[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 143 (Thursday, July 25, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60445-60446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16407]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

[GX24EN05ESK0000]


Agency Information Collection Activities; The Impact and 
Potential of ``Co-Production'' in Addressing Climate Adaptation Across 
the Pacific Islands

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is proposing a new information 
collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
September 23, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this information collection request 
(ICR) by mail to USGS, Information Collections Clearance Officer, 12201 
Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 159, Reston, VA 20192; or by email to [email protected]. Please reference OMB Control Number 1028-NEW 
CASC Co-Production Assessment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Mari-Vaughn Johnson by email at 
[email protected] or by telephone at 808-208-3142. 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 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 PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require 
approval under the PRA. We may not conduct or sponsor, nor are you 
required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies to comment on 
new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This 
helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements 
and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public 
understand our information collection requirements and provide the 
requested data in the desired format.
    We are especially interested in public comment addressing the 
following:
    (1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How the agency might minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of response.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. Before including your address, phone number, email 
address, or other personally identifiable information (PII) in your 
comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your 
PII--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us 
in your comment to withhold your PII from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Project A

    Abstract: The Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center 
(PI-CASC) involves a partnership between U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 
and a university consortium including the University of Hawai[revaps]i 
at M[amacr]noa, the University of Hawai[revaps]i at Hilo, and the 
University of Guam. PI-CASC aims to support a portfolio of research 
projects that foster long-lasting partnerships between researchers, 
natural and cultural resource stewards and managers, and community 
leaders. While building local capacities, PI-CASC endeavors to co-
develop the science/knowledge bases informing our current understanding 
of climate change and its impacts, as well as how we might take steps 
to adapt to those impacts across the Pacific Islands. PI-CASC is 
seeking to conduct surveys and interviews with project leaders, 
collaborators, and community members to better understand the state of 
co-production across the portfolio and how such cooperative efforts may 
be improved moving forward. The proposed survey and interviews will 
collect the following information:

[[Page 60446]]

     The state of collaborative relationships between project 
partners, the community, and others since project completion.
     Status of products developed via PICASC funding (e.g., new 
grant awards, research articles, presentations, workshops, 
visualization tools, assessments, guidance documents, etc.).
     PI-CASC experience's influence on approaches taken in 
other projects.
    The information collected in this effort will be used to improve 
the approach to developing climate adaptation science/knowledge 
production and concomitant management/stewardship plans in future PI-
CASC work.
    Title of Collection: The Impact and Potential of ``Co-Production'' 
in Addressing Climate Adaptation across the Pacific Islands.
    OMB Control Number: 1028-NEW.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: New.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Respondents will include PI-CASC 
funded projects' principal investigators, co-investigators, and 
collaborators; graduate scholars and postdocs; and community members. 
These include individuals from Federal organizations, state 
organizations (including academic institutions), NGOs, and tribal 
entities.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: PI-CASC expects to 
request surveys from a maximum of 330 respondents (Approximately 85 
Federal employees, 20 State or local government employees, 150 
University/College researchers, 45 NGO leaders, and 30 international 
respondents that have been involved and/or impacted by PI-CASC project 
work). Of these 330 requests, we hope to have a response rate near 
half, to get an estimated 150 survey responses. We also plan to request 
interviews with 50 participants from a subset of PI-CASC project case 
studies. There is likely to be overlap in the participants that 
complete the surveys and are requested for interviews.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: An estimated 150 
surveys and 50 interviews are expected.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Each survey is expected to 
take a respondent approximately 10 minutes to complete. For those that 
agree to an interview, an additional 1 hour is expected to be used per 
interview.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: An estimated 75 
burden hours per year is expected (10 min x 150) + (60 min x 50) = 4500 
min [rarr] 75 hours. However, if all survey respondents completed our 
surveys, we could reach a maximum or 105 hours per year (10 min x 330) 
+ (60 min x 50) = 6300 min [rarr] 105 hours.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: The information collection needed to reach 
the described 150-330 surveys and 50 interviews may take place over 
multiple years (splitting up the described annual burden hours), and 
the overall collection process may be potentially repeated per every 5 
years to gather information about changes over time.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

Project B

    Abstract: The USGS PI-CASC and USFWS support the coordinator of the 
Pacific Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change Management Network 
(Pacific RISCC), a Community of Practice that includes partnerships 
with PI-CASC, USGS, USFWS, the University of Hawaii at M[amacr]noa, the 
State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of 
Forestry & Wildlife, the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and 
representatives from all of the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands. 
Pacific RISCC aims to support research and management efforts 
addressing the individual and interacting impacts of climate change and 
invasive species in the U.S. Pacific, with the goal of increasing the 
effectiveness of management and reducing the impacts of climate change 
and invasive species. Pacific RISCC would like to assess the 
effectiveness of hosted workshops by surveying attendees. The proposed 
surveys and interviews will collect the following types of information:
     Demographic characteristics of workshop attendees (field, 
role/position, location, etc.).
     Pacific RISCC events, products, communications, or tools 
that are most used by and/of interest to attendees.
     Outstanding invasive species and climate change related 
challenges and associated research needs.
     Response to workshop in terms of topical relevance, 
effectiveness, accessibility, and capacity building in a regional 
context.
    The information collected in this effort will be used to better 
align the future goals and objectives of Pacific RISCC, including 
future workshops, with the needs of respondants across the Pacific 
RISCC region.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Respondents will include individuals 
from county, state, and Federal organizations, including land 
management agencies and academic institutions, individuals from non-
profits and NGOs, students, and community members.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: Pacific RISCC expects 
to request annual survey completion via the Pacific RISCC Listserv from 
a maximum of 460 respondents (approximately 100 Federal employees, 40 
state or local government employees, 180 university/college researchers 
(including students), 50 NGO leaders, 85 community members, and 5 
international respondents. Additionally, Pacific RISCC expects to 
request post-workshop surveys twice a year from a maximum of 75 
respondents per workshop (affiliations will depend on who signs up, but 
will likely include Federal, state, and county agency resource managers 
and scientists from state and Federal institutions).
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: An estimated 460 
surveys and 12 interviews are expected to be completed from the annual 
listserv inquiry, and an additional 150 post-workshop survey responses 
are expected to be returned (610 surveys total). This estimate is based 
on 100% response rate (actual response rate will likely be much lower).
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Each survey is expected to 
take a respondent approximately 10 minutes to complete. For those that 
agree to a follow up interview, an additional 1 hour is expected to be 
taken per interview.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: An estimated 90 
hours are expected to be taken for annual listserv surveys and 
interviews, and an estimated 25 hours are expected to be taken for the 
two post-workshop surveys. The total maximum estimated burden hours is 
115 hours.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: Information will be collected annually.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number.
    The authority for this action is the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Mari-Vaughn Johnson,
Regional Administrator, PI-CASC, USGS.
[FR Doc. 2024-16407 Filed 7-24-24; 8:45 am]
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