[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 56 (Tuesday, March 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 15631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-06682]



[[Page 15631]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. Geological Survey

[USGS-GX15GL00DT7ST00]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments

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

ACTION: Notice of a revision of a currently approved information 
collection (1028-0087).

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SUMMARY: We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) 
described below. 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 IC. This 
collection is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2015.

DATES: To ensure that your comments are considered, we must receive 
them on or before May 26, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this information collection to 
the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive MS 807, Reston, VA 20192 (mail); (703) 648-
7197 (fax); or [email protected] (email). Please reference 
`Information Collection 1028-0087, `National Geological and Geophysical 
Data Preservation Program' in all correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betty Adrian at (303) 202-4828 or by 
mail at U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25046, MS 975, Denver Federal 
Center, Denver, CO 80225, or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    Section 351 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 directs the Secretary 
of the Interior, through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, as 
follows, ``The Secretary shall carry out a National Geological and 
Geophysical Data Preservation Program in accordance with this section--
    (1) To archive geologic, geophysical, and engineering data, maps, 
well logs, and samples;
    (2) To provide a national catalog of such archival material; and
    (3) To provide technical and financial assistance related to the 
archival material.''
    The Plan outlines program goals and recommends implementation 
strategies. An action item in the plan is to ``begin interactions with 
State geological surveys and other DOI agencies that maintain 
geological and geophysical data and samples to address their 
preservation and data rescue needs.'' In response, the USGS is 
requesting each state that elects to participate in the program to:

    (1) Inventory their current collections and data preservation 
needs to provide a snapshot of the diversity of scientific 
collections held, supported, or used by State geological surveys. 
This inventory of current collections will form the foundation of 
the National Catalog;
    (2) Build the National Catalog by providing site-specific 
metadata for items in inventoried collections. Focus on site-
specific sample data allows broad national coverage with content 
useful to a wide variety of users. The types of sites cataloged will 
be determined by the holdings of participating states; and
    (3) In FY 2010 and beyond, depending on appropriations, states 
would be invited to propose projects that address other priorities 
identified in the Implementation Plan for the National Geological 
and Geophysical Data Preservation Program, including: (a) Digital 
infrastructure; (b) Metadata for items in data collections; and (c) 
Special data rescue needs.

    Furthermore, annual data preservation priorities are provided in 
the Program Announcement as guidance for applicants to consider when 
submitting proposals. its inception in 2007, NGGDPP has awarded 44 
states with $4,585,849 which, when matched or exceeded by the states, 
amounts to over $9M invested in the rescue and preservation efforts. 
This notice concerns the collection of information that is sufficient 
and relevant to evaluate and select proposals for funding. We will 
protect information from respondents considered proprietary under the 
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and implementing regulations 
(43 CFR part 2), and under regulations at 30 CFR 250.197, ``Data and 
information to be made available to the public or for limited 
inspection.'' Responses are voluntary. No questions of a ``sensitive'' 
nature are asked. We intend to release the project abstracts and 
identify primary investigators for awarded/funded projects only.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1028-0087.
    Form Number: NA.
    Title: National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation 
Program (NGGDPP)
    Type of Request: Notice of an extension of a currently approved 
information collection (1028-0087).
    Affected Public: All State Geological Surveys will have the 
opportunity to apply for matching Federal funds.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary, but necessary to receive 
benefits.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 34.
    Estimated Time per Response: We estimate the public reporting 
burden averages 36 hours per response. This includes time (1) to write 
and review the proposal and submit it through www.grants.gov and (2) 
prepare and submit the final technical report.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 1224.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: 
There are no ``non-hour cost'' burdens associated with this IC.
    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 and current expiration date.

III. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting comments 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) ways 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 the 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 us in your 
comment to withhold your personally identifiable information from 
public view, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Betty M. Adrian,
Program Coordinator, National Geological and Geophysical Data 
Preservation Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-06682 Filed 3-23-15; 8:45 am]
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