[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 82 (Tuesday, April 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23930-23931]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09682]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
    Title: DOC National Environmental Policy Act Environmental 
Questionnaire and Checklist.
    OMB Control Number: 0690-0028.
    Form Number(s): NA.
    Type of Request: Regular submission (revision and extension of a 
current information collection).
    Number of Respondents: 1,000.
    Average Hours per Response: 3 hours.
    Burden Hours: 3,000.
    Needs and Uses: 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 the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) Regulations for 
Implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508) require that an environmental 
analysis be completed for all major federal actions significantly 
affecting the environment. NEPA applies only to the actions of federal 
agencies. Those actions may include a federal agency's decision to fund 
non-federal projects under grants and cooperative agreements. In order 
to determine NEPA compliance

[[Page 23931]]

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). 
These include mainly grants to applicants for federal assistance and 
federal entities proposing construction or infrastructure projects. 
NEPA requires that a number of items be considered prior to funding and 
conducting any activity.
    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 and help educate the Federal reviewer about the 
project, streamline the collection of data, and maintain consistency in 
quality and quantity of information received. The EQC will allow for a 
more rapid review of infrastructure projects and facilitate DOC in 
evaluating the potential environmental impacts of a project and level 
of NEPA 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.
    Affected Public: $1,000 in miscellaneous costs ($5 x approximately 
200 respondents who would mail attachments rather than emailing them).
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or maintain benefits.
    This information collection request may be viewed at reginfo.gov. 
Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce collections 
currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to [email protected] or faxed to (202) 395-5806.

    Dated: April 23, 2014.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-09682 Filed 4-28-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-NW-P