[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9168-9169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-03343]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; DOC National 
Environmental Policy Act Environmental Questionnaire and Checklist

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 21, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Steve Kokkinakis at 240-533-9021 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for revision and extension of a currently approved 
information collection.
    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347) 
and

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the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) Regulations for 
Implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508) require that federal 
agencies complete an environmental analysis for all major federal 
actions significantly affecting the environment. Those actions may 
include a federal agency's decision to fund non-federal projects under 
grants and cooperative agreements, including infrastructure projects. 
In order to determine NEPA compliance requirements for a project 
receiving Department of Commerce (DOC) bureau-level funding, DOC must 
assess information which can only be provided by the applicant for 
federal financial assistance (grant).
    The Environmental Questionnaire and Checklist (EQC) provides 
federal financial assistance applicants and DOC staff with a tool to 
ensure that the necessary project and environmental information is 
obtained. The EQC was developed to collect data concerning potential 
environmental impacts that the applicant for federal financial 
assistance possesses and to transmit that information to the Federal 
reviewer. The EQC will allow for a more rapid review of projects and 
facilitate DOC's evaluation of the potential environmental impacts of a 
project and level of NEPA documentation required. DOC staff will use 
the information provided in answers to the questionnaire to determine 
compliance requirements for NEPA and conduct subsequent NEPA analysis 
as needed. Information provided in the questionnaire may also be used 
for other regulatory review requirements associated with the proposed 
project, such as the National Historic Preservation Act.
    Revision: The checklist is being revised to improve understanding 
and clarity of the questions.

II. Method of Collection

    The main method of submission is electronic. Some supporting 
documents may be mailed.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0690-0028.
    Form Number: CD-593.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (revision and extension of a 
currently approved collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; 
individuals or households; not-for-profit institutions; state, local, 
or tribal government; and Federal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 3 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $1,000 in miscellaneous 
costs ($5 x approximately 200 respondents who would mail attachments 
rather than emailing them).

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: February 11, 2014.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-03343 Filed 2-14-14; 8:45 am]
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