81 FR 8989 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments on the USGS Water Use Data and Research Program

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
U.S. Geological Survey

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 35 (February 23, 2016)

Page Range		8989-8990
FR Document		2016-03704

We (the U.S. Geological Survey) are notifying the public that we have submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the information collection request (ICR) described below. To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) 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 ICR.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 35 (Tuesday, February 23, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8989-8990]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03704]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. Geological Survey

[GX16CC00G1S3000]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments on 
the USGS Water Use Data and Research Program

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

ACTION: Notice of a new information collection, USGS Water Use Data and 
Research Program.

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

SUMMARY: We (the U.S. Geological Survey) are notifying the public that 
we have submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the 
information collection request (ICR) described below. To comply with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) 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 ICR.

DATES: To ensure that your comments on this ICR are considered, OMB 
must receive them on or before March 24, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Please submit written comments on this information 
collection directly to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Desk Officer 
for the Department of the Interior, via email: 
([email protected]); or by fax (202) 395-5806; and identify 
your submission with `OMB Control Number 1028-NEW USGS Water Use Data 
and Research Program'. Please also forward a copy of your comments and 
suggestions 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) 648-7195 (fax); or 
[email protected] (email). Please reference `OMB Information 
Collection 1028-NEW: USGS Water Use Data and Research Program' in all 
correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melinda Dalton, Water Availability and 
Use Science Program, U.S. Geological Survey, 1770 Corporate Drive, 
Suite

[[Page 8990]]

500, Norcross, GA 30095 (mail); 678-924-6637 (phone); or 
[email protected] (email). You may also find information about this ICR 
at www.reginfo.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The USGS is authorized under SECURE Water Act Section 9508 to 
assist state water resource agencies with improving their water use 
data collection activities. USGS has implemented the Water Use Date and 
Research program (WUDR), to work with state water agencies in gathering 
and analyzing their data, and assists this effort via cooperative 
agreements. WUDR will be used to improve the collection and reporting 
of water-use categories by state agencies, including categories of 
water use that were previously collected by the USGS National Water Use 
Information program but discontinued due to limited resources. This 
collection will also be used in reports to Congress on water resources 
in the nation. Grant funds will be announced and awarded as part of a 
competitive process that will be guided, annually, by a technical 
committee whose members will include representatives from the 
stakeholder community as well as USGS. Water Use Data and Research 
Program funds will be coordinated with a single agency in each State. 
Collaboration and coordination with USGS personnel will be required as 
part of the Grants program. Data must be stored electronically and made 
available at the 8-digit hydrologic-unit code (HUC-8) and county level 
in formats appropriate for existing USGS databases. Additionally, 
methods used for data collection (estimated values, coefficients, etc.) 
and a description of data quality assurance and control will be 
required.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1028--NEW.
    Title: USGS Water Use Data and Research Program.
    Type of Request: Approval of new information collection.
    Respondent Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Description of Respondents: State water-resource agencies that 
collect water-use data.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: We expect 52 
respondents to read and complete the application. We expect 15 
respondents to submit a mid-term progress report and a final technical 
report.
    Estimated Time per Response: We estimate that it will take 40 hours 
to prepare the proposal. This includes time to complete the project 
narrative and to provide any other relevant supporting documents. We 
estimate that it will take 12 hours in total to prepare the mid-term 
and final reports.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 2,260 hours.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: 
There are no ``non-hour cost'' burdens associated with this collection 
of information.
    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. Until OMB approves a collection of 
information, you are not obliged to respond.
    Comments: On July 23, 2015, we published a Federal Register notice 
(80 FR 43792) announcing that we would submit this ICR to OMB for 
approval and soliciting comments. The comment period closed on 
September 21, 2015. We received no comments.

III. Request for Comments

    We again invite comments concerning this ICR 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) how 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 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 and the OMB 
in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from 
public review, we cannot guarantee that it will be done.

Sonya Jones,
 Program Coordinator, Water Availability and Use Science Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-03704 Filed 2-22-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4338-11-P

8990 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 35 / Tuesday, February 23, 2016 / Notices

500, Norcross, GA 30095 (mail); 678– Estimated Time per Response: We DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
924–6637 (phone); or msdalton@ estimate that it will take 40 hours to
usgs.gov (email). You may also find prepare the proposal. This includes time Bureau of Land Management
information about this ICR at to complete the project narrative and to [LLWY910000 L16100000 XX0000]
www.reginfo.gov. provide any other relevant supporting
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
documents. We estimate that it will take Notice of Public Meeting; Wyoming
12 hours in total to prepare the mid- Resource Advisory Council
I. Abstract term and final reports.
Estimated Annual Burden Hours: AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
The USGS is authorized under Interior.
SECURE Water Act Section 9508 to 2,260 hours.
assist state water resource agencies with Estimated Reporting and ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
improving their water use data Recordkeeping ‘‘Non-Hour Cost’’
Burden: There are no ‘‘non-hour cost’’ SUMMARY: In accordance with the
collection activities. USGS has Federal Land Policy and Management
implemented the Water Use Date and burdens associated with this collection
of information. Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory
Research program (WUDR), to work Committee Act of 1972, the U.S.
Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA
with state water agencies in gathering Department of the Interior, Bureau of
(44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) provides that an
and analyzing their data, and assists this Land Management (BLM) Wyoming
agency may not conduct or sponsor and
effort via cooperative agreements. Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will
you are not required to respond to a
WUDR will be used to improve the meet as indicated below.
collection of information unless it
collection and reporting of water-use DATES: The meeting is scheduled for,
displays a currently valid OMB control
categories by state agencies, including Wednesday, March 9, 2016, from 8 a.m.
number. Until OMB approves a
categories of water use that were to 5 p.m., and Thursday, March 10,
collection of information, you are not
previously collected by the USGS 2016, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
obliged to respond.
National Water Use Information Comments: On July 23, 2015, we ADDRESSES: The meeting will be
program but discontinued due to published a Federal Register notice (80
limited resources. This collection will conducted at the BLM Rock Springs
FR 43792) announcing that we would Field Office, 280 Highway 191 North,
also be used in reports to Congress on submit this ICR to OMB for approval
water resources in the nation. Grant Rock Springs, Wyoming.
and soliciting comments. The comment FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
funds will be announced and awarded period closed on September 21, 2015.
as part of a competitive process that will Christian Venhuizen, Wyoming
We received no comments. Resource Advisory Council Coordinator,
be guided, annually, by a technical
committee whose members will include III. Request for Comments Wyoming State Office, 5353
representatives from the stakeholder Yellowstone Road, Cheyenne, WY
We again invite comments concerning
community as well as USGS. Water Use 82009; telephone 307–775–6103; email
this ICR as to: (a) Whether the proposed
Data and Research Program funds will cvenhuizen@blm.gov. Persons who use a
collection of information is necessary
be coordinated with a single agency in telecommunications device for the deaf
for the agency to perform its duties,
each State. Collaboration and may call the Federal Information Relay
including whether the information is
coordination with USGS personnel will Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to
useful; (b) the accuracy of the agency’s
be required as part of the Grants contact the above individual during
estimate of the burden of the proposed
program. Data must be stored normal business hours. The FIRS is
collection of information; (c) how to
electronically and made available at the available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
enhance the quality, usefulness, and
8-digit hydrologic-unit code (HUC–8) to leave a message or question with the
clarity of the information to be
and county level in formats appropriate above individual. You will receive a
collected; and (d) how to minimize the
for existing USGS databases. reply during normal business hours.
burden on the respondents, including
Additionally, methods used for data the use of automated collection SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 10-
collection (estimated values, techniques or other forms of information member RAC advises the Secretary of
coefficients, etc.) and a description of technology. the Interior on a variety of management
data quality assurance and control will Please note that comments submitted issues associated with public land
be required. in response to this notice are a matter management in Wyoming. Planned
of public record. Before including your agenda topics for the March meeting
II. Data (see DATES) include discussions on fees
personal mailing address, phone
OMB Control Number: 1028—NEW. number, email address, or other for the National Historic Trails
Title: USGS Water Use Data and personally identifiable information in Interpretive Center and the Rock
Research Program. your comment, you should be aware Springs RMP revision and follow-up to
Type of Request: Approval of new that your entire comment, including previous RAC meetings. On Thursday,
information collection. your personally identifiable March 10, the meeting will begin with
Respondent Obligation: Required to information, may be made publicly a public comment period, at 8 a.m.
obtain or retain benefits. available at any time. While you can ask Depending on the number of persons
Frequency of Collection: Annually. us and the OMB in your comment to wishing to comment and time available,
Description of Respondents: State withhold your personal identifying the time for individual oral comments
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

water-resource agencies that collect information from public review, we may be limited. If there are no members
water-use data. cannot guarantee that it will be done. of the public interested in speaking, the
Estimated Total Number of Annual meeting will move promptly to the next
Responses: We expect 52 respondents to Sonya Jones, agenda item. The public may also
read and complete the application. We Program Coordinator, Water Availability and submit written comments to the RAC by
expect 15 respondents to submit a mid- Use Science Program. emailing cvenhuizen@blm.gov, with the
term progress report and a final [FR Doc. 2016–03704 Filed 2–22–16; 8:45 am] subject line ‘‘RAC Public Comment’’ or
technical report. BILLING CODE 4338–11–P by submitting comments during the

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:06 Feb 22, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00096 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\23FEN1.SGM 23FEN1

Document Created: 2018-02-02 14:33:45
Document Modified: 2018-02-02 14:33:45

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of a new information collection, USGS Water Use Data and Research Program.
Dates		To ensure that your comments on this ICR are considered, OMB must receive them on or before March 24, 2016.
Contact		Melinda Dalton, Water Availability and Use Science Program, U.S. Geological Survey, 1770 Corporate Drive, Suite 500, Norcross, GA 30095 (mail); 678-924-6637 (phone); or [email protected] (email). You may also find information about this ICR at www.reginfo.gov.
FR Citation		81 FR 8989

81 FR 8989 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments on the USGS Water Use Data and Research Program

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORU.S. Geological Survey

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 35 (February 23, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
U.S. Geological Survey