[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 155 (Friday, August 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47867-47868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-19626]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. Geological Survey

[GX12BA02EEW0200]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

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

ACTION: Notice of an extension of currently approved 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 information collection (IC) 
1028-0103 described below. To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (PRA) 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. This 
collection is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2013.

DATES: Submit written comments by October 9, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this information collection to 
the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive MS 807, Reston, VA 20192 (mail); (703) 648-
7199 (fax); or [email protected] (email). Please Reference Information 
1028-0103 in the subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Jake F. Weltzin, Ecologist, 
U.S. Geological Survey, [email protected], (520) 626-3821.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: USA National Phenology Network--The Nature's Notebook Plant 
and Animal Observing Program.
    OMB Control Number: 1028-0103.
    Type of Request: Notice of an extension of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Respondent Obligation: Voluntary.
    Abstract: The USA-NPN is a program sponsored by the USGS that uses 
standardized forms for tracking plant

[[Page 47868]]

and animal activity as part of a project called Nature's Notebook. The 
Nature's Notebook forms are used to record phenology (e.g., timing of 
leafing or flowering of plants and reproduction or migration of 
animals) as part of a nationwide effort to understand and predict how 
plants and animals respond to environmental variation and changes in 
weather and climate. Contemporary data collected through Nature's 
Notebook are quality-checked, described and made publicly available; 
data are used to inform decision-making in a variety of contexts, 
including agriculture, drought monitoring, and wildfire risk 
assessment. Phenological information is also critical for the 
management of wildlife, invasive species, and agricultural pests, and 
for understanding and managing risks to human health and welfare, 
including allergies, asthma, and vector-borne diseases. Participants 
may contribute phenology information to Nature's Notebook through a 
browser-based web application or via mobile applications for iPhone and 
Android operating systems, meeting GPEA requirements. The web 
application interface consists several components: User registration, a 
searchable list of 877 plant and animal species which can be observed; 
a ``profile'' for each species that contains information about the 
species including its description and the appropriate monitoring 
protocols; a series of interfaces for registering as an observer, 
registering a site, registering plants and animals at a site, 
generating datasheets to take to the field, and a data entry page that 
mimics the datasheets.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion. During the Spring and Fall 
seasons when phenology is changing quickly, we recommend respondents 
make observations twice per week.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: In addition to 
those users already registered, we expect an additional 1,027 users 
will register each year. These respondents are members of the public, 
registered with Nature's Notebook.
    Estimated Annual Responses: 501,130.
    Estimated Annual burden hours: 17,032.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
estimate the non-hour cost burden to be $3.34. This cost applies to new 
observers and includes material used to mark sites or plants during the 
first observation. Marking helps to ensure reporting consistency for 
future observations.
    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.
    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, 
email 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 us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee we will 
be able to do so.

    Dated: August 3, 2012.
William Lellis,
Deputy Associate Director, Ecosystems Mission Area .
[FR Doc. 2012-19626 Filed 8-9-12; 8:45 am]
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