[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 243 (Thursday, December 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75585-75586]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29639]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

 Geological Survey

[GX15EG50DW73200]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments on 
The National Map Corps

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

ACTION: Notice of a new information collection, The National Map Corps.

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SUMMARY: We (the U.S. Geological Survey) are notifying the public that 
we have submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) the 
information collection request (ICR) 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 ICR.

DATES: To ensure that your comments on this ICR are considered, we must 
receive them on or before January 20, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Please 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: 
([email protected]); or by fax (202) 395-5806; and identify 
your submission with `OMB Control Number 1028--NEW The National Map 
Corps'. Please also forward a copy of your comments and suggestions on 
this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance

[[Page 75586]]

Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive MS 807, 
Reston, VA 20192 (mail); (703) 648-7195 (fax); or [email protected] (email). Please reference `OMB Information 
Collection 1028--NEW: The National Map Corps' in all correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth McCartney at (573) 308-3696 
or [email protected]. You may also find information about this ICR at 
www.reginfo.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has historically sponsored 
volunteer data collection projects to enhance its topographic paper and 
digital map products, but these activities were suspended in 2006 due 
to budget concerns. Since then, new internet technologies have made it 
easy for citizens to georeference and share many different types of 
data via online mapping platforms and social networking sites. These 
data have been referred to as volunteered geographic information (VGI). 
As a result of these developments, the USGS has reinstated the 
volunteer data-collection program for The National Map (http://nationalmap.gov).
    Using crowd-sourcing techniques, the USGS VGI project known as 
``The National Map Corps'' encourages citizen volunteers to collect 
data about manmade structures in an effort to provide accurate and 
authoritative spatial map data for the USGS National Geospatial 
Program's web-based The National Map. Citizens collect and/or improve 
structures data by adding new features, removing obsolete points, and 
correcting existing data using a web-based mapping platform. Points 
edited become part of the National Structures Database, and include 
schools, hospitals, post offices, police stations and other important 
public buildings. Through their participation, volunteers are able to 
make significant contributions to the USGS's ability to provide the 
Nation with accurate mapping information.
    We estimate that some users will require a longer session to become 
acquainted with the interface on their first session. This may be as 
long as one hour to create an account and review the guidance document. 
Thereafter, users should be able to make edits to the database in about 
ten minutes per item being updated.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1028--NEW.
    Title: The National Map Corps.
    Type of Request: Approval of new information collection.
    Respondent Obligation: None (participation is voluntary).
    Frequency of Collection: Occasional.
    Description of Respondents: The general public.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: We estimate that 1,000 
people will participate in this volunteer initiative. If they make 75 
updates to the Web site that would be 75,000 responses. Counting the 
updates and the initial sign up, that would be 76,000 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: We estimate that it will take no more 
than 60 minutes to create an account and join the community. Thereafter 
it should take no more than 10 minutes to edit a structure point on the 
Web page.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 13,500 hours.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: 
There are no ``non-hour cost'' burdens associated with this collection 
of information.
    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. Until the OMB approves a collection 
of information, you are not obliged to respond.
    Comments: On May 16, 2014 we published a Federal Register notice 
(79 FR 28536) announcing that we would submit this ICR to OMB for 
approval and soliciting comments. The comment period closed on July 17, 
2014. We received no comments.

III. Request for Comments

    We again invite comments concerning this ICR 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 comments submitted in response to this notice are 
a matter of public record. Before including your personal mailing 
address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable 
information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire 
comment, including your personally identifiable information, may be 
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask the OMB in your 
comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public 
review, we cannot guarantee that it will be done.

Kari J. Craun,
Director, National Geospatial Technical Operations Center.
[FR Doc. 2014-29639 Filed 12-17-14; 8:45 am]
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