[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 206 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59696-59697]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23512]


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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; Partner Probabilistic Snowfall Messaging Survey

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

[[Page 59697]]

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 December 27, 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-xxxx 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 Peter Rogers, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Weather 
Service Sioux Falls Weather Forecast Office, 26 Weather Lane, Sioux 
Falls, SD 57104, 605-330-4247, [email protected] or Dr. Julie 
Demuth, Project Scientist, National Center for Atmospheric Research, 
3450 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301, 303-497-8112, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This is a request for a new collection of information.
    For decades, the National Weather Service (NWS) has provided 
deterministic (i.e., single-value) snowfall forecasts or snowfall 
uncertainty forecasts with set, narrow ranges (i.e., 2-4, 4-6 inches). 
More recent advancements in model ensembles have allowed for the 
calculation of probabilistic snowfall information. This forecast 
information can be messaged in a number of ways, for example, as the 
probability a location will receive some amount of snowfall, or as the 
probability the snowfall will be within a certain range. While 
statistically more accurate, it is unknown if probabilistic snowfall 
forecasts are understood or helpful to the end user in their decision 
making process.
    The NWS and National Center for Atmospheric Research will work 
together to conduct a survey across the NWS Central Region to determine 
different core partners' needs, preferences, understanding, and 
usefulness regarding probabilistic snow forecasts. Core partners of 
interest for this effort are emergency managers, school officials, and 
transportation officials. The survey will be hosted as a web-based 
survey through QuestionPro and will be electronically distributed to 
core partners by local NWS forecast offices across the Central Region 
in early 2022.
    Results from this survey will be used to determine how 
probabilistic snowfall information will be used in future NWS products 
and services with the ultimate goal of providing information in a way 
that improves core partners' ability to make informed decisions for the 
protection of life and property.

II. Method of Collection

    We will program and field the survey as web-based, using 
QuestionPro. All NWS Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs) in the Central 
Region will be invited to send the survey via email to their emergency 
management, transportation, and school partners. A short invitation 
script will be provided to all WFO Warning Coordination Meteorologists 
to send the survey. The survey will remain open for three weeks, and we 
will ask WCMs to send one reminder halfway through that period (i.e., 
after 10 days).

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-XXXX.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission [new information collection].
    Affected Public: Local (city or county), state, tribal, federal, 
and college/university emergency managers, local school principals, 
superintendents, transportation directors, and maintenance officials, 
and city, regional, or state transportation officials.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 300.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10-12 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 60 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: None.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

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. 2021-23512 Filed 10-27-21; 8:45 am]
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