[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70501-70503]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-20555]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service


Notice of Intent To Extend a Currently Approved Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, 
USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR part 1320, 
this notice announces the Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service's (CSREES) intention to revise and extend the 
currently approved information collection for the CSREES Current 
Research Information System (CRIS).

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by February 5, 
2007, to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods: 
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments. E-mail: 
[email protected]; Fax: 202-720-0857; Mail: Information 
Systems and Technology Management, CSREES, USDA, STOP 2216, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-2216; Hand Delivery/
Courier: 800 9th Street, SW., Waterfront Centre, Room 4217, Washington, 
DC 20024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Hitchcock, 202-720-4343.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: CSREES Current Research Information System.
    OMB Number: 0524-0042.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: 05/31/2007.

[[Page 70502]]

    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to revise and extend an 
information collection for three years.
    Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) 
administers several competitive, peer-reviewed research, education, and 
extension programs, under which awards of a high-priority are made. 
These programs are authorized pursuant to the authorities contained in 
the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act 
of 1977, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.); the Smith-Lever Act (7 
U.S.C. 341 et seq.); and other legislative authorities.
    CSREES also administers several formula funded research programs. 
The programs are authorized pursuant to the authorities contained in 
the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Act of October 10, 
1962 (16 U.S.C. 582a-582a-7); the Hatch Act of 1887, as amended (7 
U.S.C. 361a-i); Section 1445 of Public Law 95-113, the Food and 
Agriculture Act of 1977, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3222); and Section 1433 
of Subtitle E (Sections 1429-1439), Title XIV of Public Law 95-113, as 
amended (7 U.S.C. 3191-3201). Each formula funded program is also 
subject to requirements, which were revised in March 2000, and set 
forth in the ``Administrative Manual for the McIntire-Stennis 
Cooperative Forestry Research Program,'' the ``Administrative Manual 
for the Hatch Research Program,'' the ``Administrative Manual for the 
Evans-Allen Cooperative Agricultural Research Program,'' and the 
``Administrative Manual for the Continuing Animal Health and Disease 
Research Program.'' Copies of the administrative manuals are available 
online at: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/business/awards/formula.html 
under Regulations, Guidelines, and Policies for each formula funded 
research program. The Current Research Information System (CRIS) is the 
USDA's documentation and reporting system for ongoing agricultural, 
food science, human nutrition, and forestry research. CRIS forms AD-
416, AD-417, AD-419, and AD-421 constitute a necessary information 
collection for publicly-supported research projects as set forth in 
requirements established in 7 CFR Parts 3400-3419 pertaining to the 
aforementioned authorities. This information collection is necessary in 
order to provide descriptive information regarding individual research 
activities, integrated activities, and extension activities to document 
expenditures and staff support for the activities, and to monitor the 
progress and impact of such activities.
    The historical mission of CRIS, broadly stated, is to document the 
research activities of USDA and the State agricultural research system 
partners, to satisfy a variety of reporting requirements, and to 
provide access to research information. This mission supports one of 
CSREES' primary functions, as stated in the agency strategic plan, of 
providing program leadership to identify, develop, and manage programs 
to support university-based and other institutional research. The 
boundaries and scope of the CRIS mission are being expanded each year 
toward a more comprehensive purpose of documenting all of the research, 
education, and extension activities funded or managed by CSREES. As 
such, the information collected for CRIS can be utilized in an 
essentially unlimited number of ways for a wide array of purposes. In 
anticipation of the Office of Science and Technology Policy research 
and non-research business model requirements, CSREES is working to 
align this collection activity with that effort. CSREES is also 
revising this information collection to include the reporting 
information on the following Extension Activities to report using the 
CRIS forms: Pest Management, Farm Safety, New Technologies for Ag 
Extension, Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification, Federally 
Recognized Tribes Extension Program, Renewable Resources Extension Act, 
and Federal Administration. Generally, CRIS provides ready access to 
information through public web accessible data as well as individually 
requested, customized reports and services for agency officials, 
program leaders, administrators, and managers. The information provided 
helps users to keep abreast of the latest developments in agricultural, 
food science, human nutrition and forestry research and education; 
track resource utilization in specific target areas of work, plan for 
future activities; plan for resource allocation to research, education, 
and extension programs; avoid costly duplication of effort; aid in 
coordination of efforts addressing similar problems in different 
locations; and aid research, education, and extension workers in 
establishing valuable contacts within the agricultural community.
    Descriptive information pertaining to documented projects is 
available to the general public as well as the research, education, and 
extension community contributing to CRIS. Limited financial information 
is available on individual grants and cooperative agreements as well as 
summary financial information through the CRIS Web site. A cooperating 
institution, including a state agricultural experiment station, state 
forestry school, 1862 land grant institution, or 1890 land grant 
institution has access to all of the data pertaining to that 
institution. Many institutions take advantage of this access utilizing 
CRIS system facilities to manage the research programs at their 
institution. In addition, CSREES staff members can request specialized 
reports directly from the CRIS staff. These requests can include 
financial disclosure pertaining to a particular subject area or 
targeted program. The nature of this type of request characterizes one 
of the strengths of the CRIS information collection. The system 
collects obligations and expenditures on individual projects; however, 
information can be retrieved and aggregated based on subject areas or 
targeted programs, and corresponding financial information can be 
tabulated accordingly. The inclusion of subject-based classifications 
and subject specific descriptive fields supports a unique retrieval 
capability in this system. The information can be utilized nationally, 
regionally, or at more detailed levels, by program leaders, budget 
officials, and administrators to identify resource utilization, monitor 
research, education, and extension activity in specific target areas, 
and support decision making and resource allocation, not just on 
individual projects, but also for specific program areas. This 
combination of system capabilities facilitates program evaluation, 
accountability, and decision making processes.
    Estimate of Burden: CSREES is increasing the number of respondents 
from the previous approved collection by 500 for each component to 
account for the use of this system by several education and extension 
programs. No changes have been made to the burden per response from the 
previous approval. CSREES estimates the number of respondents for the 
AD-416 form will be 3,758 with an estimated response time of 3.9 hours 
per form, representing a total annual burden of 14,656 hours for this 
form. It is estimated for the AD-417 there will be 3,758 respondents 
with an estimated response time of .7 hours per form, representing a 
total annual burden of 2,631 hours. CSREES estimates that the number of 
respondents for the AD-419 form will be 12,267 with an estimated 
response time of 1.4 hours per form, representing a total annual burden 
of 17,174 hours. The AD-421 form is estimated to have 12,658 
respondents and an estimated

[[Page 70503]]

response time of 2.7 hours per form, representing a total annual burden 
for this form to be 34,177 hours. Thus, for this CRIS information 
collection CSREES estimates a total of 68,638 annual burden hours.
    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 will 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of 
the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; (d) ways to 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; and (e) 
the expanded use of CRIS forms for education and extension programs, 
particularly programs that are competitive, project-based, and funded 
under section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341).

    Dated: November 24, 2006.
Gale Buchanan,
Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics.
 [FR Doc. E6-20555 Filed 12-4-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P