U.s. Geological Survey – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the ACWI. This meeting is to discuss broad policy-related topics relating to national water initiatives, and the development and dissemination of water information, through reports from ACWI subgroups. The agenda will include updates from ACWI's various subcommittees; discussion of a new Climate Workgroup that is being formed; a report on the National Monitoring Conference, which was held earlier this year in Portland, Oregon; a demonstration of new features that will be released later in the summer for the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Information System; an update on the National Ground Water Monitoring Network Data Portal; a report on the Hydrologic Frequency Analysis Work Group's progress on revising Bulletin 17B, Guidelines For Determining Flood Flow Frequency; and a demonstration of a new component of the National Environmental Methods Index that provides better access to statistical and assessment methods for water quality. The ACWI was established under the authority of the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-92-01 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the ACWI is to provide a forum for water information users and professionals to advise the Federal Government on activities and plans that may improve the effectiveness of meeting the Nation's water information needs. Member organizations help to foster communications between the Federal and non-Federal sectors on sharing water information. Membership, limited to 35 organizations, represents a wide range of water resources interests and functions. Representation on the ACWI includes all levels of government, academia, private industry, and professional and technical societies. For more information on the ACWI, its membership, subgroups, meetings and activities, please see the Web site at: https://ACWI.gov.

The U.S. Geological Survey is creating 10-year strategies for each of its Mission Areas: Climate and Land Use Change, Core Science Systems, Ecosystems, Energy and Minerals, Environmental Health, Natural Hazards, and Water. This process involves gathering input from the public on draft strategy documents. Feedback can be offered at https:// www.usgs.gov/startwithscience.

We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. This IC is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2012. To submit a proposal for the MRERP a project narrative must be completed and submitted via Grants.gov. Furthermore, for multi-year projects, an annual progress report must be completed, and for all projects, a final technical report is required at the end of the project period. The narrative and report guidance is available at https://www.usgs.gov/contracts/Minerals/.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we (the U.S. Geological Survey) are notifying the public that we will submit to OMB an extension of a currently approved information collection (IC) for the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program (NGGDPP) under Section 351 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This notice provides the public and other Federal agencies an opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of this information collection (IC). The existing IC is scheduled to expire on July 31, 2012. To submit a proposal to the NGGDPP, a project narrative must be completed and submitted via www.Grants.gov. Furthermore, a final technical report for all projects is required at the end of the project period. Narrative and report guidance is available through https:// datapreservation.usgs.gov/and at www.Grants.gov.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we are notifying the public that we will submit to OMB an extension of a currently approved information collection for the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (NCGMP)EDMAP and STATEMAP. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this Information Collection (IC). The existing IC is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2012.

The National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC) will meet on January 12, 2012, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST. The meeting will be held via Web conference and teleconference. The NGAC, which is composed of representatives from governmental, private sector, non-profit, and academic organizations, has been established to advise the Chair of the Federal Geographic Data Committee on management of Federal geospatial programs, the development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure, and the implementation of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-16. Topics to be addressed at the meeting include:

Pursuant to Public Law 96-472, the National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council (NEPEC) will hold a 1\1/2\-day meeting on November 14 and 15, 2011, on the campus of the University of Washington. The Council is comprised of members from academia and the Federal Government. The Council shall advise the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey on proposed earthquake predictions, on the completeness and scientific validity of the available data related to earthquake predictions, and on related matters as assigned by the Director. Additional information about the Council may be found at: https://www.earthquake.usgs.gov/aboutus/nepec/. At the meeting, the Council will receive briefings on lessons learned from the 2010 Chile and 2011 Japan subduction earthquakes, monitoring and research efforts relating to earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest, research and development relating to earthquake early warning and short-term aftershock forecasting, and recent findings from the study of episodic tremor and slip and from the analysis of various seismic hazards in and around the State of Washington. The Council will also receive brief updates on the project intended to deliver an updated Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF3) in summer 2012, and on other topics. A draft workshop agenda is available on request (contact information below). In order to ensure sufficient seating and hand- outs, it is requested that visitors pre-register by November 8, 2011. Members of the public wishing to make a statement to the Council should provide notice of that intention by November 8 so that time may be allotted in the agenda.

Pursuant to Public Law 106-503, the Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee (SESAC) will hold its next meeting at the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology, 1200 New York Avenue, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005. The Committee is comprised of members from academia, industry, and State government. The Committee shall advise the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on matters relating to the USGS's participation in the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. The Committee will receive updates and provide guidance on Earthquake Hazards Program activities and the status of teams supported by the Program. Meetings of the Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee are open to the public.

We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection request (ICR) for the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP). As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this ICR. This ICR is scheduled to expire on July 31, 2011.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we are notifying the public that we have submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) an information collection request (ICR) for the revision of the currently approved paperwork requirements for the Ferrous Metals Surveys. This collection consists of 17 forms. This notice provides the public and other Federal agencies an opportunity to comment on the nature of this collection which is scheduled to expire on May 31, 2011.

Pursuant to Public Law 96-472, the National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council (NEPEC) will hold a 1-day meeting on April 16, 2011. The meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Memphis Downtown, 300 North Second Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38105. The Council is comprised of members from academia and the Federal Government. The Council shall advise the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey on proposed earthquake predictions, on the completeness and scientific validity of the available data related to earthquake predictions, and on related matters as assigned by the Director. Additional information about the Council may be found at: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/aboutus/nepec/. At the meeting, the Council will receive a report from the Independent Expert Panel on New Madrid Seismic Zone Earthquake Hazards, a subcommittee charged with commenting on the level of hazard posed by future large earthquakes in the region and on priorities for future research to better constrain that hazard. The Council may also receive briefings on other topics relating to earthquakes in the Central U.S., on earthquake swarms recently active in Arkansas, on communication of seismic hazard in the Pacific Northwest, on the project intended to deliver an updated Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF3) in summer 2012, on the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and on other topics. Workshops and meetings of the NEPEC are open to the public. A draft workshop agenda is available on request (contact information below). In order to ensure sufficient seating and hand-outs, it is requested that visitors pre-register by April 13. Members of the public wishing to make a statement to the Council should provide notice of that intention by April 13 so that time may be allotted in the agenda.

An interagency team of Federal agencies with freshwater resource management responsibilities is seeking public review and comment on a draft report to Congress titled ``Strengthening the Scientific Understanding of Climate Change Impacts on Freshwater Resources of the United States.'' The draft report reviews key issues related to freshwater resource data and climate change and identifies next steps to improve the Nation's capacity to detect and predict changes in freshwater resources that are likely to result from a changing climate. It was prepared in response to Section 9506 of Public Law 111-11 by an interagency team of water data program managers and scientists. The interagency team cooperated with the Subcommittee on Water Availability and Quality (SWAQ), an interagency subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Committee on Environment Natural Resources, and Sustainability (CENRS) and the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force and its Water Resources Workgroup. The interagency team also collaborated with a range of interested parties including the Advisory Committee on Water Information (ACWI). This draft report was prepared for public review and comment and is available on the Internet at https://www.acwi.climate/freshwater/report along with a link for providing comments.

The U.S. Geological Survey is creating 10-year strategies for each of its Mission Areas: Climate and Land Use Change, Core Science Systems, Ecosystems, Energy and Minerals, Environmental Health, Natural Hazards, and Water. This process involves gathering input from the public on draft strategy documents and questions that will inform the creation of these documents. Feedback can be offered at https:// www.usgs.gov/startwithscience.

We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. This IC is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2011.

We (U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and as a part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other federal agencies to comment on this IC. We may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. This IC is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2011.

We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. Please note that we 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 annual public meeting of the Federal Interagency Steering Committee on Multimedia Environmental Modeling (ISCMEM) will convene to discuss some of the latest developments in environmental modeling applications, tools and frameworks, as well as new operational initiatives for FY 2011 among the participating agencies. The meeting this year will emphasize ecosystem modeling and monitoring.

We (U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMS) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), and as a part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. As a federal agency, we may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

In 2007, the Energy Independence and Security Act (Pub. L. 110-140) directed the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of potential geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide (CO2). The first requirement stipulated in the legislation was to develop a methodology to estimate storage potential that could be applied uniformly to geologic formations across the United States, and then to announce the publication of the methodology in the Federal Register. The methodology, ``A Probabilistic Assessment Methodology for the Evaluation of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage,'' was published as an Open-File Report by the USGS and can be downloaded from: https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1127. This new methodology incorporates comments from the public, the heads of affected Federal and State agencies, and technical experts from Federal agencies, institutions of higher education, nongovernmental organizations, State organizations, industry, and international geoscience organizations, as required by the legislation. The new methodology will allow the USGS to assess the geologic CO2 storage resource potential for the United States. The results of the USGS national assessment will provide important information to evaluate the potential for CO2 storage as a mitigation option for global climate change.

Pursuant to Public Law 106-148, the NCGMP Advisory Committee will meet on May 18th, 2010, in Room 1-475 of the Ziggurat building, 3rd Street West, Building 707, Sacramento, California 95605, and on May 19th, 2010, in Room 1200 of the California Geological Survey Headquarters Building, 801 K Street, Sacramento, California 95814. The Advisory Committee, comprising representatives from Federal agencies, State agencies, academic institutions, and private companies, shall advise the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey on planning and implementation of the geologic mapping and data preservation programs.

We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and as a part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. We 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.

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we are notifying the public that we have submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) an information collection request (ICR) for the extension of the currently approved paperwork requirements for the USGS Mine, Development, and Mineral Exploration Supplement. This collection consists of one form and this notice provides the public an opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of this form. We 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.

We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. We 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.