[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6417-6418]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3085]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 020303H]


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Estuary 
Restoration Act Database

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

ACTION: Notice.

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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

[[Page 6418]]

proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 8, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Becky Allee, NMFS Restoration Center, 1315 East-West 
Highway, F/HC3, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (or via Internet at 
[email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    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 (ERA) of 2000. The Estuary 
Restoration Act Database is to contain information for estuary habitat 
restoration projects funded through the ERA as well as non-ERA project 
data that meet quality control requirements and data standards 
established under the Act. 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. It will be accessible to the public via Internet for data 
queries and project reports. Recipients of ERA funds will be required 
to submit specific information on habitat restoration projects into the 
ERA Database through an interactive Web site available over the 
Internet. Projects that are not funded through the ERA can be 
voluntarily entered into the database by project managers. Other 
federal agency and private grant programs may also require recipients 
to enter project information in the ERA database.

II. Method of Collection

    Project managers will electronically submit estuary restoration 
project information via NOAA's Estuary Restoration Act Database Web 
site. The Web site will contain a user-friendly data entry interface 
for project managers to enter and submit project information to the ERA 
database. The data entry interface will consist of a series of screens, 
containing several pull-down menus and text boxes, where users can 
enter specific project information (e.g. location, acreage restored, 
contacts, monitoring information). To facilitate the collection of 
information through the data entry interface, NOAA Fisheries will 
provide worksheets containing database fields that can be downloaded 
and printed from the Web site. These worksheets can be used by project 
managers to guide information collection, and can then serve as a 
reference as project managers enter project information over the Web 
site. The reporting forms will also be available in paper format to be 
sent to project managers as necessary.
    The collection of estuary habitat restoration project information 
will be undertaken in a multi-phased approach. Project information will 
first be obtained from existing federal databases, and later from other 
existing state and regional databases. For projects funded through the 
Estuary Restoration Act, project managers will be required to enter 
project information into the database as part of their funding 
agreement. Submission of project information to the ERA Database may 
also be required by other public and private restoration financial 
assistance programs. For other projects implemented by not-for-profit 
institutions (primary), state, local, tribal governments, businesses 
and other for-profit organizations, project information can be entered 
into the database on a voluntary basis. Since database information will 
be provided by a wide range of respondents, data will be reviewed using 
a detailed quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program prior to 
being made available to the public. This QA/QC process will also ensure 
compliance with the Data Quality Act (Section 515). Projects entered 
into the ERA Database can be updated as new information is obtained but 
must be updated at least annually for use in database queries and 
reports.

III. Data

    OMB Number: None.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; state, local, and 
tribal governments; the Federal government; and business or other for-
profit organizations (limited to organizations in the above categories 
engaging in estuary habitat restoration).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: One hour per report. This is assuming 
that most information needed for the database has already been obtained 
or is known. Projects in the database must be updated at least 
annually. Information originally collected and submitted for a project 
does not need to be collected again to update the project.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: None.

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.

    Dated: January 31, 2003.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-3085 Filed 2-6-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S