[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 245 (Monday, December 29, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60735-60736]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23888]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

[Docket No. USGS-2025-0007; OMB Control Number 1028-0087; 
GX25GL00DT7ST00]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; National 
Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program (NGGDPP)

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Information Collection; request for comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 60736]]

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

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
January 28, 2026.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
    [ssquf] Internet: https://www.regulations.gov. Search for and 
submit comments on Docket No. USGS-2025-0007.
    [ssquf] U.S. Mail: USGS, Information Collections Clearance Officer, 
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 159, Reston, VA 20192.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele Wolf by email at 
[email protected], or by telephone at (720) 326-0284. 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. 
You also may view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the PRA of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), we provide the general 
public and other Federal agencies with an opportunity 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.
    A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period 
soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on 
July 23, 2025 (90 FR 34670). No comments were received.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other 
Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are 
especially interested in public comments 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 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 using 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.
    Abstract: This notice concerns the collection of information that 
is sufficient and relevant to evaluate and select proposals for funding 
under the NGGDPP. We will accept proposals from state geological 
surveys requesting funds to inventory and assess the condition of 
current collections and data preservation needs. Financial assistance 
will be awarded annually on a competitive basis following the 
evaluation and ranking of state proposals by a review panel composed of 
representatives from the U.S. Department of the Interior, state 
geological surveys, and academic institutions. To submit a proposal, 
respondents must complete a project narrative and submit the 
application via http://www.grants.gov. Grant recipients must complete a 
final technical report at the end of the project period. Narrative and 
report guidance is available at the NGGDPP website (NGGDPP Grants 
[verbar] U.S. Geological Survey) or https://www.grants.gov and https://home.grantsolutions.gov.
    Annual data preservation priorities are provided in the Program 
Announcement as guidance for applicants to consider when submitting 
proposals. Since its inception in 2007, NGGDPP has awarded 46 states 
with $32 million, which, when matched or exceeded by the states, 
amounts to over $64 million invested in the rescue and preservation 
efforts. We will protect information from respondents considered 
proprietary under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and 
implementing regulations (43 CFR part 2), and under regulations at 30 
CFR 250.197, ``Data and information to be made available to the public 
or for limited inspection.'' Responses are voluntary. No questions of a 
``sensitive'' nature are asked. We intend to release the project 
abstracts and identify states for awarded/funded projects only.
    Title of Collection: National Geological and Geophysical Data 
Preservation Program (NGGDPP).
    OMB Control Number: 1028-0087.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: All state geological surveys may apply 
for NGGDPP grants.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 35.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 70 (35 applications, 35 
final technical report submissions).
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Grant application time 
estimate is 80 hours; final technical report completion time estimate 
is 10 hours.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 3,150.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: 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 of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et 
seq.).

Michele Wolf,
NGGDPP Science Advisor (acting).
[FR Doc. 2025-23888 Filed 12-23-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P