Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; National Estuaries Restoration Inventory, 26202 [E9-12641]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 103 (Monday, June 1, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 26202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-12641]



[[Page 26202]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; National 
Estuaries Restoration Inventory

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Department of Commerce.

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.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 31, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 7845, 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 Perry Gayaldo, (301) 713-0174 or Perry.Gayaldo@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Collection of estuary habitat restoration project information 
(e.g., location, habitat type, goals, status, monitoring information) 
is in process in order to continue to populate a restoration project 
database mandated by the Estuary Restoration Act (ERA) of 2000. The 
National Estuaries Restoration Inventory (NERI) contains information 
for estuary habitat restoration projects funded through the ERA as well 
as non-ERA project data that meet quality control requirements and data 
standards established under the Act. The database provides information 
to improve restoration methods, provides the basis for required reports 
to Congress, and tracks estuary habitat acreage restored. It is 
accessible to the public via the Internet for data queries and project 
reports. Recipients of ERA funds are required to submit specific 
information on habitat restoration projects into the NERI database 
through an interactive Web site available over the Internet (https://neri.noaa.gov/). The projects that are not funded through the ERA can 
be voluntarily entered into the database by project managers. Other 
Federal agencies and private grant programs may also require recipients 
to enter project information in the NERI database.

II. Method of Collection

    Project managers will electronically submit estuary restoration 
project information via NOAA's National Estuaries Restoration Inventory 
(NERI) Web site. The Web site contains a user-friendly data entry 
interface for project managers to enter and submit project information 
to the NERI database. To facilitate the collection of information 
through the data entry interface, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS) provides worksheets containing database fields that can 
be downloaded and printed from the Web site. These worksheets can be 
used by project managers to guide information collection, and can then 
serve as a reference as project managers enter project information 
through the Web site. The reporting forms are also available in paper 
format to be sent to project managers as necessary.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0479.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; State, local, and 
tribal governments; and businesses or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 115.
    Estimated Time per Response: Four hours for new projects submitted, 
with an estimated 70 new projects to be submitted annually. This 
includes approximately three hours for collecting project information 
and writing the project abstract and one hour for entering information 
into the database. For existing projects, two hours are expected for 
updates, with an estimated 50 projects to be updated annually. 
Information originally collected and submitted for a project does not 
need to be collected again to update the project.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 380 hours.
    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: May 27, 2009.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E9-12641 Filed 5-29-09; 8:45 am]
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