[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 250 (Friday, December 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78458-78459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-9946]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


30-Day Federal Register Notice of Submission of Network to 
Freedom Application Package to Office of Management and Budget; 
Opportunity for Public Comment

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National 
Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program.

ACTION:  Notice of submission to OMB and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3507) and 5 CFR part 1320, Reporting and 
Recordkeeping Requirements, the National Park Service (NPS) invites 
comments on a submitted request to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) to approve an extension of a currently approved information 
collection clearance (OMB 1024-0232).

DATES: Public Comments on the information collection will be accepted 
on or before January 29, 2007.
    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has up to 60 days to 
approve or disapprove the information collection but may respond after 
30 days. Therefore to ensure maximum consideration, OMB should receive 
comments by 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal 
Register.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments directly to the Desk Officer for the 
Department of the Interior (OMB 0124-0232), Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, by fax at 202-395-6566 or by 
electronic mail at [email protected] please mail or hand carry a 
copy of your comments to Diane Miller, National Coordinator, National 
Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program, National Park Service, 
Midwest Regional Office, 601 Riverfront Drive, Omaha, Nebraska, 68102. 
If you wish to send a copy of your comments by electronic mail, you may 
send them to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE PACKAGE SUBMITTED FOR OMB 
REVIEW, CONTACT: Diane Miller, 402-661-1588 ([email protected]) or 
James Hill, 402-661-1590 ([email protected]) at National Park 
Service, Midwest Regional Office, 601 Riverfront Drive, Omaha, Nebraska 
68102.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Law 105-203 authorizes the NPS to 
develop and administer the National Underground Railroad Network to 
Freedom (Network), a nationwide collection of governmental and 
nongovernmental sites, facilities, and programs associated with the 
historic Underground Railroad movement. The NPS has developed the 
application process through which associated elements can be included 
in the Network The information collected will: (a) Verify associations 
to the Underground Railroad, (b) Measure minimum levels of standards 
for inclusion in the Network, and (c) Identify general needs for 
technical assistance.
    The purpose of the information collection is to evaluate sites, 
facilities, and programs that are applying for inclusion in the 
National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. The information is 
used by the NPS to determine if candidates seeking inclusion in the 
Network meet the minimum criteria.
    Title: NPS National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom 
Application.
    Bureau Form Number: n/a.
    OMB Number: 1024-0232.
    Expiration Date: 12/31/2006.
    Type of request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Description of need: The NPS has identified guidelines and criteria 
for associated elements to qualify for the Network. The application 
form documents sizes, programs, and facilities and demonstrates that 
they meet the criteria established for inclusion. The documentation 
will be incorporated into a database that will be available to the 
general public for information purposes. The proposed information to be 
collected regarding these sites, facilities, and programs is not 
available from existing records, sources, or observations.
    Automated data collection: Respondents must verify associations and 
characteristics through descriptive texts that are the results of 
historical research. Evaluations are based on

[[Page 78459]]

subjective analysis of the information provided, which often includes 
copies of rare documents and photographs. Much of the information is 
submitted in electronic format, but at the present time, it is not 
practicable to gather all of the required information electronically.
    Descriptive of respondents: The affected publics are State, tribal, 
and local governments, Federal agencies, businesses, non-profit 
organizations, and individuals throughout the United States. 
Nominations to the Network are voluntary.
    Estimated average annual number of respondents: 70.
    Estimated average annual number of responses: 70.
    Estimated average burden hours per response: 15.
    Estimated frequency of response: once per respondent.
    Estimated annual reporting burden: 1050 hours.
    There were no public comments received as a result of publishing in 
theFederal Register a 60-day notice [published October 12, 2006 (71 FR 
60180)] of intention to renew clearance of this information collection. 
Comments from seven respondents were collected from a small sample of 
present and potential applicants to the program. Three comments 
regarded making downloading the form from our Web site earlier. With 
applicants, we address this problem by sending the form electronically. 
upon request. One comment regarded the complexity of requirements and 
instructions; we address this issue by electronically sending a sample 
or samples of successful applications to potential applicants when they 
inform use of their intent to apply.
    The comments from the public outreach did not affect our estimate 
of the public burden. The public now has a second opportunity to 
comment.
    Comments are invited on (1) The need for the information including 
whether the information has practical utility; (2) the accuracy of this 
reporting burden estimate; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected on respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques of other forms of 
information technology.
    All comments will become a matter of public record.

Doris Lowery,
NPS Information Collection Clearance Officer, Washington Administrative 
Program Center.
[FR Doc. 06-9946 Filed 12-27-06; 11:52 am]
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