[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 214 (Tuesday, November 7, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51598-51599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24167]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service


Notice of Intent To Request To Conduct a New Information 
Collection

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 this 
notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics 
Service (NASS) to seek approval to conduct a new information collection 
to gather data related to water usage for North Carolina agricultural 
operations that likely use between 10,000 and 1,000,000 gallons per 
day.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 8, 2018 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535-
NEW, by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include docket number 
above in the subject line of the message.
     E-fax: (855) 838-6382.
     Mail: Mail any paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions to: 
David Hancock, NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Room 5336 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20250-2024.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: Hand deliver to: David Hancock, 
NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 5336 South 
Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  R. Renee Picanso, Associate 
Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, (202) 720-4333. Copies of this information 
collection and related instructions can be obtained without charge from 
David Hancock, NASS--OMB Clearance Officer, at (202) 690-2388 or at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Water Use Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-NEW.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to conduct a new 
information collection for a period of three years.
    Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service (NASS) is to collect, prepare and issue State and 
national estimates of crop and livestock production, prices, and 
disposition; as well as economic statistics, environmental statistics 
related to agriculture and also to conduct the Census of Agriculture.
    The Water Use survey program will collect information on water 
usage for North Carolina agricultural operations that likely use 
between 10,000 and 1,000,000 gallons per day. Agricultural operations 
who use over 1,000,000 gallons in any one day are required to report 
their water usage directly to North Carolina Department of 
Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) and are not included in this survey. The 
program will help the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and 
Consumer Services (NCDACS) and NCDEQ fulfill the requirements of North 
Carolina state legislation enacted in 2008 (SL2008-0143). All 
questionnaires included in this information collection will be 
voluntary. This project is conducted as a cooperative effort with the 
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Funding 
for this pilot survey is being provided by NCDACS.
    Authority: These data will be collected under authority of 7 U.S.C. 
2204(a). Individually identifiable data collected under this authority 
are governed by Section 1770 of the Food Security Act of 1985 as 
amended, 7 U.S.C. 2276, which requires USDA to afford strict 
confidentiality to non-aggregated data provided by respondents. This 
Notice is submitted in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (Pub. L. 104-113, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) and Office of 
Management and Budget regulations at 5 CFR part 1320.
    NASS also complies with OMB Implementation Guidance, 
``Implementation Guidance for Title V of the E-Government Act, 
Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 
2002 (CIPSEA),'' Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 115, June 15, 2007, p. 
33362.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this information 
collection is based on similar surveys with expected response time of 
30 minutes. The estimated sample size will be approximately 3,300. The 
frequency of data collection for the different surveys is annual. 
Estimated number of responses per respondent is 1. Publicity materials 
and instruction sheets will account for approximately 5 minutes of 
additional burden per respondent. Respondents who refuse to complete a 
survey will be allotted 2 minutes of burden per attempt to collect the 
data.
    Respondents: North Carolina operations that likely use between 
10,000 and 1,000,000 gallons annually.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,300.

[[Page 51599]]

    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,614 hours.
    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 will 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of 
the burden of the proposed collection of information including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (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 
those who are to respond, through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, technological, or other forms of information 
technology collection methods.
    All responses to this notice will become a matter of public record 
and be summarized in the request for OMB approval.

    Signed at Washington, DC, October 25, 2017.
R. Renee Picanso,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2017-24167 Filed 11-6-17; 8:45 am]
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