Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; National Estuaries Restoration Inventory

AGENCY:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted on or before June 24, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at JJessup@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Julia Royster, Office of Habitat Conservation, Restoration Center, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, 20910, (301) 427-8686, or Julia.Royster@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

This request is for a revision and extension of a currently approved information collection.

Collection of estuary habitat restoration project information (e.g., location, habitat type, goals, status, monitoring information) will be undertaken in order to populate a restoration project database mandated by the Estuary Restoration Act of 2000. The database is intended to provide information to improve restoration methods, provide the basis for required reports to Congress, and track estuary habitat acreage restored. Estuary habitat restoration project information will be submitted by habitat restoration project managers and will be accessible to the public via Internet for data queries and project reports.

The collection method has been revised to only include paper or electronic forms instead of web-based data entry forms, as maintaining the web-based data entry option is not cost-effective.

II. Method of Collection

Respondents have a choice of either electronic or paper forms. Methods of submittal include email of electronic forms, and mail and facsimile transmission of paper forms.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0479.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular submission (revision and extension of a currently approved collection).

Affected Public: Non-profit institutions; State, local, or tribal government.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 32.

Estimated Time per Response: Data entry of new projects, 4 hours; updates to existing projects, 2 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 103.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $100 in recordkeeping/reporting costs.

IV. Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record.