[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 64 (Thursday, April 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18559-18560]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06874]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Davidson 
Fellowship

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 
(PRA) of 1995.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written or on-line comments must be 
submitted on or before June 1, 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 Chris Ellis, NOAA Office for Coastal Management, 2234 
South Hobson Avenue, Charleston SC 29405, ((843) 740-1195), 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Office for Coastal Management (OCM) in the National Ocean 
Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of 
Commerce is funding a new, two-year fellowship program called the 
``FY20-21 Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship for the National 
Estuarine Research Reserve System'' (Davidson Fellowship). Funding is 
being made available through a competitive process to master's and 
doctoral students actively enrolled in a graduate program at an 
accredited university, through the use of a cooperative agreement to 
the university. The goals of the Davidson Fellowship are to build the 
next

[[Page 18560]]

generation of leaders in estuarine science and coastal management by 
affording qualified graduate students the opportunity to conduct 
collaborative science within the National Estuarine Research Reserve 
System; partake in professional development opportunities; and receive 
mentoring to support professional growth.
    The National Estuarine Research Reserve System is a national 
program administered by the Office for Coastal Management. The National 
Estuarine Reserve System has an interest in balancing the needs of the 
natural environment and coastal economies and is one of the primary 
programs responsible for implementing the Coastal Zone Management Act. 
All Davidson Fellowship projects must be conducted in a research 
reserve and should be designed to contribute to one of the reserve's 
priority management areas, and thus enhance the scientific 
understanding of the natural or social science aspects of the research 
subject matter. One fellow is being selected in Spring 2020 for each of 
the 29 reserves for a two-year duration. Mentoring and professional 
development activities will be provided to build knowledge and skills 
needed to successfully contribute to the workforce responsible for the 
coast. These opportunities are also designed to create a strong network 
among the fellows during their tenure and into the early portion of 
their careers.
    The purpose of this information collection is to gather information 
on the effectiveness of the Davidson Fellowship program in reaching the 
desired outcomes, so that we can adaptively manage and make continuous 
improvements to the program. This information collection will take 
place initially in Fall 2020, as the first cohort of fellows begins 
their program, and will gather information from selected fellows, their 
faculty advisors, contacts from each university's sponsored program 
office, reserve staff, and NOAA federal and contract staff supporting 
the Davidson Fellowship program. It will take place again in Fall 2022, 
as the second cohort of fellows begins their program and the first 
cohort of fellows finishes, and will gather information from selected 
fellows, their faculty advisors, contacts from each university's 
sponsored program office, reserve staff, and NOAA federal and contract 
staff supporting the Davidson Fellowship program.
    More information on the fellowship can be found at this link: 
Davidson Fellowship website.
    Program Authority: Section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act 
of 1972, as amended CZMA, 16 U.S.C. 1461, establishes the National 
Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS). 16 U.S.C. 1461 (e)(1)(B) 
authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to make grants to any coastal 
state or public or private person for purposes of supporting research 
and monitoring within a National Estuarine Research Reserve that are 
consistent with the research guidelines developed under subsection (c).

II. Method of Collection

    Information will be collected via an online survey, using Survey 
Monkey software, sent only to those directly involved with the Davidson 
Fellowship (student fellows, universities receiving funding for 
fellows, research reserves hosting the fellows, and NOAA staff and 
contractors supporting the program).

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-xxxx.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission, new information collection.
    Affected Public: Those directly involved in the Davidson 
Fellowship--individuals (student fellows), academic institutions 
(universities receiving funding for student fellows), state government 
(research reserves), and federal government (NOAA staff supporting the 
program).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 500.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 52 hours (155 hours total 
spread over three years).
    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. 2020-06874 Filed 4-1-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P