[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12077-12078]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05011]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Coastal Ocean 
Program Grants Proposal Application Package

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information

[[Page 12078]]

collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before May 9, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Laurie Golden, 240-533-0285 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This request is for a revision and extension of a currently 
approved information collection. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration's Coastal Ocean Program (COP) provides direct financial 
assistance through grants and cooperative agreements for research 
supporting the management of coastal ecosystems. The statutory 
authority for COP is Public Law 102-567 section 201 (Coastal Ocean 
Program). In addition to standard government application requirements, 
applicants for financial assistance are required to submit a project 
summary form, current and pending form and a key contacts form. 
Recipients are required to file annual progress reports and a project 
final report using COP formats. All of these requirements are needed 
for better evaluation of proposals and monitoring of awards.
    This request is for a revision due to the addition of the NOAA 
RESTORE Act Science Program. This program provides direct financial 
assistance through grants and cooperative agreements for research, 
observation, and monitoring to support, to the maximum extent 
practicable, the long-term sustainability of the ecosystem, fish 
stocks, fish habitat, and the recreational, commercial, and charter-
fishing industry in the Gulf of Mexico. NOAA was authorized to 
establish and administer the Program, in consultation with the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, by the Resources and Ecosystems 
Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies (RESTORE) 
of the Gulf States Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112-141, section 1604). 
Identified in the RESTORE Act as the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration 
Science, Observation, Monitoring, and Technology Program, the Program 
is commonly known as the NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program. The NOAA 
RESTORE Act Science Program will use the standard government 
application forms for financial assistance as well as the COP project 
summary form, current and pending form and a key contacts form. 
Recipients are required to file semi-annual progress reports and a 
project final report using a revised COP format. These additional forms 
are necessary for consistency. The main purpose of this information 
collection is to enable the NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program to provide 
summaries of each proposed project, the key applicant contact 
information and their current and pending Federal funding. The 
information gathered will enable the NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program 
to properly and quickly evaluate proposals in a collaborative 
environment with its partner agencies.

II. Method of Collection

    Respondents have a choice of either electronic or paper forms.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0384.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (revision/extension of a 
currently approved collection).
    Affected Public: Non-profit institutions; State, local, or tribal 
government; business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 508.
    Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes each for a project summary, 
key contacts and current and pending federal support; 5 hours for a 
semi-annual report; 5 hours for an annual report and 10 hours for a 
final report.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,920.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: March 2, 2016.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-05011 Filed 3-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-JS-P