[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 71 (Monday, April 13, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20490-20491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07720]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Proposed Agency Information Collection Extension

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. 
Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy's (DOE, Office of Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy (EERE), pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, intends to extend for three years with the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB), the EERE Environmental Questionnaire (OMB No. 1910-
5175).

DATES: Comments regarding this proposed information collection 
extension must be received on or before June 12, 2020. If you 
anticipate difficulty in submitting comments within that period, 
contact the person listed in ADDRESSES as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to Lisa Jorgensen at: U.S. 
Department of Energy, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, CO 80401, or 
by email at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the EERE Environmental Questionnaire should be directed to 
Lisa Jorgensen at [email protected] or at (720) 356-1569. The 
EERE Environmental Questionnaire also is available for viewing in the 
Golden Field Office Public Reading Room at: www.energy.gov/node/2299401. If you have difficulty accessing this document, please contact 
Casey Strickland at (720) 356-1575.

[[Page 20491]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of DOE, including whether the information 
shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of DOE'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 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    This information collection request contains: (1) OMB No.: 1910-
5175; (2) Information Collection Request Title: Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Environmental Questionnaire; (3) 
Type of Request: Extension, with changes; (4) Purpose: The DOE's EERE 
provides federal funding through federal assistance programs to 
businesses, industries, universities, and other groups for renewable 
energy and energy efficiency research and development and demonstration 
projects. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) requires that an environmental analysis be 
completed for all major federal actions significantly affecting the 
environment including projects entirely or partly financed by federal 
agencies. To effectively perform environmental analyses for these 
projects, the DOE's EERE needs to collect project-specific information 
from federal financial assistance awardees. DOE's EERE has developed 
its Environmental Questionnaire to obtain the required information and 
ensure that its decision-making processes are consistent with NEPA as 
it relates to renewable energy and energy efficiency research and 
development and demonstration projects. Minor changes have been made to 
the Environmental Questionnaire that help to clarify certain questions, 
but do not change the meaning of the questions being asked. The average 
hours per response and annual estimated number of burden hours have 
increased due to the increase in complexity of the projects being 
selected by EERE in order to meet mission needs. The average hours per 
response have increased from one hour to one and one half hours. The 
annual estimated number of burden hours increased from 300 to 450. (5) 
Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 300; (6) Average Hours per 
Response: 1.5; and (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 450; 
(8) There is no cost associated with reporting and recordkeeping.

    Statutory Authority: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

    Signed in Golden, CO on March 31, 2020.
Derek Passarelli,
Director, Golden Field Office, Office of Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2020-07720 Filed 4-10-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P