[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 17, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46998-46999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-17944]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Agency Information Collection; Proposed Revisions to a Currently 
Approved Information Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of renewal of a currently approved collection (OMB No. 
1006-0001).

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Sec. 3501 et seq.), the Bureau of Reclamation (we, our or us) 
intends to submit a request for renewal (with revisions) of an existing 
approved information collection to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB): Crop Acreage and Yields and Water Distribution (Water User Crop 
Census Report [Form 7-332], and Crop and Water Data [Form 7-2045]), OMB 
Control Number: 1006-001. We request your comments on the revised Crop 
Acreage and Yields and Water Distribution Forms and specific aspect of 
the information collection.

DATES: Your written comments must be received on or before September 
16, 2002.

ADDRESSES: You may send written comments to the Bureau of Reclamation, 
Attention: D-5200, P.O. Box 25007, Denver, CO 80225-0007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may request copies of the proposed 
revised forms by writing to the above address or by contacting Jeremy 
Simons at: (303) 445-2739.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The currently approved collection has been 
revised to reflect industry standards concerning units used to measure 
yields for certain copies (i.e., using pounds instead of bales for 
cotton lint and using pounds instead of tons for hops). Other changes 
include:
     In Section II-e on both forms, ``Acres irrigated by'', we 
are adding the option to choose ``Flood'' along with the current 
options of ``Sprinkler'' and ``Drip''.
     In Section II-g on both forms, ``Acres not irrigated'', we 
are adjusting

[[Page 46999]]

the format of the box to allow checkmark indications for the options of 
``dry cropped'', ``fallow'', and ``idle'', in addition to the number of 
acres.
     Within each subsection (i.e., Cereals, Forage, Vegetables, 
etc.) in Section III on both forms, ``Crop Production``, we are placing 
the items in alphabetical order.
     In Section III on both forms, we are moving 
``Cantaloupe'', ''Watermelon'', and ``Honey Ball, Honeydew, etc.'' from 
the ``Vegetables'' subsection to the ``Fruits'' subsection.
     In Section I on Form 7-332, ``Irrigator Information'', we 
are including a box that asks for the respondent's telephone number so 
any potential questions may be directed to that person.
     We are removing the footnotes to both forms and 
incorporating the footnotes within the body of the instructions that 
accompany each form.
    There have been editorial changes to the current Form 7-332 and 
Form 7-2045, and to the instructions that accompany these forms. These 
changes have been made to increase the respondents' understanding of 
the forms and understanding of the instructions to the forms. The 
proposed changes will be included starting with the 2003 Crop Acreage 
and Yields and Water Distribution information collection.
    Title: Crop Acreage and Yields and Water Distribution
    Forms: Form 7-332, Water User Crop Census Report; and Form 7-2045, 
Crop and Water Data.
    Abstract: The annual crop census is taken on all Bureau of 
Reclamation projects, along with collection of related statistics, 
primarily for use as a tool in administering, managing, and evaluating 
the Federal Reclamation program. The census is used to assist in the 
administration of repayment and water service contracts, which are used 
to repay the irrigators' obligation to the Federal Government. The 
census will provide data to facilitate the required 5-year review of 
ability-to-pay analysis, which is being incorporated into new repayment 
and water service contracts. The basis for these reviews is an audit by 
the Office of the Inspector General, Department of the Interior.
    Data from the census are utilized to determine class 1 equivalency 
computations, i.e., determining the number of acres of class 2 and 
class 3 land that are required to be equivalent in productivity to 
class 1 land.
    In recent years, the census has provided data which are used to 
administer international trade agreements, such as the North American 
Free Trade Agreement. Data from the census are also used by the Office 
of the Inspector General, General Accounting Office, and the 
Congressional Research Service to independently evaluate our program 
and to estimate the impacts of proposed legislation. These data are 
supplied to other Federal and State agencies to evaluate the program 
and provide data for research.
    Description of Respondents: Irrigators and water user entities in 
the 17 Western States who receive irrigation water service from Bureau 
of Reclamation facilities. Also included are entities who receive other 
water services, such as municipal and industrial water through Bureau 
of Reclamation facilities.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Estimated completion time: Form 7-332, 15 minutes; Form 7-2045, 480 
minutes.
    Annual responses: Form 7-332, 25,000 responses; Form 7-2045, 225 
responses.
    Annual burden hours per form: Form 7-332, 6,250; Form 7-2045, 
1,800.
    Total Annual burden hours: 8,050.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Bureau of Reclamation, including whether the information will have 
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of our burden estimate for the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who 
are to respond, including increased use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    We will summarize all comments received regarding this notice. We 
will publish that summary in the Federal Register when the information 
collection request is submitted to OMB for review and approval.
    Department of the Interior practice is to make comments, including 
names and home addresses of respondents, available for public review. 
Individual respondents may request that we withhold their home address 
from public disclosure, which we will honor to the extent allowable by 
law. There also may be circumstances in which we would withhold a 
respondent's identity from public disclosure, as allowable by law. If 
you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your comment. We will make all 
submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses, available for public disclosure in their entirety.

    Dated: July 1, 2002.
Elizabeth Cordova-Harrison,
Deputy Director, Office of Policy.
[FR Doc. 02-17944 Filed 7-16-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-M