[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 37 (Monday, February 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12780-12781]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-04219]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

[GX.13.GG00.99600.00]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

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

ACTION: Notice of an extension of an information collection (1028-
0051), Annual Announcement of Availability of Funds.

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the 
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is inviting comments on an information 
collection request (ICR) that we have sent to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The Information Collection, 
which is summarized below, describes the nature and the estimated 
burden of the collection. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act 
(PRA) 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 ICR. This 
collection is scheduled to expire on February 28, 2013.

DATES: You must submit comments on or before March 27, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written 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 email to [email protected] or fax at 202-395-5806; and identify your 
submission with Information Collection

[[Page 12781]]

Number 1028-0051. Please also provide a copy of your comments 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 
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. To see a copy of the entire ICR submitted to OMB, go to 
http://www.reginfo.gov.

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/.

I. Data

    Title: National Earthquake Hazards reduction Program Annual 
Announcement of Availability of Funds.
    OMB Control Number: 1028-0051.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Research scientists, engineers, and the general 
public.
    Respondent Obligation: Voluntary; necessary to receive benefits.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually: Grant proposals and reporting; 
Every two to five years: Cooperative Agreement proposals and reporting.
    Estimated Annual Number of and Description of Respondents: 250 
Educational institutions, and profit and non-profit organizations.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 350 (250 applications and 
narratives and 100 annual and final reports).
    Estimated Completion Time: 45 hours per application response and 12 
hours per final report.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 12,450 (11,250 hours for 
applications and 1,200 hours for final reports).
    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 12 hours per final or annual report 
response. This includes summarizing accomplishments for the past year's 
funded efforts.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: We 
have not identified any ``non-hour cost'' burdens associated with this 
collection of information.

II. Request for Comments

    On October 31, 2012, we published a Federal Register notice (77 FR 
65903) soliciting comments announcing that we would submit this 
information to OMB for approval. We solicited comments for a period of 
60 days, ending on December 31, 2012. We did not receive any comments 
concerning that notice.
    We again invite comments concerning this information collection on: 
(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary, 
including whether or not the information will have practical utility; 
(2) the accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection of 
information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on respondents.
    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 OMB in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that it will be done.

    Dated: February 19, 2013.
William Leith,
Senior Science Advisor for Earthquake and Geologic Hazards.
[FR Doc. 2013-04219 Filed 2-22-13; 8:45 am]
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