82 FR 14751 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Coal Mine Operator Response to Schedule for Submission of Additional Evidence and Operator Response to Notice of Claim

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 54 (March 22, 2017)

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Coal Mine Operator Response to Schedule for Submission of Additional Evidence and Operator Response to Notice of Claim'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14751-14752]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05638]


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

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Coal Mine Operator Response to Schedule for 
Submission of Additional Evidence and Operator Response to Notice of 
Claim

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Office of 
Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) sponsored information collection 
request (ICR) titled, ``Coal Mine Operator Response to Schedule for 
Submission of Additional Evidence and Operator Response to Notice of 
Claim'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval for continued use, without change, in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). Public comments on the ICR are 
invited.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives 
on or before April 21, 2017.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge 
from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201611-1240-002 (this link will only become active 
on the day following publication of this notice) or by contacting 
Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064 (these are 
not toll-free numbers) or by email at [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request by mail or courier to the Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-
OWCP, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202-395-5806 (this is not a toll-free 
number); or by email: [email protected]. Commenters are 
encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments 
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the 
Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information Compliance 
Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20210; or by email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-

[[Page 14752]]

4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or by email 
at [email protected].

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR seeks to extend PRA authority for 
the Coal Mine Operator Response to Schedule for Submission of 
Additional Evidence (Form CM-2970) and Operator Response to Notice of 
Claim (Form CM-2970a) information collection. The OWCP, Division of 
Coal Mine Workers' Compensation (DCMWC) administers the Black Lung 
Benefits Act (30 U.S.C. 901 et seq.), which provides benefits to coal 
miners totally disabled due to pneumoconiosis and their surviving 
dependents. When the DCMWC makes a preliminary analysis of a claimant's 
eligibility for benefits, and if a coal mine operator has been 
identified as potentially liable for payment of those benefits, the 
responsible operator is notified of the preliminary analysis. 
Regulations codified at 20 CFR part 725 require that a coal mine 
operator be identified and notified of potential liability as early in 
the adjudication process as possible. Forms CM-2790 and CM-2970a are 
used for claims filed after January 19, 2001, and indicate that the 
coal mine operator will submit additional evidence or respond to the 
notice of claim. Black Lung Benefits Act section 426 authorizes this 
information collection. See 30 U.S.C. 936.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection 
under Control Number 1240-0033.
    OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than three (3) 
years without renewal, and the current approval for this collection is 
scheduled to expire on March 31, 2017. The DOL seeks to extend PRA 
authorization for this information collection for three (3) more years, 
without any change to existing requirements. The DOL notes that 
existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB 
receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. For 
additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related 
notice published in the Federal Register on November 9, 2016 (81 FR 
78863).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within thirty (30) days of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1240-0033. 
The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     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 responses.
    Agency: DOL-OWCP.
    Title of Collection: Coal Mine Operator Response to Schedule for 
Submission of Additional Evidence and Operator Response to Notice of 
Claim.
    OMB Control Number: 1240-0033.
    Affected Public: Private Sector--businesses or other for-profits.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,800.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 9,600.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 2,000 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $4,800.

     Dated: March 15, 2017.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-05638 Filed 3-21-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-CK-P