[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 57 (Thursday, March 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15739-15740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06668]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

[GX16NM00FU5010]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments

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

ACTION: Notice of revision of a currently approved information 
collection, (1028-0094).

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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. This collection is scheduled to expire on 3/31/
2016.

DATES: To ensure that your comments on this ICR are considered, OMB 
must receive them on or before April 25, 2016.

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 1028-0094 Energy Cooperatives 
to Support the National Coal Resources Data System (NCRDS). Please also 
forward a copy of your comments and suggestions 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) 648-7195 (fax); or [email protected] (email). 
Please reference `OMB 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 ICR 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 state 
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: None.
    Title: Energy Cooperatives to Support the National Coal Resources 
Data System (NCRDS).
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Respondent Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Frequency of Collection: One time every 5 years for applications 
and final reports; annually for progress reports.
    Description of Respondents: State, local and tribal governments; 
State Geological Surveys, State universities.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 21.
    Estimated Time per Response: We estimate that it will take 20 hours 
to complete an application and 4.6 hours to prepare annual reports.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 181.
    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 11/23/2015, we published a Federal Register notice (80 
FR 72985) announcing that we would submit this ICR to OMB for approval 
and soliciting comments. The comment period closed on 1/22/2016. 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

[[Page 15740]]

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 and the OMB in your comment 
to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, 
we cannot guarantee that it will be done.

Douglas Duncan,
Associate Energy Resources Program Coordinator.
[FR Doc. 2016-06668 Filed 3-23-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4338-11-P