80_FR_67141 80 FR 66931 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments

80 FR 66931 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
U.S. Geological Survey

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 210 (October 30, 2015)

Page Range66931-66932
FR Document2015-27730

We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 210 (Friday, October 30, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 210 (Friday, October 30, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66931-66932]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27730]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. Geological Survey

[GX16BD009AV0100]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of a new information collection: Assessment of Effects 
of Climate on Waterfowl.

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

SUMMARY: We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) 
described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 
1995, and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal 
agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC.

DATES: To ensure that your comments are considered, we must receive 
them on or before December 29, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this information collection to 
the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive MS 807, Reston, VA 20192 (mail); (703) 648-
7197 (fax); or [email protected] (email). Please reference 
`Information Collection 1028--Assessment of Effects of Climate on 
Waterfowl' in all correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad Griffith, Leader, USGS, Alaska 
Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at (907) 474-5067 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center 
coordinates the research activities of 8 Regional Climate Science 
Centers. To increase efficiency of investigations, the relevance of 
research topics and the effectiveness of research it is critical to 
identify the types of information that are most critical for the 
development of a focused and integrated multi-regional research 
program. This is particularly true for wildlife species that migrate 
(e.g., waterfowl) among regions in which the direction and strength of 
climate effects on wildlife populations and their habitats are expected 
to be quite variable. This collection seeks to identify (1) the most 
important habitat and harvest factors that affect waterfowl population 
size on breeding, migratory and winter ranges, (2) the demographic 
traits (fecundity or survival) that are affected by these factors, (3) 
the likely direction and magnitude of climate effects on the most 
important waterfowl habitat and harvest factors that affect waterfowl 
population size and (4) the highest priority research needs on 
breeding, migratory and wintering ranges. We are collecting this 
information with a questionnaire survey of a sample of professional 
waterfowl researchers and managers because scientific papers that 
present this information are not available. The information we collect 
will identify the most important research topics within and among 
Regional Climate Science Centers in regard to climate effects on 
migratory waterfowl. We will (1) summarize the results, (2) present 
them at a workshop at a national scientific meeting, (3) use this 
presentation to facilitate further discussion among professional 
waterfowl researchers and managers who attend the workshop regarding 
research priorities and (4) publish the results of the survey and the 
workshop discussion in a refereed scientific publication. The only 
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) that we will collect will be 
the name and employer (State, Federal or Non-governmental Organization 
research or management) of the respondents to the survey. We will use 
these names to keep track of which questionnaire recipients have 
responded and to summarize the proportional composition of the types of 
employment of respondents. We will mail paper forms to all respondents 
and give them the option of filling out a web form if they prefer. We 
will not associate the names of recipients with summarized responses. 
All paper form responses received will be kept in a locked cabinet and 
web form responses will be encrypted. After publication of the 
summarized results we will remove the name of respondents from both the 
paper forms and web forms.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1028--NEW.
    Title: Assessment of Effects of Climate on Waterfowl.
    Type of Request: New information collection.
    Affected Public: Professional waterfowl researchers and managers 
that are employed by State or Federal government agencies or Non-
governmental Organizations (NGO) such as the Migratory Bird Joint 
Ventures.
    Respondent's Obligation: None, participation is voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: One time.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 100; Public NGO 20, State 
and Local Govt. 20, Federal Govt. 60.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 100.
    Estimated Time per Response: 60 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 100.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: 
None.
    Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) 
provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor and you are not 
required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number and current expiration date.

III. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting comments as to: (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the agency to perform its 
duties, including whether the information is useful; (b) the accuracy 
of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and (d) how to minimize the burden 
on the respondents, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Please note that the comments submitted in response to this notice 
are a matter of public record. Before including your personal mailing 
address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable 
information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire 
comment, including your personally identifiable information, may be 
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your 
comment to withhold your personally identifiable information from 
public view, we

[[Page 66932]]

cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

John Thompson,
Deputy Chief, U.S. Geological Survey, Cooperative Research Units.
[FR Doc. 2015-27730 Filed 10-29-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4338-11-P



                                                                            Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 210 / Friday, October 30, 2015 / Notices                                          66931

                                              the Council within 30 days following                    I. Abstract                                           will be encrypted. After publication of
                                              the meeting.                                               The USGS National Climate Change                   the summarized results we will remove
                                                                                                      and Wildlife Science Center coordinates               the name of respondents from both the
                                              Meeting Minutes
                                                                                                      the research activities of 8 Regional                 paper forms and web forms.
                                                 Summary minutes of the Council and                   Climate Science Centers. To increase                  II. Data
                                              Advisory Group meetings will be                         efficiency of investigations, the
                                              maintained by the Council Coordinator                   relevance of research topics and the                    OMB Control Number: 1028—NEW.
                                              at the address under FOR FURTHER                        effectiveness of research it is critical to             Title: Assessment of Effects of Climate
                                              INFORMATION CONTACT. Meeting notes                      identify the types of information that are            on Waterfowl.
                                              will be available by contacting the                     most critical for the development of a                  Type of Request: New information
                                              Council Coordinator within 30 days                      focused and integrated multi-regional                 collection.
                                              following the meeting. Personal copies                  research program. This is particularly                  Affected Public: Professional
                                              may be purchased for the cost of                        true for wildlife species that migrate                waterfowl researchers and managers
                                              duplication.                                            (e.g., waterfowl) among regions in                    that are employed by State or Federal
                                                                                                      which the direction and strength of                   government agencies or Non-
                                              Jerome Ford,
                                                                                                      climate effects on wildlife populations               governmental Organizations (NGO) such
                                              Assistant Director, Migratory Birds.                                                                          as the Migratory Bird Joint Ventures.
                                                                                                      and their habitats are expected to be
                                              [FR Doc. 2015–27699 Filed 10–29–15; 8:45 am]                                                                    Respondent’s Obligation: None,
                                                                                                      quite variable. This collection seeks to
                                              BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
                                                                                                      identify (1) the most important habitat               participation is voluntary.
                                                                                                      and harvest factors that affect waterfowl               Frequency of Collection: One time.
                                                                                                      population size on breeding, migratory                  Estimated Annual Number of
                                              DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR                                                                                    Respondents: 100; Public NGO 20, State
                                                                                                      and winter ranges, (2) the demographic
                                              U.S. Geological Survey                                  traits (fecundity or survival) that are               and Local Govt. 20, Federal Govt. 60.
                                                                                                      affected by these factors, (3) the likely               Estimated Total Number of Annual
                                                                                                      direction and magnitude of climate                    Responses: 100.
                                              [GX16BD009AV0100]
                                                                                                      effects on the most important waterfowl                 Estimated Time per Response: 60
                                              Agency Information Collection                           habitat and harvest factors that affect               minutes.
                                              Activities: Request for Comments                        waterfowl population size and (4) the                   Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 100.
                                                                                                      highest priority research needs on                      Estimated Reporting and
                                              AGENCY:     U.S. Geological Survey (USGS),              breeding, migratory and wintering                     Recordkeeping ‘‘Non-Hour Cost’’
                                              Interior.                                               ranges. We are collecting this                        Burden: None.
                                                                                                      information with a questionnaire survey                 Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA
                                              ACTION:  Notice of a new information
                                                                                                      of a sample of professional waterfowl                 (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) provides that an
                                              collection: Assessment of Effects of
                                                                                                      researchers and managers because                      agency may not conduct or sponsor and
                                              Climate on Waterfowl.
                                                                                                      scientific papers that present this                   you are not required to respond to a
                                              SUMMARY:    We (the U.S. Geological                     information are not available. The                    collection of information unless it
                                              Survey) will ask the Office of                          information we collect will identify the              displays a currently valid OMB control
                                              Management and Budget (OMB) to                          most important research topics within                 number and current expiration date.
                                              approve the information collection (IC)                 and among Regional Climate Science
                                                                                                      Centers in regard to climate effects on               III. Request for Comments
                                              described below. As required by the
                                              Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of                        migratory waterfowl. We will (1)                        We are soliciting comments as to: (a)
                                              1995, and as part of our continuing                     summarize the results, (2) present them               Whether the proposed collection of
                                              efforts to reduce paperwork and                         at a workshop at a national scientific                information is necessary for the agency
                                              respondent burden, we invite the                        meeting, (3) use this presentation to                 to perform its duties, including whether
                                              general public and other Federal                        facilitate further discussion among                   the information is useful; (b) the
                                              agencies to take this opportunity to                    professional waterfowl researchers and                accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the
                                              comment on this IC.                                     managers who attend the workshop                      burden of the proposed collection of
                                                                                                      regarding research priorities and (4)                 information; (c) ways to enhance the
                                              DATES: To ensure that your comments                     publish the results of the survey and the             quality, usefulness, and clarity of the
                                              are considered, we must receive them                    workshop discussion in a refereed                     information to be collected; and (d) how
                                              on or before December 29, 2015.                         scientific publication. The only                      to minimize the burden on the
                                              ADDRESSES:   You may submit comments                    Personally Identifiable Information (PII)             respondents, including the use of
                                              on this information collection to the                   that we will collect will be the name                 automated collection techniques or
                                              Information Collection Clearance                        and employer (State, Federal or Non-                  other forms of information technology.
                                              Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201                  governmental Organization research or                   Please note that the comments
                                              Sunrise Valley Drive MS 807, Reston,                    management) of the respondents to the                 submitted in response to this notice are
                                              VA 20192 (mail); (703) 648–7197 (fax);                  survey. We will use these names to keep               a matter of public record. Before
                                              or gs-info_collections@usgs.gov (email).                track of which questionnaire recipients               including your personal mailing
                                              Please reference ‘Information Collection                have responded and to summarize the                   address, phone number, email address,
                                              1028—Assessment of Effects of Climate                   proportional composition of the types of              or other personally identifiable
                                              on Waterfowl’ in all correspondence.                    employment of respondents. We will                    information in your comment, you
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                                                                                                      mail paper forms to all respondents and               should be aware that your entire
                                              FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:   Brad
                                                                                                      give them the option of filling out a web             comment, including your personally
                                              Griffith, Leader, USGS, Alaska
                                                                                                      form if they prefer. We will not                      identifiable information, may be made
                                              Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research
                                                                                                      associate the names of recipients with                publicly available at any time. While
                                              Unit at (907) 474–5067 or ffdbg@
                                                                                                      summarized responses. All paper form                  you can ask us in your comment to
                                              usgs.gov.
                                                                                                      responses received will be kept in a                  withhold your personally identifiable
                                              SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                              locked cabinet and web form responses                 information from public view, we


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                                              66932                         Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 210 / Friday, October 30, 2015 / Notices

                                              cannot guarantee that we will be able to                0224—Programmatic Clearance Renewal                                                                       Annual
                                              do so.                                                  in the subject line.                                                                                    responses
                                                                                                      FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                              John Thompson,                                                                                                Other .........................................        2,500
                                                                                                      Bret_Meldrum@nps.gov (email); or 970–
                                              Deputy Chief, U.S. Geological Survey,
                                              Cooperative Research Units.                             267–7295 (phone) and Phadrea Ponds,                      Total ......................................       41,500
                                                                                                      Information Collection Coordinator,
                                              [FR Doc. 2015–27730 Filed 10–29–15; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                      National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge                    Estimated Completion Time per
                                              BILLING CODE 4338–11–P
                                                                                                      Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525 (mail); or              Response: 15 minutes per mail back
                                                                                                      pponds@nps.gov (email). Please                        survey; 3 minutes per non response
                                              DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR                              reference Information Collection 1024–                survey, 30 minutes per telephone
                                                                                                      0224 Programmatic Clearance Renewal                   survey; 60 minutes per focus group/
                                              National Park Service                                   in the subject line. You may also access              interview 60 minutes; Other 15 minutes.
                                                                                                      this ICR at www.reginfo.gov.                            Estimated Total Annual Burden
                                              [NPS–WASO–NRSS–SSB–19672;                               SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            Hours: 11,283 hours.
                                              PPWONRADE2, PMP00EI05.YP0000 (166)]                                                                             Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden
                                                                                                      I. Abstract                                           Cost: There are no non-hour burden
                                              Information Collection Request Sent to                     The Programmatic Clearance for NPS-                costs associated with this collection.
                                              the Office of Management and Budget                     Sponsored Public Surveys applies to
                                                                                                                                                                III. Comments
                                              (OMB) for Approval; Programmatic                        surveys designed to furnish usable
                                              Clearance for NPS-Sponsored Public                      information to NPS managers and                              On May 29, 2015, a 60-day Federal
                                              Surveys                                                 planners concerning park visitors,                        Register notice (80 FR 30720) was
                                                                                                      visitor services, potential park visitors,                published announcing this information
                                              AGENCY:   National Park Service, Interior.              and residents of communities near                         collection. Public comments were
                                              ACTION:   Notice; request for comments.                 parks. This information is intended to                    solicited for 60 days ending July 28,
                                                                                                      provide NPS managers with data that                       2015. We received one public comment
                                              SUMMARY:   We (National Park Service,                   can be used to improve the quality and                    in response to that notice. The
                                              NPS) have sent an Information                           utility of agency programs, services, and                 commenter did not support the renewal
                                              Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for                     planning efforts. Questions asked under                   of the collection and stated that ‘‘once
                                              review and approval. We summarize the                   the programmatic review process must                      every 5 years is often enough to take
                                              ICR below and describe the nature of the                show a clear tie to NPS management                        these surveys.’’ In response to this
                                              collection and the estimated burden and                 and planning needs. The programmatic                      comment, NPS contends that this
                                              cost. The National Park Service (NPS)                   review may only be used for non-                          renewal is not a single annual survey;
                                              sponsors public surveys to provide park                 controversial surveys that are unlikely                   rather it facilitates a set of independent
                                              managers with information needed for                    to attract or include topics of significant               surveys administered at multiples sites
                                              park planning, management, operations                   public interest in the programmatic                       for a variety of NPS management needs.
                                              and evaluation of performance related to                review process.                                           This process simplifies and streamlines
                                              protecting park resources and meeting                      To qualify for the NPS generic                         the information collection requests to
                                              the needs of the public. In consultation                programmatic review process, all                          OMB in a manner that allows the NPS
                                              with the Office of Management and                       information collections must be directly                  to submit more requests per year than
                                              Budget (OMB) and the Department of                      tied to an area managed by the NPS or                     we would through the regular
                                              the Interior (DOI), the NPS has                         research that will benefit NPS                            submission route. Surveys are reviewed
                                              developed a Programmatic Clearance                      management efforts. All collections                       and approved in an expeditious manner
                                              Process for NPS-sponsored public                        must be reviewed by the NPS and                           allowing data collection to occur more
                                              surveys. It significantly streamlines the               approved by OMB before the survey can                     frequently and in a timely manner—
                                              information collection review process.                  be initiated.                                             more specifically during the visitation
                                              To comply with the Paperwork                                                                                      season of interest. In the 16 years of the
                                              Reduction Act of 1995, and as part of                   II. Data                                                  programmatic approval on average, 40
                                              our continuing efforts to reduce                           OMB Control Number: 1024–0224.                         new surveys have been approved each
                                              paperwork and respondent burden, we                        Title: Programmatic Clearance for                      year in support of NPS management and
                                              invite the general public and other                     NPS-Sponsored Public Surveys.                             planning. This is nearly five times as
                                              Federal agencies to take this                              Type of Request: Revision of a                         many as we would expect going through
                                              opportunity to comment on this ICR.                     currently approved collection.                            the regular submission route.
                                                                                                         Description of Respondents:                               We again invite comments concerning
                                              DATES: You must submit comments on
                                                                                                      Individual households and general                         this information collection request on:
                                              or before November 30, 2015.
                                                                                                      public.                                                      • Whether or not the collection of
                                              ADDRESSES: Send your comments and                          Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.                    information is necessary, including
                                              suggestions on this information                            Frequency of Collection: Occasionally, whether or not the information will
                                              collection to the Desk Officer for the                  one time.                                                 have practical utility;
                                              Department of the Interior at OMB—                         Estimated Annual Number of                                • The accuracy of our estimate of the
                                              OIRA at (202) 395–5806 (fax) or                         Responses: 41,500.                                        burden for this collection of
                                              OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov (email)                                                                               information;
                                              and identify your submission as 1024–                                                                    Annual      • Ways to enhance the quality, utility,
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                                              0224. Please also send a copy of your                                                                  responses  and clarity of the information to be
                                              comments to Phadrea Ponds,
                                                                                                      On-site surveys .........................          20,000 collected; and
                                              Information Collections Coordinator,                    Mail-back surveys .....................            10,000    • Ways to minimize the burden of the
                                              National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge                    All non-response surveys .........                  6,500 collection of information on
                                              Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525 (mail); or                Telephone surveys ...................               1,000 respondents.
                                              pponds@nps.gov (email). Please                          Focus Groups/In person inter-                                Comments that you submit in
                                              reference Information Collection 1024–                     views .....................................      1,500 response to this notice are a matter of



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Document Created: 2015-12-14 15:30:13
Document Modified: 2015-12-14 15:30:13
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 of a new information collection: Assessment of Effects of Climate on Waterfowl.
DatesTo ensure that your comments are considered, we must receive them on or before December 29, 2015.
ContactBrad Griffith, Leader, USGS, Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at (907) 474-5067 or [email protected]
FR Citation80 FR 66931 

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