[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 24 (Monday, February 6, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6038-6039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1532]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Estuary 
Restoration Act Database Projects

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 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 7, 2006.

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 Perry Gayaldo, NMFS Restoration Center, 1315 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    Estuary habitat restoration project information (e.g., location, 
habitat type, goals, status, monitoring information) is collected in 
order to populate a restoration project database mandated by the 
Estuary Restoration Act (ERA) of 2000. The Estuary Restoration Act 
Database (ERAD) contains 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 provides information to improve restoration 
methods, provides the basis for required reports to Congress, and 
tracks estuary habitat acreage restored. It is accessible to the public 
via the Internet for data queries and project reports. Recipients of 
ERA funds are

[[Page 6039]]

required to submit specific information on habitat restoration projects 
into the ERAD database through an interactive Web site available over 
the Internet. The 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 ERAD database.

II. Method of Collection

    Project managers will electronically submit estuary restoration 
project information via NOAA's Estuary Restoration Act Database Web 
site (https://neri.noaa.gov/). The Web site contains a user-friendly 
data entry interface for project managers to enter and submit project 
information to the ERAD database. The data entry interface consists 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 provides 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 through 
the Web site. The reporting forms are also available in paper format to 
be sent to project managers as necessary.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0479.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; state, local, and 
tribal governments; and businesses or other for-profit (limited to 
organizations in the above categories engaging in estuary habitat 
restoration).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 255.
    Estimated Time Per Response: Four hours for new projects submitted; 
and two hours for updates to current projects.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 810.
    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, 2006.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E6-1532 Filed 2-3-06; 8:45 am]
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