[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 4 (Friday, January 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 752-753]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00040]


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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; Socioeconomics of Coral Reef Conservation

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. 
This notice pertains to a revision and extension of the approved 
collection of information for Socioeconomics of Coral Reef 
Conservation. 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 March 5, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0646 in the subject line of your 
comments. Written comments NOAA receives are considered part of the 
public record, and the entirety of the comment, including the name of 
the commenter, email address, attachments, and other supporting 
materials, will be publicly accessible. Sensitive personally 
identifiable information, such as account numbers and Social Security 
numbers or Confidential Business Information, should not be included 
with the comment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Mary Allen, NOAA Office for Coastal Management, Coral Reef 
Conservation Program, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 
Telephone (240) 528-8151 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for revision and extension to an approved 
collection of information, OMB Control Number 0648-0646, under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., and implementing 
regulations at 5 CFR part 1320. This previously-approved information 
collection assists NOAA in the administration of the National Coral 
Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP), which was established by the NOAA 
Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) under the authority of the Coral 
Reef Conservation Act of 2000, 16 U.S.C. 6401 et seq. This act 
authorizes CRCP to, among other things, conserve and restore the 
condition of United States coral reef ecosystems and enhance public 
awareness, understanding, and appreciation of coral reefs and coral 
reef ecosystems and their ecological and socioeconomic value. In 
accordance with its mission goals, NOAA developed a survey to track 
relevant information regarding each jurisdiction's population, social 
and economic structure, the benefits of coral reefs and related 
habitats, the impacts of society on coral reefs, and the impacts of 
coral management on communities. The survey is repeated in each 
jurisdiction every five to seven years in order to provide longitudinal

[[Page 753]]

data and information for managers to effectively conserve coral reefs 
for current and future generations.
    The purpose of this information collection is to obtain human 
dimensions information from residents in the seven United States (U.S.) 
jurisdictions containing coral reefs: Florida, U.S. Virgin Islands 
(USVI), Puerto Rico, Hawai'i, American Samoa, Guam, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Specifically, NOAA 
is seeking information on the behaviors and activities related to coral 
reefs, as well as information on perceptions of coral reef conditions 
and attitudes toward specific reef conservation activities. Each survey 
has a core set of questions that are asked across all jurisdictions to 
allow for information to be tracked over time and across jurisdictions. 
To account for geographical, cultural and linguistic differences 
between jurisdictions, the survey questions include items that are 
specific to the local context and developed based on jurisdictional 
partner feedback.
    We intend to use the information collected through this instrument 
for research purposes, as well as for measuring and improving the 
results of our reef protection programs. Because many of our efforts to 
protect reefs rely on education and changing attitudes toward reef 
protection, the information collected will allow CRCP to ensure that 
programs are designed appropriately at the start, future program 
evaluation efforts are as successful as possible, and outreach efforts 
are targeting the intended recipients with useful information.
    Pursuant to a request from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB), this collection of information was restructured in 2021 as a 
hybrid-generic collection. That structure is maintained herein.

II. Method of Collection

    Information will be collected using the most efficient and 
effective methodology that is feasible in the individual jurisdiction. 
Dependent upon the jurisdiction, data will be collected via in-person 
or mail recruitment, in-person interviews, and/or push-to-web online 
survey platforms. For the three years covered by this clearance, data 
collection will target the USVI, Florida, and Hawai'i and will be 
collected as such: in-person interviews with an online option in the 
USVI and via mail push-to-web in Florida and Hawai'i.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0646.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission. Revision and extension to a 
currently approved information collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 9,840.
    Estimated Time per Response: 20 minutes per response.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 469 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, 16 U.S.C. 
6401 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 request. 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. If you would rather make an 
anonymous comment, please submit comments through regulations.gov.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2024-00040 Filed 1-4-24; 8:45 am]
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