[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 31, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54772-54773]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-23824]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

[GX14BA02EEW0200; OMB Control Number 1028-0103]


Agency Information Collection Activities; USA National Phenology 
Network--The Nature's Notebook Plant and Animal Observing Program

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is proposing to renew an information 
collection (IC).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
December 31, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request 
(ICR) by mail to the U.S. Geological Survey, Information Collections 
Clearance Officer, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 159, Reston, VA 
20192; or by email to [email protected]. Please reference 
OMB Control Number 1028-0103 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Jake F. Weltzin by email at [email protected], 
or by telephone at 520-626-3821.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Geological Survey, in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, provide the 
general public and other Federal agencies with an opportunity to 
comment on proposed, revised, and continuing collections of 
information. This helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It 
also helps the public understand our information collection 
requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.
    We are soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described 
below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the 
following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper 
functions of the USGS; (2) will this information be processed and used 
in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) how 
might the USGS enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (5) how might the USGS minimize the 
burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use 
of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Abstract: The USA-NPN is a program sponsored by the USGS that uses 
standardized forms for tracking plant

[[Page 54773]]

and animal activity as part of a project called Nature's Notebook. The 
Nature's Notebook forms are used to record phenology (e.g., timing of 
leafing or flowering of plants and reproduction or migration of 
animals) as part of a nationwide effort to understand and predict how 
plants and animals respond to environmental variation and changes in 
weather and climate. Contemporary data collected through Nature's 
Notebook are quality-checked, described and made publicly available; 
data are used to inform decision-making in a variety of contexts, 
including agriculture, drought monitoring, and wildfire risk 
assessment. Phenological information is also critical for the 
management of wildlife, invasive species, and agricultural pests, and 
for understanding and managing risks to human health and welfare, 
including allergies, asthma, and vector-borne diseases. Participants 
may contribute phenology information to Nature's Notebook through a 
browser-based web application or via mobile applications for iPhone and 
Android operating systems, meeting GPEA and Privacy Act requirements. 
The web application interface consists several components: User 
registration, a searchable list of 1,260 plant and animal species which 
can be observed; a ``profile'' for each species that contains 
information about the species including its description and the 
appropriate monitoring protocols; a series of interfaces for 
registering as an observer, registering a site, registering plants and 
animals at a site, generating datasheets to take to the field, and a 
data entry page that mimics the datasheets.
    Title of Collection: USA NATIONAL PHENOLOGY NETWORK--THE NATURE'S 
NOTEBOOK PLANT AND ANIMAL OBSERVING PROGRAM
    OMB Control Number: 1028-0103.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Members of the public, registered with 
Nature's Notebook, state Cooperative Extension employees and tribal 
members.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 7,581.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 4,093,314.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: When joining the program, 
responders spend 13 minutes each to register and read guidelines and 83 
minutes to watch all training videos. After that responders may spend 
about 2 minutes per record to observe and submit phenophase status 
record.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 138,857.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion; depends on the seasonal 
activity of plants and animals.
    Total Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden Cost: $11,484.

                                    Table--Annual Responses and Burden Hours
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                                                 Annual
               Response type                    responses        Completion time per response      Annual burden
                                               (projected)                (minutes)                   (hours)
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Registrations..............................           7,581  13 minutes (3 minutes to register +           1,643
                                                              10 minutes to read guidelines).
Training videos............................             758  83 minutes (to watch entire set of            1,049
                                                              videos).
Observation records........................       4,084,975  2 minutes (includes observation and         136,166
                                                              reporting time).
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    Total..................................       4,093,314  ...................................         138,857
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                                       Table--Annual Non-Hour Burden Costs
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                                                                                     Number of
                                                                                    respondents      Non-hour
                                                                   Cost per unit    expected to     burden cost
                                                                                        use
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Clipboard.......................................................           $2.23           4,245          $9,467
Pencils.........................................................            0.10           4,245             425
Flags...........................................................            0.05           1,516              76
Markers.........................................................            0.10           1,516             152
Stakes..........................................................            0.30           1,516             455
Tags............................................................            0.30           1,516             455
Popsicle Sticks.................................................            0.30           1,516             455
Average Marking Material Cost...................................            0.19  ..............  ..............
    Cost per Response...........................................            2.52  ..............  ..............
    Total Non-Hour Burden Cost..................................  ..............  ..............          11,484
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    An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number.
    The authorities for this action are the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.).

Jake Weltzin,
Program Manager, Status & Trends Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-23824 Filed 10-30-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4338-11-P