[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 73 (Monday, April 19, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20367-20368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-07904]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Evaluation of Public Visitors' Experience at the National 
Marine Sanctuaries Visitor Centers and Exhibits

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

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment 
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before June 18, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0582 in the subject line of your 
comments. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise 
sensitive or protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Dr. Giselle Samonte, Economist, NOAA Office of National Marine 
Sanctuaries, 1305 East West Highway, SSMC4, 11th Floor, Silver Spring, 
MD 20910; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) is requesting 
revision and extension of a currently approved information collection. 
This information collection is revised to include the collection 
instruments approved under OMB Control Number 0648-0777, after which 
that control number will be discontinued. The title of this collection 
is being changed to encompass both collections.
    The evaluation of visitor demographics, experiences, and opinions 
about visitor centers and exhibits is needed to support the 
conservation, education, and management goals of ONMS to strengthen and 
improve the stewardship, sustainable use, and protection of natural, 
cultural, and historical resources. Under the jurisdiction of ONMS and 
to satisfy legal mandates, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) is authorized to conduct evaluations, such as 
this information collection, under the American Innovation and 
Competitiveness Act (section 314(c)) to ensure education programs have 
measurable objectives and milestones as well as clear, documented 
metrics for evaluating its programs.
    For example, the Mokup[amacr]papa Discovery Center (Center) is an 
outreach arm of Papah[amacr]naumoku[amacr]kea Marine National Monument 
that reaches more than 75,000 people each year in Hilo, Hawai`i. The 
Center was created almost two decades ago to help raise support for the 
creation of a national marine sanctuary in the Northwestern Hawaiian 
Islands. Since that time, the area has been proclaimed a marine 
national monument and the main messages we are trying to share with the 
public have changed to better reflect the new monument status, UNESCO 
World Heritage status, and the joint management by the three co-
trustees of the monument.
    ONMS recently updated its Strategic Plan and has identified a lack 
of information on the effectiveness of its education, outreach, and 
communications initiatives as they relate to sanctuary/monument visitor 
centers, exhibits (permanent or traveling/temporary), kiosks, and 
educational programming conducted by its visitor centers and partner 
facilities.
    We therefore are seeking to determine if people visiting ONMS' 
visitor centers and exhibits are receiving our new messages by 
conducting an optional exit survey. ONMS is requesting to conduct a 
survey to evaluate patron acuity to determine successful concept 
attainment. Conducting thorough evaluations will aid in vital decisions 
regarding exhibit renovation, new exhibits, interpretation programs, 
and educational content.

II. Method of Collection

    Information collection is voluntary via completion of an ONMS 
Visitor Center and Exhibit Survey provided at the ONMS and Partner 
Outreach Facilities.

[[Page 20368]]

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0582.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular (Revision and extension of current 
information collection.)
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 8,750.
    Estimated Time per Response: Center Survey: 8 minutes; Visitor and 
Exhibit Survey: 12 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,734.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: National Marine Sanctuary Act.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden 
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    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 may 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.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2021-07904 Filed 4-16-21; 8:45 am]
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