[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 50 (Friday, March 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14533-14534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05605]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[OMB Number 1010--New]


Information Collection: Social Indicators in Coastal Alaska: 
Arctic Communities Survey; Proposed Collection for OMB Review; Comment 
Request; MMAA104000

ACTION: 60-Day notice.

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the 
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is inviting comments on a new 
collection of information that we will submit to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information 
collection request (ICR) pertains to a survey conducted in northern 
coastal Alaska communities.

DATES: Submit written comments by May 13, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Please send your comments on this ICR to the BOEM 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Arlene Bajusz, Bureau of 
Ocean Energy Management, 381 Elden Street, HM-3127, Herndon, Virginia 
20170 (mail); or [email protected] (email); or 703-787-1209 (fax). 
Please reference ICR 1010--New Alaska Survey in your comment and 
include your name and return address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arlene Bajusz, Office of Policy, 
Regulations, and Analysis at (703) 787-1025. You may also request a 
free copy of the survey. For more information on the survey, contact 
Chris Campbell in the BOEM Alaska Regional Office at (907) 334-5264.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 1010--New.
    Title: Social Indicators in Coastal Alaska: Arctic Communities 
Survey.
    Abstract: This is a new collection that involves a survey of the 
Alaska coastal area along the Arctic. Section 20 of the Outer 
Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (OCSLA) requires the Secretary of the 
Department of the Interior (DOI) to monitor and assess the impacts of 
resource development activities in Federal waters on human, marine, and 
coastal environments. The OCSLA authorizes the Secretary of the 
Interior to conduct studies in areas or regions of lease sales to 
ascertain the ``environmental impacts on the marine and coastal 
environments of the outer Continental shelf and the coastal areas which 
may be affected by oil and gas development'' (43 U.S.C. 1346) (Pub. L. 
95-372).
    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4321-4347) requires that all Federal agencies use a systematic, 
interdisciplinary approach to ensure the integrated use of the natural 
and social sciences in any planning and decision making that may have 
an effect on the human environment. The Council on Environmental 
Quality's Regulations for Implementing Procedural Provisions of NEPA 
(40 CFR 1500-1508) state that the ``human environment'' is to be 
``interpreted comprehensively'' to include ``the natural and physical 
environment and the relationship of people with that environment'' (40 
CFR 1508.14). An action's ``aesthetic, historic, cultural, economic, 
social or health'' effects must be assessed, ``whether direct, 
indirect, or cumulative'' (40 CFR 1508.8).
    The BOEM is the DOI agency that conducts OCS lease sales and 
monitors and mitigates adverse impacts that might be associated with 
offshore resource development. The BOEM Environmental Studies Program 
implements and manages the responsibilities of research. This new 
survey will facilitate the meeting of DOI/BOEM information needs by 
quantifying measures of well-being and the living conditions of 
residents in coastal Alaska areas, with specific focus on six 
I[ntilde]upiat coastal Alaska Native communities in the North Slope 
Borough (Barrow, Point Hope, Wainwright, Nuiqsut, Kaktovik, Point Lay).
    The BOEM will use the information collected from this survey to 
learn about local social systems and well-being in a way that may shape 
development strategies and serve as an interim baseline for impact 
mitigation and/or monitoring to compare against future research in 
these areas. Without these data, BOEM will not have sufficient 
information to make informed oil and gas leasing and development 
decisions for these areas. The studies will help

[[Page 14534]]

BOEM identify and mitigate impacts of offshore oil and gas exploration 
and development on Alaska Native communities.
    Survey Instrument: The Social Indicators survey is voluntary and 
will be given to the head of each selected household in the study 
communities. The survey instrument was developed through collaborative 
discussions with key community members tasked to serve on the North 
Slope Management Board, specifically established to deal with this 
study.
    Interview Methods: The interviews will be conducted in person in a 
setting most comfortable for the respondents. This personal method is 
more expensive and time consuming for the researchers, but these 
drawbacks are outweighed by improvements in the quality of information 
obtained and the rapport established between the surveyor and the 
person interviewed. Telephone interviews have not been successful on 
the North Slope. Each respondent will be paid an honorarium for taking 
part in the study. Responses are voluntary.
    Frequency: One-time event.
    Description of Respondents: Respondents are members of the Alaskan 
coastal communities in the North Slope Borough.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: We estimate 
1,001 respondents and expect each interview to last 1 hour for a total 
of 1,001 burden hours.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have 
identified no non-hour paperwork cost burdens for this collection.
    Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) 
provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. 
Until OMB approves a collection of information, you are not obligated 
to respond.
    Comments: We invite comments on: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the agency to perform its 
duties, including whether the information is useful; (2) the accuracy 
of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden 
on the respondents, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    We will summarize written responses to this notice and address them 
in our submission for OMB approval. As a result of your comments, we 
will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to 
OMB.
    Public Availability of Comments: 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 that we will be able to do so.

    Dated: March 5, 2014.
Deanna Meyer-Pietruszka,
Chief, Office of Policy, Regulations, and Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2014-05605 Filed 3-13-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P