[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 219 (Monday, November 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58973-58974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-27421]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, 
and Approvals

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of an extension of an information collection (1028-
0090).

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[[Page 58974]]

SUMMARY: The U.S. Geological Survey is requesting renewal of an 
existing information collection that received emergency clearance on 
August 8, 2009. We will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
to approve the information collections (IC) described below. As 
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and as part of 
our continued effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we 
invite the general public and other federal agencies to take this 
opportunity to comment on this IC. We may not conduct or sponsor and a 
person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless 
it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

DATES: You must submit comments on or before January 15, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this information collection directly 
to Phadrea Ponds, Information Collections Clearance Officer, 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 
please contact William C. Burton at (703) 648-6904 or by mail at U.S. 
Geological Survey, 926A National Center, Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, 
VA 20192.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    During FY09 and FY10, the Volcano Hazards Program (VHP) will 
provide funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) 
for improvement of the volcano and other monitoring systems and other 
monitoring-related activities that contribute to mitigation of volcano 
hazards. This notice concerns the collection of information that is 
sufficient and relevant to evaluate and select proposals for funding 
under the VHP. We will accept proposals from State geological surveys 
and academic institutions requesting funds to assist in the monitoring 
of active volcanoes and to conduct volcano-related research. Financial 
assistance will be awarded on a competitive basis following the 
evaluation and ranking of State and academic proposals. VHP proposals 
will be reviewed by a peer panel of six (6) members. Five (5) members 
will be Department of the Interior representatives; and one (1) member 
will be an external representative. To submit a proposal, you must 
follow the written guideline (that will be made available at http://www.Grants.gov) and complete a project narrative. The application must 
be submitted via Grants.gov. Grant recipients must complete a final 
technical report at the end of the project period. Narrative and report 
guidance is available through http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/ and at http://www.Grants.gov.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1028-0090.
    Title: Volcano Hazards Program (VHP).
    Type of Request: Extension of currently approved collection.
    Respondent Obligation: Required to receive benefits.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Description of Respondents: State Geological Surveys and academic 
institutions.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 20 applications and 12 final 
reports.
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: 796 
hours. We expect to receive approximately 20 applications. It will take 
each applicant approximately 35 hours to complete the narrative and 
present supporting documents. This includes the time for project 
conception and development, proposal writing, reviewing, and submitting 
the proposal application through Grants.gov (totaling 700 burden 
hours). We anticipate awarding 12 grants per year. The award recipients 
must submit a final report at the end of the project. We estimate that 
it will take approximately 8 hours to complete the requirement for that 
report (totaling 96 hours).
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: 
There are no ``non-hour cost'' burdens associated with this collection 
of information.

III. Request for 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.

    Dated: November 5, 2009.
Suzette Kimball,
Associate Director for Geology.
[FR Doc. E9-27421 Filed 11-13-09; 8:45 am]
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