[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 42 (Friday, March 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12966-12968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04626]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[PPWOIRADA1/PRCRFRFR6.XZ0000/PR.RIRAD1801.00.1; OMB Control Number 
1093-0006]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Administration of 
Volunteer.gov website and Associated Volunteer Activities

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior (Interior) is 
proposing to renew an information collection with revisions.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
May 4, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this information collection request 
(ICR) by mail to Jeffrey Parrillo, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 
20240; or by email to [email protected]. Please reference 
OMB Control Number 1093-0006 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Jeffrey Parrillo, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, 
DC 20240; or by email to [email protected]. Individuals who 
are hearing or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-
800-877-8339 for TTY assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), we 
provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an 
opportunity to comment on new, 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

[[Page 12967]]

collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired 
format.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies to comment on 
new, 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 especially interested in public comment addressing the 
following:
    (1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of response.
    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 can 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: Various laws, statutes, and regulations, to include the 
Public Lands Corps Act (16 U.S.C. 1721 et. seq.), the Outdoor 
Recreation Authority (16 U.S.C. 4601), Volunteers in the National 
Forests Program (16 U.S.C. 558 a-d), and the Forest Foundation 
Volunteers Act (16 U.S.C. 583j), authorize Federal land management 
agencies to work with volunteers, youth, and partner organizations to 
plan, develop, maintain, and manage projects and service activities on 
public lands and adjacent projects throughout the nation. We use 
volunteers, youth programs, and partnerships to aid in disaster 
response, interpretive functions, visitor services, conservation 
measures and development, research and development, recreation, and or 
other activities as allowed by an agency's policy and regulations. 
Providing, collecting, and exchanging written and electronic 
information is required from potential and selected program 
participants of all ages so they can access opportunities and benefits 
provided by agencies guidelines. Those under the age of 18 years must 
have written consent from a parent or guardian to participate in 
volunteer activities.
    In this revision, Interior will request OMB approval to assume the 
management and responsibility of common forms OF-301, OF-301a, and OF-
301b from the Department of Agriculture--U.S. Forest Service (currently 
approved under OMB Control No. 0596-0080). These forms, available for 
prospective volunteers to complete electronically or as paper forms, 
serve two functions:
     Recruiting potential volunteers, and
     Formalizing agreements between current volunteers and the 
agencies with which they are volunteering.
    The customer relationship management web-based portal, 
Volunteer.gov, is the agencies' response to meeting the public's 
request for improved digital customer services to access and apply for 
engagement opportunities. Under one security platform parameter, the 
Volunteer.gov website provides prospective and current program 
participants the ability to establish an account for electronic 
submission of program applications and to obtain status of applications 
and enrollments. Planned future functionality will provide information 
digitally on benefits and requirements, and will facilitate improved 
tracking of volunteer service hours. Currently, these data points are 
tracked manually and are accessible from agency volunteer program 
coordinators.
    This information collection specifically minimizes the burden on 
the respondents. While electronic records provide a means to streamline 
data collection and allow participant access to track benefits and 
control the sharing of their data, the participating agencies will 
continue to provide accessible paper versions of the volunteer forms 
upon request and while the functionality in the web-based portal is 
being built.

Participating Agencies

     Department of the Interior: All Interior offices and 
units, including National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, and U.S. 
Geological Survey.
     Department of Agriculture: U.S. Forest Service and Natural 
Resources Conservation Service.
     Department of Defense: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
     Department of Commerce: National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration--Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

Common Forms

    Forms OF-301--Volunteer Application: Individuals interested in 
volunteering may access the Volunteer.gov website to complete an on-
line application on the Volunteer.gov website. Alternatively, they may 
contact any agency listed above to request a Volunteer Application 
(Form OF-301). We collect the following information from applicants via 
Form OF-301:
     Name and contact information (address, telephone number, 
and email address);
     Date of birth (proposed new data field);
     Preferred work categories;
     Interests;
     Citizenship status;
     Available dates and preferred location;
     Physical limitations; and
     Lodging preferences.
    Information collected using this form or Volunteer.gov assists 
agency volunteer coordinators and other personnel in matching 
volunteers with agency opportunities appropriate for an applicant's 
skills, physical condition, and availability. We are proposing to 
collect date of birth to be used along with other unique identifiers 
for each volunteer applicant. Using date of birth will allow all 
participating agencies across locations to better track applicants via 
the Volunteer.gov website.
    Forms OF-301A--Volunteer Service Agreement: We use this form to 
establish agreements for volunteer services between Federal agencies 
and individual or group volunteers, to include eligible international 
volunteers. We require the signature of parents or guardians for all 
applicants under 18 years of age. We collect the following information 
from volunteers via Form OF-301A:

[[Page 12968]]

     Name and contact information (address, telephone number, 
and email address);
     Date of birth (proposed new data field);
     Citizenship information; and,
     Emergency contact information.
    Forms OF-301A describe the service a volunteer will perform, and 
asks a volunteer to confirm their understanding of the purpose of the 
volunteer program, their fitness and ability to perform the duties as 
described, and whether they consent to being photographed. We are 
proposing to collect date of birth to be used along with other unique 
identifiers for each volunteer applicant. Using date of birth will 
allow all participating agencies across locations to track their 
volunteer hours.
    Forms OF-301B--Volunteer Group Sign-up: We use this form to 
document awareness and understanding by adult individuals in groups 
about the volunteer activities between a Federal agency and a partner 
organization with group participants, and accompanies the Form OF-301a. 
We collect the following information from volunteers via Form OF-301b:
     Name and contact information (address, telephone number, 
and email address);
     Month and year of birth (proposed new data field);
     Confirmation of understanding of the purpose of the 
volunteer program;
     Fitness and ability to perform the duties as described; 
and
     Whether they consent to being photographed.
    We are proposing to collect month and year of birth to be used 
along with other unique identifiers for each volunteer applicant. Using 
month and year of birth will allow all participating agencies across 
locations to track their volunteer hours across positions.
    Each participating agency must request OMB approval of, and report 
their own burden associated with, the use of common forms OF-301, OF-
301a, and OF-301b in order to be authorized to participate in this 
information collection. Interior will not assume the burden for any 
agencies other than its own bureaus and offices that participate in the 
volunteer program.
    Additionally, we are proposing to change the title of this 
information collection from ``Natural and Cultural Resource Agencies 
Customer Relationship Management'' to ``Administration of Volunteer.gov 
website and Associated Volunteer Activities'' to clarify the purpose of 
the information collection for the public.
    Title of Collection: Administration of Volunteer.gov website and 
Associated Volunteer Activities.
    OMB Control Number: 1093-0006.
    Form Number: OF-301, OF-301A, and OF-301B.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and private sector 
(cooperating associations and partner organizations) interested in 
volunteer opportunities.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 36,333.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 1,431,020.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Completion time varies from 
5 minutes to 15 minutes, depending on the function being performed.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 160,757.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: Typically once per year.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: There are no non-hour 
cost burdens associated with this information collection.
    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 authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Jeffrey Parrillo,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-04626 Filed 3-4-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4334-63-P