Agency Information Collection Activities; National Heritage Areas Program Annual Reporting Forms

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of Information Collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the National Park Service (NPS) are proposing a new information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before July 14, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

Send your comments on this information collection request (ICR) by mail to Phadrea Ponds, Acting Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1201 Oakridge Drive Fort Collins, CO 80525; or by email to phadrea_ponds@nps.gov. Please reference Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1024-NHA in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this ICR, contact Elizabeth Vehmeyer by email at elizabeth_vehmeyer@nps.gov, or by telephone at 202-354-2215. Individuals who are hearing or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY assistance. You may also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require approval under the PRA. We 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.

As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.

We are especially interested in public comment addressing the following:

(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether or not the information will have practical utility;

(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) How might the agency 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 response.

Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Abstract: National Heritage Areas (NHAs) are designated by Congress as places of natural, cultural, and historic significance. Authorized by the Historic Sites Act of 1935 (54 U.S.C. Ch. 3201), the NPS NHA Program Office is responsible for tracking the performance and progress of each heritage area in implementing its management plans and goals. The reporting forms in the collection will track performance metrics needed to distribute funds and report on heritage area management and budgetary activities as directed by Congress.

NHAs combine conservation, recreation, and economic development to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape. The NHA program currently includes 49 heritage areas. To track the performance of each NHA and facilitate mandated financial reporting, the NPS is requesting to use the two reporting forms listed below to collect information used to monitor the progress of each heritage area.

• Annual Program Report—Part I Funding Report: This form is used to allocate Heritage Partnership Program (HPP) funds and prepare the annual NPS Budget Justification in response to directives from Congress. The information gathered includes required non-federal match sources; organizational sustainability planning; Heritage Area accomplishments and any challenges using the HPP funds.
• Annual Program Report—Part II Progress Report: This form tracks progress and informs individual heritage area evaluations.

Title of Collection: National Heritage Areas Program Annual Reporting Forms.

OMB Control Number: 1024-NEW.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: New.

Respondents/Affected Public: NHA Coordinating Entities (Not-for-profit entities; Federal Commissions; Institutions of Higher Education; State and local governments).

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 49.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 108.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: Part I Funding Report—10 hours and Part II Progress Report—40 hours.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2,700 hours.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.

Frequency of Collection: Annually.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).