Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request, 52501 [E9-24534]

Agencies

• Geological Survey
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 52501]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-24534]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

ACTION: Notice of a new information collection.

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

SUMMARY: 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 
approval of the paperwork requirements for the National Coal Resources 
Data System (NCRDS) competitive grant program. This notice provides the 
public an opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of this 
project.

DATES: You must submit comments on or before November 12, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Please submit written comments on this information 
collection directly to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Desk Officer for the 
Department of the Interior via e-mail to OIRA_DOCKET@omb.eop.gov or 
fax at 202-395-5806; and identify your submission with Information 
Collection Number 1028-new, NCRDS.
    Please also submit a copy of your written comments to Phadrea 
Ponds, USGS Information Collection Clearance Officer, 2150-C Center 
Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80525 (mail); (970) 226-9230 (fax); or 
pponds@usgs.gov (e-mail). Please reference information collection 1028-
new, NCRDS in the subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Tewalt by mail at U.S. 
Geological Survey, National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, 
VA 20192 or by telephone at 703-648-6437.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Abstract

    The primary objective of the NCRDS is to advance the understanding 
of the energy endowment of the United States (U.S.) by gathering and 
organizing digital geologic information related to coal, coalbed gas, 
shale gas and other energy resources. The NCRDS of the USGS will issue 
a call for proposals to support researchers that can provide geologic 
data to support the National Coal Resources Data System and other 
solid-fuel energy assessment projects being conducted by the Energy 
Resources Program. Additional data is needed to data to support 
regional or national assessments concerning coal and coal bed gas 
occurrences. Requesting external cooperation is the very best way for 
NCRDS to collect energy data and perform research on the 
characterization of coals and organic-rich shale, and obtain other 
information (including geophysical or seismic data, sample collection 
for generation of thermal maturity data) that can be used in solid-fuel 
resource assessments. Data submitted to NCRDS by external cooperators 
will constitute more than two-thirds of the USGS point-source 
stratigraphic database (USTRAT) on coal occurrence. In 2010, NCRDS 
plans to support 26 projects in 23 States. The program will be 
conducted under various authorities, including 30 U.S.C. 208-1, 42 
U.S.C. 15801, and 43 U.S.C. 31 et seq. This collection will consist of 
applications, proposals and reports (annual and final).

I. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1028-NEW.
    Title: Energy Cooperatives to Support the National Coal Resources 
Data System (NCRDS).
    Respondent Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Frequency of Collection: One time every 5 years for applications 
and final reports; annually for progress reports.
    Affected Public: Individuals; State, local and tribal governments; 
State Geological Surveys, universities, and businesses.
    Annual Burden Hours: 300.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 26.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 35 (9 applications 26 
reports).
    Estimated Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'': 
None.

III. Request for Comments

    On May 14, 2009, we published a Federal Register notice (74 FR 
22760) announcing that we would submit this information collection to 
OMB for approval. The notice provided a 60-day comment period ending on 
July 13, 2009. We did not receive any comments in response to that 
notice.
    We again invite comments concerning this ICR on: (a) Whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the agency to 
perform its duties, including whether the information is useful; (b) 
the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burden on the respondents, including the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 
address or other personal identifying information in your comment, you 
should be aware that your entire comment including your personal 
identifying information, may be made publicly available at anytime. 
While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.
    USGS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Phadrea Ponds, (970) 
226-9445.

    Dated: October 6, 2009.
Brenda Pierce,
Program Coordinator, USGS Energy Resources Program.
[FR Doc. E9-24534 Filed 10-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4311-AM-P