[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 165 (Friday, August 26, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52511-52512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-18461]


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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; Generic Clearance for NOAA Citizen Science and Crowdsourcing 
Projects (New)

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 October 25, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. 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. Joe Terry, Office of Science and Technology, 1315 East West 
Hwy., Building SSMC3, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282, (858) 454-2547, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    NOAA is requesting approval for a new generic clearance for its 
citizen science and crowdsourcing projects and approval for those 
citizen science and crowdsourcing existing collections in use without 
an OMB control number. The generic clearance would allow NOAA to do the 
following: (1) be more responsive to the Citizen Science and 
Crowdsourcing Act (15 U.S.C. 3724), as well as the other laws and 
Executive Orders (E.O.) listed under Legal Authority in Section III, 
(2) more rapidly and efficiently come into compliance with the PRA and, 
therefore, (3) obtain additional scientific information that supports 
its mission to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, 
ocean, and coasts, to share that knowledge and information with others, 
and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources.
    NOAA relies on scientific information. Citizen science and 
crowdsourcing techniques will allow NOAA to collect qualitative and 
quantitative data that might help inform scientific research and 
monitoring, validate models or tools, support STEM learning, and 
enhance the quantity and quality of data collected to support NOAA's 
mission. Information gathered under this generic clearance will be used 
by NOAA to support the activities listed above and might provide 
unprecedented avenues for conducting breakthrough research. Collections 
under this generic clearance will be from participants who actively 
seek to participate on their own initiative through an open and 
transparent process (NOAA does select participants or require 
participation); collections will be low-cost for both the participants 
and the Federal Government; and the data will be available to support 
the scientific research (including assessments, tools, models, etc.) of 
NOAA and its partners. Its partners include states, tribal or local 
entities, business or other for-profit organizations, and not-for-
profit institutions or organizations. NOAA may, by virtue of 
collaborating with other federal agencies and/or non-federal entities, 
sponsor the collection of this type of information in connection with 
citizen science or crowdsourcing projects. All collections must comply 
with NOAA policies and the scope of this generic clearance, which 
includes, but is not limited to, the natural, applied, social, and 
cultural sciences as they apply to crowdsourcing and citizen science 
activities. Finally, personally identifiable information (PII) will 
only be collected when necessary and in accordance with applicable 
federal procedures and policies. If a new collection is not within the 
parameters of this generic clearance, NOAA will submit a separate 
information collection request to OMB for approval of that new 
collection.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-XXXX.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (new generic clearance for its 
citizen science and crowdsourcing projects and approval for those 
citizen science and crowdsourcing existing collections in use without 
an OMB control number).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; Business or other for-
profit organizations; Not-for-profit institutions or organization; 
State, Local, or Tribal government; and Federal government; Farms.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,372,414.
    Estimated Time per Response: 9.0 minutes average with a range from 
1 minutes to 8 hours, depending on the project.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 3,116,328.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $97,932.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

[[Page 52512]]

    Legal Authority: Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Act; Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA); Marine Mammal 
Protection Act (MMPA); National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA); Harmful 
Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (HABHRCA); Coastal 
Zone Management Act (CZMA); Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP); 
Digital Coast Act (DAC); Ocean and Coastal Mapping Integration Act 
(OCMIA); Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act (WRFIA); 
Endangered Species Act (ESA); National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); 
The National Environmental Education Act, E.O. 12866 (Regulatory 
Planning and Review); E.O. 12898 (Environmental Justice); E.O. 13985 
(Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities); and 
E.O. 14008 (Climate Crisis).

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. 2022-18461 Filed 8-25-22; 8:45 am]
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