data                 important event data to enable a better               Disclaimers of Property.
                                                  produces; and (5) protect the                           understanding of underlying root                         OMB Number: 1545–0959.
                                                  confidentiality of notices and reports in               causes.
                                                                                                                                                                   Regulation Project Number: TD 8095.
                                                  accordance with BTS’ own statute (49
                                                                                                          III. Request for Public Comment                          Abstract: Internal Revenue Code
                                                  U.S.C. 6307) and CIPSEA. In accordance
                                                  with these confidentiality statutes, only                 BTS requests comments on any                        section 2518 allows a person to disclaim
                                                  statistical (aggregated) and non-                       aspects of this information collection                an interest in property received by gift
                                                  identifying data will be made publicly                  request, including: (1) Ways to enhance               or inheritance. The interest is treated as
                                                  available by BTS through its reports.                   the quality, usefulness, and clarity of               if the disclaimant never received or
                                                  BTS will not release to BSEE or any                     the collected information; and (2) ways               transferred such interest for Federal gift
                                                  other public or private entity any                      to minimize the collection burden                     tax purposes. A qualified disclaimer
                                                  information that might reveal the                       without reducing the quality of the                   must be in writing and delivered to the
                                                  identity of individuals or organizations                information collected, including                      transferor or trustee.
                                                  mentioned in failure notices or reports                 additional use of automated collection                   Current Actions: There is no change to
                                                  without explicit consent of the                         techniques or other forms of information              this existing regulation.
                                                  respondent and any other affected                       technology.                                              Type of Review: Extension of a
                                                  entities.                                                                                                     currently approved collection.
                                                     Respondents who report a barrier-                    Patricia Hu,
                                                  related failure will be asked to fill out               Director, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,           Affected Public: Individuals or
                                                  a form based upon the requirements of                   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research        households.
                                                                                                          and Technology, U.S. Department of
                                                  30 CFR 250.730(c) and cited industry                                                                             Estimated Number of Respondents:
                                                                                                          Transportation.
                                                  standards. They will also be asked to                                                                         2,000.
                                                                                                          [FR Doc. 2016–21390 Filed 9–6–16; 8:45 am]
                                                  submit supplemental information and                                                                              Estimated Time per Respondent: 30
                                                                                                          BILLING CODE 4910–9X–P
                                                  analysis as described in 30 CFR                                                                               minutes.
                                                  250.730(c) or 30 CFR 250.803 and cited
                                                  industry standards. Respondents will                                                                             Estimated Total Annual Burden
                                                  have the option to mail or submit the                   DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY                            Hours: 1,000.
                                                  reports electronically to BTS.                                                                                   The following paragraph applies to all
                                                  Respondents will be asked to provide                    Internal Revenue Service                              of the collections of information covered
                                                  information such as: (1) Name and                                                                             by this notice:
                                                                                                          Proposed Collection; Comment
                                                  contact information; (2) time and                       Request for Regulation Project                           An agency may not conduct or
                                                  location of the failure event; (3) a short                                                                    sponsor, and a person is not required to
                                                  description of the failure event and                    AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS),               respond to, a collection of information
                                                  operating conditions that existed at the                Treasury.                                             unless the collection of information
                                                  time of the event; (4) contributing                     ACTION: Notice and request for                        displays a valid OMB control number.
                                                  factors to the event; (5) results of an                 comments.                                                Books or records relating to a
                                                  investigation or safety analysis report;                                                                      collection of information must be
                                                  (6) any design or procedural changes as                 SUMMARY:   The Department of the
                                                                                                                                                                retained as long as their contents may
                                                  a result of the reported equipment                      Treasury, as part of its continuing effort
                                                                                                                                                                become material in the administration
                                                  failure; and (7) any other information                  to reduce paperwork and respondent
                                                                                                                                                                of any internal revenue law. Generally,
                                                  that might be useful in determining                     burden, invites the general public and
                                                                                                                                                                tax returns and tax return information
                                                  ways to prevents such failures from                     other Federal agencies to take this
                                                                                                                                                                are confidential, as required by 26
                                                  occurring.                                              opportunity to comment on proposed
                                                                                                                                                                U.S.C. 6103.
                                                     BTS requests emergency processing of                 and/or continuing information
                                                  this information collection because the                 collections, as required by the                          Request for Comments: Comments
                                                  use of normal clearance procedures is                   Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,                      submitted in response to this notice will
                                                  likely to result in the collection of only              Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C.                          be summarized and/or included in the
                                                  limited data on barrier failure events                  3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is                 request for OMB approval. All
                                                  during the established PRA time                         soliciting comments concerning estate                 comments will become a matter of
                                                  periods. The use of normal clearance                    and gift taxes; qualified disclaimers of              public record. Comments are invited on:
                                                  procedures will prevent collection of                   property (Section 25.2518–2(b)).                      (a) Whether the collection of
                                                  this data during the established PRA                                                                          information is necessary for the proper
                                                                                                          DATES: Written comments should be
                                                  time periods, which will inhibit BSEE’s                                                                       performance of the functions of the
                                                                                                          received on or before November 7, 2016
                                                  ability to comprehensively assess barrier                                                                     agency, including whether the
                                                                                                          to be assured of consideration.
                                                  failures and risks, identify barrier failure                                                                  information shall have practical utility;
                                                                                                          ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments                (b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
                                                  trends, and identify causes of critical
                                                  safety barrier failure events.                          to Tuawana Pinkston, Internal Revenue                 of the burden of the collection of
                                                     The BSEE Well Control Rule failure                   Service, Room 6526, 1111 Constitution                 information; (c) ways to enhance the
                                                  data collection for BOP equipment was                   Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20224.                     quality, utility, and clarity of the
                                                  substantially driven by an event of                     FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      information to be collected; (d) ways to
                                                  major national significance, which also                 Requests for additional information or                minimize the burden of the collection of
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                                                  captured international attention. One                   copies of the regulations should be                   information on respondents, including
                                                  important element of this event was the                 directed to Sara Covington, at Internal               through the use of automated collection
                                                  failure of BOP equipment. The event                     Revenue Service, Room 6526, 1111                      techniques or other forms of information
                                                  resulted in the deaths of 11 people and                 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington,                  technology; and (e) estimates of capital
                                                  the largest oil spill in US history. It is              DC 20224, or through the Internet at                  or start-up costs and costs of operation,
                                                  in the public interest to commence                      Sara.L.Covington@irs.gov.                             maintenance, and purchase of services
                                                  immediate collection of the additional                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            to provide information.


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Document Created: 2016-09-07 11:50:09
Document Modified: 2016-09-07 11:50:09
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice and request for comments.
DatesComments should be submitted as soon as possible upon publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Comments and questions should be directed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Attn: OST OMB Desk Officer, 725 17th Street NW., Washington DC 20503. Comments and questions about the ICR identified below may be transmitted electronically to OIRA at [email protected]
ContactInformation related to this ICR, including applicable supporting documentation may be obtained by contacting Demetra V. Collia, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Statistical and Economic Analysis, RTS-31, E36-302, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001; Phone No. (202) 366-1610; Fax No. (202) 366-3383; Email: [email protected] Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., EST, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
FR Citation81 FR 61734 

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