[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 37 (Friday, February 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11953-11954]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03882]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[OMB Control Number 1010-NEW; Docket ID: BOEM-2023-0004]


Agency Information Collection Activities; North Atlantic Right 
Whale Research and Management Activities

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposes a new information 
collection request (ICR).

DATES: Comments must be received by BOEM no later than April 25, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this ICR by mail to the BOEM 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Anna Atkinson, Bureau of 
Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, Virginia 20166; 
or by email to [email protected]. Please reference Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1010-NEW in the subject line 
of your comments. You may also view the ICR and its related documents 
by searching the docket number BOEM-2023-00004 at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anna Atkinson by email at 
[email protected], or by telephone at 703-787-1025. Individuals in 
the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a 
speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside of the United 
States should use the relay services offered within their country to 
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, BOEM provides the general public and other Federal 
agencies with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and 
continuing collections of information. This helps BOEM assess the 
impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the 
public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand BOEM's 
information collection requirements and provide the requested data in 
the desired format.
    BOEM is soliciting comments on the proposed ICR described below. 
BOEM is especially interested in public comments addressing the 
following issues: (1) is the collection necessary to the proper 
functions of BOEM; (2) what can BOEM do to ensure that this information 
is processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the burden estimate 
accurate; (4) how might BOEM enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and (5) how might BOEM minimize the 
burden of this collection on the respondents, including minimizing the 
burden through the use of information technology?
    Comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. BOEM will include or summarize each comment in its ICR 
to OMB for approval of this information collection. You should be aware 
that your entire comment--including your address, phone number, email 
address, or other personally identifiable information included in your 
comment--may be made publicly available at any time.
    You may request that BOEM withhold your personally identifiable 
information

[[Page 11954]]

from public disclosure. In order for BOEM to consider withholding from 
disclosure your personally identifying information, you must identify, 
in a cover letter, any information contained in your comments that, if 
released, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of your 
personal privacy. You must also briefly describe any possible harmful 
consequences from disclosing your information, such as embarrassment, 
injury, or other harm. Even if BOEM withholds your information in the 
context of this ICR, your submission is subject to the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552). If your submission is requested 
under the FOIA, BOEM can only withhold your information if it 
determines that one of the FOIA's exemptions to disclosure applies. 
Such a determination will be made in accordance with the Department of 
the Interior's FOIA regulations (43 CFR part 2) and applicable law.
    Note that BOEM will make available for public inspection all 
comments in their entirety submitted by organizations and businesses, 
or by individuals identifying themselves as representatives of 
organizations or businesses.
    BOEM protects proprietary information in accordance with FOIA, the 
Department's implementing regulations.
    Title of Collection: ``North Atlantic Right Whale Research and 
Management Activities.''
    Abstract: BOEM is working on a project to identify and synthesize 
current North Atlantic right whale (NARW) research and management 
activities conducted by State and Federal government researchers, 
academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This 
project includes identification of mitigation efforts to avoid or limit 
impacts from offshore wind development activities on NARWs. This 
information will provide essential data and stakeholder feedback so 
that BOEM managers and scientists are better able to predict, mitigate, 
and monitor any potential conflicts between NARWs and offshore wind 
development.
    An important component of this project is the development of the 
NARW synthesis report. This report will include a summary of: (1) 
existing sources of information related specifically to understanding 
presence, distribution, and density of NARWs in and around wind energy 
areas offshore the U.S. Atlantic coast; (2) current approaches for 
avoiding or limiting impacts to NARWs during offshore wind construction 
and operation; (3) a listing of mitigation measures recommended by 
others but not yet adopted; (4) current monitoring requirements and 
their implementation; and (5) an accounting of emerging technologies 
that may allow monitoring at project and regional scales.
    In order to develop the synthesis report, BOEM seeks OMB approval 
for a set of standardized questions to NARW stakeholders regarding 
their activities to understand impacts from offshore wind energy 
projects on the whales and to ensure effective mitigation monitoring. 
The questions are designed to learn of recent and ongoing research and 
management strategies employed by relevant State and Federal 
governments, academic institutions, and NGOs, including outcomes of 
prior workshops and planning bodies. BOEM has partnered with the Blue 
World Research Institute to implement the questionnaire. The 
questionnaire comprises approximately 20 questions that ask respondents 
about: (1) their organization; (2) information on current monitoring 
and research activities, such as objective, location, scope, methods, 
timelines, outcomes and challenges, and contributions to NARW 
conservation or impact reduction; (3) related ancillary information, 
such as type of study, next steps, and focus of future funding sources; 
and (4) additional comments and discussion. The questionnaire avoids 
sensitive topics or matters that are commonly considered private. The 
results will be summarized as part of the NARW synthesis report.
    Additionally, BOEM plans to hold two to three webinars or one 
virtual workshop to present results of the synthesis report and solicit 
feedback on future research priorities and management needs from the 
offshore energy industry and NARW stakeholders. This feedback will be 
compiled in a final report.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-NEW.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: New.
    Respondents/Affected Public: State (and Federal) government 
researchers, academic institutions, and NGOs.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 200 responses.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 210 hours.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden Cost: There is no non-hour 
cost burden associated with this 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 valid 
OMB control number.
    The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Karen Thundiyil,
Chief, Office of Regulations, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2023-03882 Filed 2-23-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340-98-P