[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48281-48282]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-22689]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. Geological Survey


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of an extension of an information collection (1028-
0051).

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we 
are notifying the public that we will submit to OMB an information 
collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork 
requirements for respondents to submit proposals to support research in 
earthquake hazard assessments and earthquake occurrence under the 
Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977, as amended, Public Law 95-
124, 42 U.S.C. 7701 et seq. To submit a proposal three standard OMB 
forms and a project narrative must be completed and submitted via 
Grants.gov. This notice provides the public an opportunity to comment 
on the paperwork burden of these forms.

DATES: You must submit comments on or before November 23, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this information collection directly 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of the 
Interior via OMB e-mail: ([email protected]); or by fax (202) 
395-6566; and identify your submission with Information Collection 
Number 1028-0051 in the subject line. Please submit a copy of your 
comments to Phadrea Ponds, Information Collections, U.S. Geological 
Survey, 2150-C Center Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80525 (mail); (970) 226-
9230 (fax); or FAX: [email protected] (e-mail). Use Information 
Collection Number 1028-0051 in the subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, Elizabeth Lemersal, Earthquake Hazards Program, (703) 
648-6716.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Earthquake Hazards Program Research and Monitoring.
    OMB Control Number: 1028-0051.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Research and monitoring findings are essential to 
fulfilling USGS's responsibility under the Earthquake Hazards Reduction 
Act to develop earthquake hazard assessments and recording and 
reporting earthquake activity nationwide. Residents, emergency 
responders, and engineers rely on the USGS for this accurate and 
scientifically sound information. Respondents to Program Announcements 
submit proposals to support research and monitoring related to 
earthquake hazard assessments, earthquake causes and effects, and 
earthquake monitoring. This information is used as the basis for 
selection and award of projects meeting the USGS's Earthquake Hazards 
Program objectives. Final reports of research and monitoring findings 
are required for each funded proposal; annual progress reports are 
required for awards of a two- to five-year duration. Final reports are 
made available to the public at the Web site http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/external/.
    We will protect information from respondents considered proprietary 
under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and implementing 
regulations (43 CFR Part 2), and under regulations at 30 CFR 250.197, 
``Data and information to be made available to the public or for 
limited inspection.'' Responses are voluntary. No questions of a 
``sensitive'' nature are asked.
    Affected Public: Research scientists, engineers, and the general 
public.
    Respondent Obligation: Voluntary; necessary to receive benefits.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually and once every three to five 
years.
    Estimated Annual Number of and Description of Respondents: 250 
Educational institutions, and profit and non-profit organizations.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 370 (250 applications and 
narratives and 120 annual and final report).
    Estimated Completion Time: 45 hours per application response and 9 
hours per final report.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 12,330 (11,250 hours per application 
and 1,080 hours per annual and final report).
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: We 
estimate the public reporting burden will average 45 hours per 
application response. This includes time to develop project goals, 
write the statement of work, perform internal proposal reviews, and 
submit the proposal through grants.gov. We estimate the public 
reporting burden will average 9 hours per final or annual report

[[Page 48282]]

response. This includes summarizing accomplishments for the past year's 
funded efforts. The currently approved ``hour'' burden for this 
collection is 12,300 hours. We do not expect the total burden for this 
process to change as a result of this request.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have not identified any ``non-hour cost'' burdens associated with this 
collection of information.
    Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) 
provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor and you are not 
required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number. Until OMB approves a collection 
of information, you are not obligated to respond.
    Comments: We are soliciting comments as to: (a) Whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the agency to 
perform its duties, including whether the information is useful; (b) 
the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information; (c) how to enhance the quality, usefulness, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) how to minimize 
the burden on the respondents, including the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Please note that the comments submitted in response to this notice 
are a matter of public record. Before including your address, phone 
number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, including 
your personal identifying information, may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you can ask OMB in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that it will be done. To comply with the public process, we 
publish this Federal Register notice announcing that we will submit 
this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided the required 60 day 
public comment period.
    USGS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Phadrea Ponds 970-
226-9445.

    Dated: September 16, 2009.
William S. Leith,
Associate Program Coordinator.
[FR Doc. E9-22689 Filed 9-21-09; 8:45 am]
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