[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 225 (Monday, November 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72985-72986]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-29770]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. Geological Survey

[GX15NM00FU50100]


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 (1028-0094).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 03/31/2016.

DATES: To ensure that your comments are considered, we must receive 
them on or before January 22, 2016.

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 1028-0094, Energy Cooperatives to Support the 
National Coal Resources Data System (NCRDS) in all correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph East, Eastern Energy Resources 
Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, 
Mail Stop 956, Reston, VA 20192 (mail); 703-648-6450 (phone); or 
[email protected] (email). You may also find information about this IC at 
www.reginfo.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The primary objective of the National Coal Resources Data System 
(NCRDS) is to advance the understanding of the energy endowment of the 
United States (U.S.) by gathering and organizing digital geologic 
information related to coal, coal bed gas, shale gas, conventional and 
unconventional oil and gas, geothermal, and other energy resources and 
related information regarding these resources, along with environmental 
impacts from using these resources. These data are needed to support 
regional or national assessments concerning energy resources. 
Requesting external cooperation is a way for NCRDS to collect energy 
data and perform research and analyses on the characterization of 
geologic material, and obtain other information (including geophysical 
or seismic data, sample collection for generation of thermal maturity 
data) that can be used in energy resource assessments and related 
studies.
    The USGS will issue a call for proposals to support researchers 
from State Geological Surveys and associated accredited universities 
that can provide geologic data to support NCRDS and other energy 
assessment projects being conducted by the USGS.
    Data submitted to NCRDS by external cooperators constitute more 
than two-thirds of the USGS point-source stratigraphic database 
(USTRAT) on coal occurrence. In 2015, NCRDS supported 21 projects in 19 
States. This program is conducted under various authorities, including 
30 U.S.C. 208-1, 42 U.S.C. 15801, and 43 U.S.C. 31 et seq. This 
collection will consist of applications, proposals and reports (annual 
and final).

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1028-0094.
    Form Number: Various if many different forms or screen shots, 
otherwise provide the form number.
    Title: Energy Cooperatives to Support the National Coal Resources 
Data System (NCRDS).
    Type of Request: Renewal of existing collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals; State, local and tribal governments; 
State Geological Surveys, universities, and businesses.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Frequency of Collection: One time every 5 years for applications and 
final reports; annually for progress reports.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 21.

[[Page 72986]]

    Estimated Time per Response: 25 hours.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 525 hours.
    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.

Jonathan Kolak,
Acting Program Coordinator, USGS Energy Resources Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-29770 Filed 11-20-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4338-11-P