Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Evaluation of NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training Programs, 44564-44565 [05-15264]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44564-44565]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15264]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Evaluation of 
NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training Programs

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

ACTION: Notice.

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

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.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 3, 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 Shannon Sprague, 410-267-5664 or 
shannon.sprague@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    In 2002 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 
began administering the Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) 
Program to offer competitive grants to support implementation of the 
Chesapeake 2000 Agreement. This will be achieved by promoting success 
on the agreement's significant goal for education and outreach: 
Beginning with the class of 2005, provide a meaningful Bay or stream 
outdoor experience for every school student in the watershed before 
graduation from high school. (Chesapeake 2000 Agreement).
    The B-WET Program funding, over $2 million per year, assists school 
jurisdictions in providing ``Meaningful Watershed Educational 
Experiences'' (MWEEs) to all students before they graduate from high 
school. B-WET funding is awarded to organizations that provide MWEEs 
directly to students and to organizations that provide professional 
development to teachers, training them to conduct MWEEs with their 
students. For FY2005, 32 organizations, including non-profits, school 
districts, state agencies, and universities, are funded to provide 
MWEEs to over 27,000 students and professional development to over 
2,000 teachers.
    Through this evaluation, NOAA seeks to learn how B-WET-funded 
programs implement MWEEs and what outcomes are being achieved. In 
particular, the information collected will determine whether B-WET-
funded MWEE programs are improving students' stewardship and academic 
achievement and building teachers' confidence in implementing MWEEs 
with their students. The evaluation's results will be used by NOAA B-
WET managers to document the effects of currently-funded programs, 
inform future funding decisions, and identify critical ``lessons 
learned'' to share with national education communities. The instruments 
developed as part of this initial evaluation will also be made 
available to B-WET Program providers for their use in monitoring their 
individual programs' effectiveness.

II. Method of Collection

    Depending on the response group, either paper questionnaires, 
electronic questionnaires, or telephone interviews are required from 
participants, and methods of submittal include Internet and postal 
service transmission of paper forms.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0530.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; not-for-profit 
institutions; and state, local, or tribal governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 7,427.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 0.5 hours for students; 0.33 hours for 
teachers; 1 hour for program providers; 0.33 hours for professional 
development teachers; 1 hour for professional development program 
providers; and 0.33 hours for past professional development teachers.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,838.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

[[Page 44565]]

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: July 28, 2005.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-15264 Filed 8-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-12-P