[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 179 (Wednesday, September 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55597-55598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23256]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


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: NOAA Restoration Center Program Progress Report and 
Administrative Progress Report.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0472.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (revision and extension of a currently 
approved information collection)
    Number of Respondents: 130.
    Average Hours per Response: Program progress report: semi-annual, 6 
hours; annual, 9.75 hours; administrative progress report: semi-annual, 
2.75 hours; annual, 5.5 hours.
    Burden Hours: 1,824.
    Needs and Uses: This request is for revision and extension of a 
currently approved information collection.
    The NOAA Restoration Center (NOAA RC) provides technical and 
financial assistance to identify, develop, implement, and evaluate 
community-driven habitat restoration projects. Awards are made as 
grants or cooperative agreements under the authority of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 2006, 16 U.S.C. 
1891a and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 16 U.S.C. 661, as 
amended by the Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970.
    The NOAA RC requires specific information on habitat restoration 
projects that we fund, as part of routine progress reporting. 
Recipients of NOAA RC funds submit information such as project 
location, restoration techniques used, species benefited, acres 
restored, stream miles opened to access for diadromous fish, volunteer 
participation, and other parameters.
    The required information enables NOAA to track, evaluate and report 
on coastal and marine habitat restoration and demonstrate 
accountability for federal funds. This information is used to populate 
a database of NOAA RC-funded habitat restoration. The database, with 
its robust querying capabilities, is instrumental to provide accurate 
and timely responses to NOAA, Department of Commerce, Congressional and 
constituent inquiries. It also facilitates reporting by NOAA on the 
Government Performance and Results Act ``acres restored'' performance 
measure. Grant recipients are required by the NOAA Grants Management 
Division to submit periodic performance reports and a final report for 
each award; this collection stipulates the information to be provided 
in these reports.
    Since the last extension of this collection approved by OMB, the 
database used to track and report on restoration projects has been 
updated and redesigned. The NOAA RC is revising and streamlining the 
progress report form to ensure it aligns with the updated database and 
collects only the information we need to effectively track, evaluate, 
and report on restoration projects completed with federal funds. The 
NOAA RC has also divided the information collected into two forms for 
simplicity. The Performance Report Form focuses on tracking project 
implementation, milestones, performance measures, monitoring, and 
expenditures. The Administrative Form only applies to recipients with 
an award that will implement multiple projects. It collects information 
on the administration of the award, the number of projects supported by 
the award, and award expenditures.
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; state, local and 
tribal government.
    Frequency: Semi-annual and annual.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.

[[Page 55598]]

    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 fax to (202) 395-5806.

    Dated: September 11, 2015.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-23256 Filed 9-15-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P