Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of Management and Budget Review; Comment Request

Title: Solid Minerals Reengineering Operational Model. OMB Control Number: 1010-0120. Abstract: The Secretary of the Interior is responsible for collecting royalties from leases producing minerals from leased Federal and Indian lands. The Secretary is required by various laws to manage the production of mineral resources on Indian lands and Federal onshore and offshore leases, to collect the royalties due, and to distribute the funds in accordance with those laws; we perform these royalty management functions for the Secretary. When a company or an individual enters into a contract or lease to develop, mine, and dispose of Federal or Indian minerals, that company or individual (the respondent) agrees to pay the appropriate royalty due based upon gross proceeds received from the sale of production from the leased lands. Royalty rates are specified in the lease agreement. Specific lease language varies; however, respondents agree by the lease terms to furnish statements providing the details of all operations conducted on a lease and the quantity and quality of all production from the lease at such times and in such form as the Secretary may prescribe. Rules require respondents to provide accurate, complete, and timely reports for all minerals produced, in the manner and form prescribed by MMS in 30 CFR Part 210, Subpart E, and Part 216, Subpart A. We currently require respondents to submit eight separate forms to collect the above information. We also require respondents to resubmit each of these forms to correct any errors which may have occurred on previous submissions of required information. The Solid Minerals Operational Model will focus on collecting production, royalty, and valuation data, while streamlining reporting requirements. The participating companies will continue to submit the eight currently required forms and will also submit the required information using new reporting guidelines for this operational model. We will collect the production, royalty, and valuation data using information technology. We will use the information collected to support: • Distribution and Disbursement. We must match the royalty payment submitted on the Report of Sales and Royalty Remittances (Form MMS-2014) to the Production and Royalty Report (Form MMS-4430), maintain lease accounts of payments, and ensure the distribution of data and disbursement of monies to our revenue recipients. • Compliance and Asset Management Processes. We must determine areas not in compliance for a lease or mine sooner than the current processes allow. The Production and Royalty Report form is designed to give us the basic volume and valuation information necessary to begin these compliance activities so that we may compare it to the Remote Storage and Washing Plant and Market Profile data formats. • Monitoring Allowances and Off-site Activity. We must monitor allowance deductions and off-site inventory and sales. Companies maintain electronic data files of this information as a normal course of business. We propose to download the data from these company-maintained files to our compliance data systems. Our intent is to minimize the information collection burden on industry respondents as well as ourselves. • BLM Production Verification, Diligent Development, and Recoverable Reserves Calculations. We must make facility data available on-line to all BLM, BIA, Tribal, and State Audit offices. During the operational model, we will refine the Remote Storage and Washing Plant data to ensure BLM can perform these processes, including monitoring plant efficiencies, maximum recovery, and secondary product inventories. • Compliance and Asset Management Processes. We will require the submission of supplemental information (Market Profile) for the compliance aspect of our reengineering efforts. The Market Profile data will be an integral part of the Compliance and Asset Management process being developed in the operational model. We will use this information to verify royalty value and augment monitoring and detection of compliance problems on those mines. This information will only be collected from those reporters whose royalties are based on gross proceeds or who sell products beyond the mine site. Respondents/Affected Entities: Solid Minerals Mining Companies. Frequency of Response: Monthly and quarterly. Estimated Number of Respondents: 8. Estimated Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden: 463 hours. Comments: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act requires each agency ``* * * to provide notice * * * and otherwise consult with members of the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of information. * * *'' Agencies must specifically solicit comments to: (a) evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the agency to perform its duties, including whether the information is useful; (b) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) minimize the burden on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Send your comments directly to the offices listed under the ADDRESSES section of this notice. OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information collection but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, to ensure maximum consideration, OMB should receive public comments by July 26, 1999. MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, (202) 208-7744.

Dated: June 18, 1999. R. Dale Fazio, Acting Associate Director for Royalty Management. [FR Doc. 99-16192 Filed 6-24-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P