[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 239 (Thursday, December 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67931-67932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26777]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Education, 
Educational Partnership Program (EPP) and Ernest F. Hollings 
Undergraduate Scholarship Program

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

ACTION: Notice.

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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 comment on proposed and/or continuing 
information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written or on-line comments must be 
submitted on or before February 10, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Adrienne Thomas, PRA Officer, 
NOAA, 151 Patton Avenue, Room 159, Asheville, NC 28801 (or via the 
internet at [email protected]). Comments will generally be posted 
without change. All Personally Identifiable Information (for example, 
name and address) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be 
publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or 
otherwise sensitive or protected information. You may submit 
attachments to electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe 
PDF file formats.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Natasha White, 301-628-2906 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a current information collection.
    The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) is authorized by section 4002 of the America 
COMPETES Act, Public Law 110-69, to establish and administer a Graduate 
Sciences Program and two undergraduate scholarship programs to enhance 
understanding of ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, and atmospheric science 
and stewardship by the general public and other coastal stakeholders, 
including underrepresented groups in ocean and atmospheric science and 
policy careers. In addition, NOAA's Administrator is authorized by 
section 214 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005, Public Law 
108-447, to establish and administer the Ernest F. Hollings 
Undergraduate Scholarship Program to support undergraduate studies in 
oceanic and atmospheric science, research, technology, and education 
that support NOAA's mission and programs.
    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office 
of Education (OEd) collects, evaluates, and assesses student data and 
information for the purpose of selecting successful candidates, 
generating internal NOAA reports, and articles to demonstrate the 
success of its program.
    The purpose of the OEd Educational Partnership Program (EPP) with 
Minority Serving Institutions is to educate, train and graduate 
students in NOAA-mission sciences. OEd EPP is strongly committed to 
broadening the participation of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) 
such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving 
Institutions, Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, 
Alaska Native-Serving Institutions, and Native Hawaiian-Serving 
Institutions. NOAA's OEd EPP/MSI partnership is comprised of four 
program components: the Undergraduate Scholarship Program (USP); the 
Graduate Sciences Program (GSP); the Environmental Entrepreneurship 
Program (EEP); and the Cooperative Science Center (CSC).
    The OEd requires applicants to NOAA's Undergraduate Scholarship 
Programs to complete an application in order to be considered. The 
application package requires two faculty and/or academic advisors to 
complete a NOAA student scholar reference form in support of the 
scholarship application. The Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program and 
the NMFS Recruiting, Training and Research Program also

[[Page 67932]]

collect student data for their programs and are also covered by this 
notice. Undergraduate scholarship recipients are required to complete a 
Student Scholarship Training Record to track their time, attendance, 
and accomplishments during their internships. NOAA OEd student scholar 
alumni are also requested to provide information to NOAA for internal 
tracking purposes. This information informs NOAA whether NOAA-funded 
students pursue and complete post-graduate NOAA-related science 
degrees, are employed by NOAA or a NOAA contractor, or in fields 
related to NOAA's mission. NOAA OEd grant recipients are required to 
update the student tracker database with the required student 
information in order to assess compliance with NOAA OEd's performance 
measures.
    The collected data supports NOAA OEd's program performance 
measures. To measure the impact of OEd programs, the data collected are 
compared to the available data in the national education databases 
(e.g., National Science Foundation and National Center for Education 
Statistics) and NOAA workforce management database. Furthermore, the 
student data collection identifies degree pipeline areas (BS, MS, or 
Ph.D.) and where OEd and its academic partners may target recruitment 
for its' NOAA-related science educational and training programs. NOAA 
scholarship programs produce a pool of qualified candidates that may be 
hired by NOAA and help to sustain a world-class NOAA organization.

II. Method of Collection

    Electronic applications and electronic forms are required from 
participants, and the primary methods of submittal are email and 
internet transmission of electronic forms. Less than 1% of the 
application and reference forms may be mailed.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0568.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently 
approved collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit; not-for-profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,358.
    Estimated Time per Response: Student tracker database form, 28 
hours; undergraduate application form, 12 hours; reference forms, 1 
hour; student scholarship training record, 0.5 hours; alumni update 
form, 6 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 11,004.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $50 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 will also become a matter of public record.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2019-26777 Filed 12-11-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-12-P