[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 4, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11619-11620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-4076]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Data Collection 
on Marine Protected and Managed Areas

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Department of Commerce.

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 May 5, 2008.

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 Joseph A. Uravitch, 301-563-1195 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Executive Order 13158 directs the Department of Commerce and the 
Department of the Interior (DOI) to work with partners to strengthen 
the

[[Page 11620]]

protection of U.S. oceans and coastal resources by developing a 
national system of marine protected areas. The Departments of Commerce 
and the Interior plan to work closely with state, territorial, local, 
and tribal governments, as well as other stakeholders, to identify and 
inventory the Nation's existing marine protected areas. Toward this 
end, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and DOI 
have created a data form, available on a password-protected Web site, 
to be used as a survey tool to collect and analyze information on these 
existing sites. This survey will allow NOAA and DOI to better 
understand the existing protections for marine resources within marine 
protected areas in the United States. This information also would 
support activities on marine protected areas by state and local 
governments, tribes, and other interested parties. The survey contains 
directed questions regarding the location, management and enforcement 
authorities, types of protections and restrictions, and the length of 
time those protections or restrictions are in place for each marine 
protected area. Basic information about the resources and activities at 
the sites will also be collected. It is expected that site managers 
from each marine protected area will fill out the survey. The collected 
information will be housed in a searchable database that will be made 
available to the public via the marine protected area Web site at 
mpa.gov. The survey has been used for the last six years and this 
notice proposes to extend the data collection OMB approval.

II. Method of Collection

    The information will be collected using a data form.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0449.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: State, local or tribal governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 500.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,500.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

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: February 27, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-4076 Filed 3-3-08; 8:45 am]
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