Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Data Collection on Marine Protected and Managed Areas, 2616-2617 [05-841]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 10 (Friday, January 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2616-2617]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-841]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 011005C]


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Data Collection 
on Marine Protected and Managed Areas

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before March 15, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at dHynek@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Lani Watson, Special Projects Office, National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration, SSMC4, 1305 East West Highway, Room 
9431, Silver Spring, MD 20910, or via email at Lani.Watson@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Executive Order 13158 directs the Department of Commerce and the 
Department of the Interior to work with partners to strengthen the 
protection of U.S. ocean and coastal resources by developing a national 
system of marine protected areas. The Departments of Commerce and the 
Interior plan to work closely with state, territorial, local, and 
tribal governments, as well as other stakeholders, to identify and 
inventory the Nation's existing marine protected areas. Toward this 
end, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the 
Department of the Interior (DOI) have created a dataform, available on 
a password protected website, to be used as a survey tool to collect 
and analyze information on these existing sites. This survey will allow 
NOAA and DOI to

[[Page 2617]]

better understand the existing protections for marine resources within 
marine protected areas in the United States. This information would 
also support activities on marine protected areas by state and local 
governments, tribes, and other interested parties. The survey contains 
directed questions regarding the location, management and enforcement 
authorities, types of protections and restrictions, and the length of 
time those protections or restrictions are in place for each marine 
protected area. Basic information about the resources and activities at 
the sites will also be collected. It is expected that site managers 
from each marine protected area will fill out the survey. The collected 
information will be housed in a searchable database that will be made 
available to the public via the marine protected area website at 
mpa.gov. The survey has been in use for the last three years and this 
notice proposes to extend the data collection time period.

II. Method of Collection

    The information will be collected using a dataform, available on a 
password protected website. This allows users to enter data at their 
own pace. The survey contains extensive embedded help and glossary 
files, as well as required Paperwork Reduction Act information.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0449.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: State, local, or tribal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 5 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: January 7, 2005.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-841 Filed 1-13-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-S