[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 147 (Monday, August 3, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 38393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-18366]



[[Page 38393]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
    Title: Socioeconomics of Commercial Fishers and For Hire Diving and 
Fishing Operations in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine 
Sanctuary.
    OMB Control Number: None.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular submission.
    Number of Respondents: 80.
    Average Hours per Response: 3.
    Burden Hours: 240.
    Needs and Uses: The National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 
1431, et seq.) authorizes the use of research and monitoring within 
National Marine Sanctuaries (NMS). In 1996, the Flower Gardens Bank 
National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) was added to the system of NMS via 
15 CFR part 922, subpart L. In 2001, Stetson Bank was added in a 
revision of 15 CFR part 922.
    The National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA) specifies that each NMS 
should revise their management plans on a five-year cycle. The FGBNMS 
has begun the management plan review process. The NMSA also allows for 
the creation of Sanctuary Advisory Councils (SACs). SACs are comprised 
of representatives of all NMS stakeholders. Management Plan Review 
(MPR) is a public process and the SACs, along with a series of public 
meetings, are used to help scope out issues in revising the management 
plans and regulations. SAC Working Groups are often used to evaluate 
management or regulatory alternatives. In the current MPR for the 
FGBNMS, two major issues have emerged: Boundary expansion and research-
only areas. In addition, several new or modified regulations are being 
considered to meet specific needs for diver safety and resource 
protection (no anchoring/mooring buoy use requirement and a more 
stringent pollution discharge regulation).
    To address each of these issues, a socioeconomic panel composed of 
NOAA staff and social scientists from other agencies, or from 
universities, will develop information and tools to assess the 
socioeconomic impacts of management strategies and regulatory 
alternatives. The information and tools developed in this process will 
also provide the necessary information for meeting agency requirements 
for socioeconomic impact analyses under the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA), Executive Order 12086 (Regulatory Impact Review) and 
an Initial and Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (impacts on small 
businesses). The first step in the assessment process will be to 
interview three key sanctuary user groups--commercial fishers, for hire 
recreational dive operations and for hire recreational fishing 
operations (charter and party/head boat operations)--with questions 
focusing on: (1) General information, economic information and trip 
costs; and (2) knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of sanctuary 
management strategies and regulations.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Frequency: One-time only.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, (202) 395-3897.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, Room 7845, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to David Rostker, OMB Desk Officer, FAX number (202) 395-7285, or 
[email protected].

    Dated: July 28, 2009.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-18366 Filed 7-31-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-NK-P