[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 165 (Monday, August 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58551-58552]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18477]


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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; Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Permit Application 
and Reports for Permits

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 the agency [or department] to 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 the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before October 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0548 in the subject line of your 
comments. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise 
sensitive personally identifiable information or any other type of 
protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Phillip Howard, Permit Specialist, NOAA Office of National Marine 
Sanctuaries, 1845 Wasp Blvd., Building 176 Honolulu, HI 96818, (808-
725-5800), and [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    On June 15, 2006, President Bush established the Papahanaumokuakea 
Marine National Monument by issuing Presidential Proclamation 8031 (71 
FR 36443, June 26, 2006), as amended on February 28, 2007 by 
Presidential Proclamation 8112 (72 FR 10031, March 6, 2007), under the 
authority of the Antiquities Act (54 U.S.C. 320301 et seq.). The 
Secretary of Commerce, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA), has primary responsibility regarding the 
management of the marine areas of the Monument, in consultation with 
the Secretary of the Interior. Similarly, the Secretary of the 
Interior, through the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), has sole 
responsibility for management of the areas of the Monument that overlay 
the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, the Battle of Midway 
National Memorial, and the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, 
in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce.
    Presidential Proclamations 8031 and 8112 include restrictions and 
prohibitions regarding activities in the Monument. Specifically, the 
Proclamations prohibit access to the Monument except when passing 
through without interruption or as allowed under a permit issued by 
NOAA and the FWS. Vessels passing through the Monument without 
interruption are required to notify NOAA and FWS upon entering into and 
leaving the monument. Individuals wishing to access the Monument to 
conduct certain regulated activities must first apply for and be 
granted a permit issued by NOAA and FWS.
    On August 29, 2006, NOAA and FWS published a final rule codifying 
the provisions of Presidential Proclamation 8031 (71 FR 51134). These 
agencies have since worked extensively with the State of Hawaii to 
ensure the permitting requirements and processes of all three entities 
are sufficiently coordinated and to ensure applicants for permits for 
Monument activities require only a single application and receive one, 
combined agency permit.
    The information submitted by permit applicants will be used to 
decide

[[Page 58552]]

whether to approve or deny a permit application. In making this 
decision, the agencies will consider such factors as:
     the professional qualifications and financial ability of 
the applicant as related to the proposed activity;
     the duration of the activity and its effects;
     the appropriateness of the methods and procedures proposed 
by the applicant for the conduct of the activity;
     the extent to which the conduct of the activity may 
diminish or enhance the qualities for which the Monument was 
designated;
     the end value of the activity; and
     other such matters as agency staff deem appropriate.
    In addition to informing the agencies' decisions on permit 
applications, information submitted in permit applications and reports 
submitted pursuant to permit conditions may also be used by the 
agencies to inform--
     administrative appeals of permit decisions;
     decision making on a permit amendment request or another 
permit application; or
     other management actions (e.g., emergency response and 
enforcement).
    In terms of frequency of use, the information submitted in permit 
applications will, in general, only be used at the time the application 
is submitted to make a final decision on the application. Some of the 
information may also be used subsequent to the initial decision making 
to inform management actions or decision making. For example, a survey 
of a project location by one permit applicant may be used by the 
agencies in the future to respond to a vessel grounding in the same 
area to facilitate the agencies' decision in response to that matter. 
Information submitted in a report will be used to periodically assess 
the permittee's compliance with permit terms and conditions and to 
assist in evaluating the appropriateness of the permitted activity.

II. Method of Collection

    Respondents have a choice of either electronic or paper forms. 
Methods of submittal include email of electronic forms, and mail and 
facsimile transmission of paper forms.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0548.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission, extension of a current 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals, non-profit institutions; Federal, 
State, local, government, Native Hawaiian organizations; business or 
other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 411.
    Estimated Time per Response: Conservation and Management and 
Education (``general'' permits), 5 hours; Special Ocean Use permits, 10 
hours; Native Hawaiian Practices permits, 8 hours; Recreation permits, 
6 hours; permit modification requests and final reports, 10 hours; and 
annual reports, 5 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,343.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $61,783 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs and vessel monitoring system installation and 
maintenance.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits, or 
Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: 54 U.S.C. 320301 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.; 
16 U.S.C. 742f, 16 U.S.C. 742l; 16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.

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 Information Collection Review. 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 Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2023-18477 Filed 8-25-23; 8:45 am]
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