[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 9, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 48882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20108]



[[Page 48882]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. Geological Survey

[USGS--GX.11.LH00.COM00.00]


Agency Information Collections Activities; Comment Request for 
Uranium Concentrations in Private Wells in South-East New Hampshire

AGENCY: United States Geological Survey (USGS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments for a new proposed information 
collection.

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SUMMARY: We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the new information collection 
(IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal 
agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. The objectives 
of this information collection are to obtain information on water 
quality issues that affect private well owners. Please note that 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: To ensure that we are able to consider your comments to this IC, 
we must receive them on or before October 11, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Please submit a copy of your written comments to the USGS 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 
Sunrise Valley Drive, Mail Stop 807, Reston, VA 20192 (mail); 703-648-
7197 (phone); 703-648-6853 (fax); or [email protected] (e-mail). 
Please reference Information Collection 1028-NEW, Uranium 
concentrations in private wells in south-east New Hampshire, in the 
subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this IC, please contact the U.S. Geological Survey, Rudy 
Schuster, 2150-C Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80526 (mail); by 
telephone (970) 226-9165; or [email protected] (e-mail).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Uranium concentrations in groundwater that is used for private 
domestic drinking water are not well characterized in south-east New 
Hampshire. These water sources do not fall under any jurisdiction for 
testing and therefore private well owners generally do not know if 
uranium is present in their water supply. For example, concentrations 
10 times greater than the drinking water standard that applies to 
public wells have been found in some private wells. The benefits 
associated with knowing if a well has high uranium in the water or if 
specific areas of the region have elevated levels is a value to the 
citizens that inhabit those areas. In most scenarios, approximately 40 
percent of the population that utilize private wells in the study area 
have no option but to connect to public supply. The objectives of this 
survey are to obtain information on water quality issues that affect 
private well owners. The survey will gather information concerning: 
water uranium concentrations, use of wells that may contain uranium, 
and any systems in place to remove uranium, if present.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1028-NEW.
    Title: Uranium concentrations in private wells in south-east New 
Hampshire.
    Type of Request: This is a new collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals who are using private wells for water 
supply. In conducting this research project; potential respondents will 
include: a random sampling of private well owners in south-east New 
Hampshire.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: One time.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 350.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 350.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 58 hours.

III. Request for Comments

    We invite comments concerning this IC on: (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the agency to perform its 
duties, including whether the information will have practical utility; 
(b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burden on the respondents, including the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Please note comments that you submit 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 publically 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 will be done.

    Dated July 27, 2011.
Keith Robinson,
Director NH-VT Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey.
[FR Doc. 2011-20108 Filed 8-8-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4311-AM-P