[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 16 (Thursday, January 25, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3405-3406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1063]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary


Notice of Proposed Information Collection

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Take Pride in America Program.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: A proposal to extend the collection of information listed 
below (OMB Control Number 1093-0004) has been submitted to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval under the provisions of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Public comments on this 
submission are solicited.

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information 
collection, but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, public comments 
should be submitted to OMB by February 26, 2007, in order to be assured 
of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Send your written comments to the Office of Management and 
Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention, 
Department of the Interior Desk Officer, by fax to 202-395-6566, or by 
e-mail to [email protected]. Please send a copy of your written 
comments to the Office of the Secretary, Information Collection 
Clearance Officer, Sue Ellen Sloca, 1951 Constitution Avenue, NW., MS 
120 SIB, Washington, DC 20240, or via e-mail to [email protected]. Individuals providing comments should reference OMB 
Control Number 1093-0004, ``Take Pride in America National Awards 
Application/Nomination Process.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this 
proposed information collection or to obtain a copy of the proposal and 
associated collection instrument, please write to the above address, or 
call Sue Ellen Sloca, on 202-208-6045, or e-mail her on [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR 1320, 
which implement the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), 
require that interested members of the public and affected agencies 
have an opportunity to comment on information collection and 
recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8 (d)). This notice identifies 
an existing information collection activity that the Office of the 
Secretary has submitted to OMB for extension.
    Under the Take Pride in American Program Act (the ACT), 16 U.S.C. 
Sec 46-01-4608, the Secretary of the Interior is to: (1) ``conduct a 
national awards program to honor those individuals and entities which, 
in the opinion of the Secretary * * * have distinguished themselves in 
activities'' under the purposes of the Act; and also to (2) ``establish 
and maintain a public awareness campaign in cooperation with public and 
private organizations and individuals--(A) to install in the public the 
importance of the appropriate use of, and appreciation for Federal, 
State and local lands, facilities, and natural and cultural resources; 
(B) to encourage an attitude of stewardship and responsibility towards 
these lands, facilities, and resources; and (C) to promote 
participation by individuals, organizations, and communities of a 
conservation ethic in caring for these lands, facilities, and 
resources.'' The Act states that ``[t]he Secretary is authorized * * * 
generally to do any and all lawful acts necessary or appropriate to 
further the purposes of the TPIA Program.''
    If this information were not collected from the public, Take Pride 
in America (TPIA) awards would be limited to individuals and 
organizations nominated by Federal agencies based on projects within 
their sphere of influence. This would effectively block many worthy 
individuals and organizations from being considered for these awards. 
The TPIA program was re-activated on December 10, 2001 with the stated 
intent of honoring the best in the nation, without restriction. It 
would reflect poorly on the Department and on the President if only 
volunteers to Federal agencies could be honored for their service to 
America.

II. Data

    (1) Title: Take Pride in America National Awards, Application/
Nomination Process.
    OMB Control Number: 1093-0004.
    Current Expiration Date: 01/31/2007.
    Type of Review: Information Collection: Renewal.
    Affected Entities: Individuals or households, businesses and other 
for profit institutions, not-for-profit institutions, State, Local, and 
Tribal Governments.
    Estimated annual number of public respondents: 74.
    Frequency of response: Annual.
    (2) Annual reporting and record keeping burden.
    Estimated number of public responses annually: 174.
    Estimated burden per response: 1 hour.
    Total annual reporting: 174 hours.
    (3) Description of the need and use of the information: The 
statutorily-required information is needed to provide the Office of the 
Secretary with a vehicle to collect the information needed to include 
individuals and organizations nominated by the public in applicant 
pools for TPIA National Awards and to recognize them for the valuable 
contributions that they make in support of the stewardship of America's 
lands, facilities, and cultural and natural resources.

III. Request for Comments

    An initial opportunity for the public to comment on the Office of 
the Secretary's proposal to extend this information collection was 
announced in the Federal Register on August 8, 2006. The Office of the 
Secretary received no comments in response to its 60-day notice and 
request for comments. The public now has a second opportunity to 
comment on this proposal.
    The Department of the Interior invites comments on:
    (a) Whether the 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 
collection and the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    (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 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide 
information to or for a federal agency. This includes the time needed 
to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize 
technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and 
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and 
disclosing and providing information; to train

[[Page 3406]]

personnel and to be able to respond to a collection of information, to 
search data sources, to complete and review the collection of 
information; and to transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid Office of Management and Budget control number.

     Dated: January 19, 2007.
Gary Smith,
Director of External/Intergovernmental Affairs, Office of the 
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-1063 Filed 1-24-07; 8:45 am]
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