[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 48 (Wednesday, March 11, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14188-14189]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04933]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Management and 
Oversight of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System

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 May 11, 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]). All comments received are part of the 
public record. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Elizabeth Mountz, NOAA's Office for Coastal Management, 
N/OCM6, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 240-533-0819, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a current information collection. 
The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) is a partnership 
between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and 
22 states and Puerto Rico that protects more than 1.3 million coastal 
and estuarine acres in 28 Reserves for long-term research, monitoring, 
education, and stewardship, established under Section 315 of the 
Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451), 16 U.S.C. 
1461. The NERRS consists of carefully selected estuarine areas of the 
United States that are designated, preserved, and managed for research 
and educational purposes. The Reserves are chosen to reflect regional 
differences and to include a variety of ecosystem types according to 
the classification scheme of the national program as presented in 15 
CFR part 921. As part of a national system, the Reserves collectively 
provide a unique opportunity to address research questions and 
estuarine management issues of national significance. The Reserves also 
serve to enhance public awareness and understanding of estuarine areas 
and provide suitable opportunities for public education and 
interpretation. Regulations provide guidance for delineating Reserve 
boundaries and additional guidance for arriving at the most effective 
and least costly approach to establishing adequate state control of key 
land and water areas. Any qualified public or private persons, 
organizations or institutions may compete for research funding to work 
in research Reserves. In fact, applicants are almost always states.
    Subsection 3l5(e)(1)(B) of the CZMA authorizes the National Ocean 
Service (NOS) to make grants to, or cooperative agreements with, any 
coastal state or public or private institution or person for purposes 
of supporting research within the NERRS. This program is listed in the 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under ``Coastal Zone Management 
Estuarine Research Reserve, Number 11.420''. Applications for such 
grants follow the provisions of 2 CFR 200. During the site selection 
and designation process, information is collected from states in order 
to prepare a management plan and environmental impact statement. 
Designated Reserves apply annually for operations funds by submitting a 
work plan; subsequently, progress reports are required every six months 
for the duration of the award. Each Reserve compiles an ecological 
characterization or site profile to describe the biological and 
physical environment of the Reserve, research to date and research 
gaps. Reserves revise their management plans every five years. A 
competitive fellowship program supports opportunities for graduate 
students to conduct research at each Reserve. This information is 
required to ensure that Reserves are adhering to regulations and that 
the Reserves are in keeping with the purpose for which they were 
designated.

II. Method of Collection

    Respondents have a choice of either electronic or paper 
submissions. Methods of submittal include email of electronic forms, 
and mail and facsimile transmission of paper forms.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0121.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Non-profit institutions; state, local, or tribal 
government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 75.
    Estimated Time per Response: Management plan, 1800 hours; site 
profile, 1800 hours; site nomination documents, 2500 hours; award 
application, 8 hours; award reports, 5 hours; NEPA documentation, 40 
hours.

[[Page 14189]]

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 8,216.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

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.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2020-04933 Filed 3-10-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-08-P