Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request, 11941-11942 [2010-5444]
Download as PDF
11941
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Notices
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Comment Request
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104–
13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), and as part
of its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork and respondent burden, the
National Science Foundation invites the
general public and other Federal
agencies to take this opportunity to
comment on this information collection.
DATES: Written comments should be
received by May 11, 2010 to be assured
of consideration. Comments received
after that date will be considered to the
extent practicable.
Written comments
regarding the information collection and
requests for copies of the proposed
information collection request should be
addressed to Suzanne Plimpton, Reports
Clearance Officer, National Science
Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Rm.
295, Arlington, VA 22230, or by e-mail
to splimpto@nsf.gov.
For additional information or
comments: Contact Suzanne Plimpton,
the NSF Reports Clearance Officer,
phone (703) 292–7556, or send e-mail to
splimpto@nsf.gov. Individuals who use
a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–
800–877–8339, which is accessible 24
ADDRESSES:
hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a
year (including federal holidays).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Generic Clearance for the
Evaluation of National Science
Foundation’s East Asia and Pacific
Summer Institutes and International
Research Fellowship Program.
OMB Approval Number: 3145–NEW.
Expiration Data of Approval: Not
applicable.
Abstract: This is a request that the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) approve, under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, a three year
clearance for Abt Associates Inc. to
conduct data collection efforts for an
outcome evaluation of the National
Science Foundation’s East Asia and
Pacific Summer Institutes (EAPSI) and
International Research Fellowship
(IRFP) Program.
These two programs offer early career
researchers an opportunity to forge
collaborative relationships with foreign
scientists and engineers, albeit through
different interventions. Launched in
1999, EAPSI provides $5,000 of support
to US graduate students to spend the
summer (two months) conducting
research in seven countries in East Asia
and the Pacific region. The program is
designed to immerse US scholars into
the scientific and social culture of the
host location. IRFP, established in 1992,
provides support to post-graduate
scientists (generally a year or two after
the receipt of a doctoral degree), for a
research experience abroad lasting from
9 to 24 months, with no restriction on
geographical area. Awards range from
$57,000 to $200,000, depending on the
location, cost and duration of the
project, and the applicants’ family
status.
To assess the program effectiveness,
NSF has plans to collect data that are
designed to explore the fellowship
experiences and educational and career
outcomes of EAPSI and IRFP fellows as
well as the influence of the programs on
host scientists and their institutions and
on US scientists and their institutions.
The primary methods of data collection
will include analyses of NSF program
records and surveys of fellows,
unfunded applicants, US advisors of
fellows, and foreign hosts.
Expected Respondents: Include EAPSI
and IRFP fellows; EAPSI and IRFP
unfunded applicants (individuals who
submitted an application, but did not
receive an award); EAPSI and IRFP
foreign hosts (individuals with whom
EAPSI and IRFP fellows conduct
research in foreign countries); and
EAPSI US advisors (graduate advisors of
EAPSI students).
Use of the Information: The purpose
of these studies is to provide NSF with
outcome data on the EAPSI and IRFP
programs. These data would be used for
internal program management and for
reporting to stakeholders within and
outside of NSF.
Burden on the Public: NSF estimates
that a total reporting and recordkeeping
burden of 3,125.5 hours will result from
activities to implement the surveys. The
calculation is shown in Table 1:
TABLE 1—NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS, FREQUENCY OF RESPONSE, AND ANNUAL HOUR BURDEN
Number of
respondents
Respondent type
Time per
response
(hours)
Number of
responses #
Total time
burden (hours)
EAPSI Fellows .................................................................................................
EAPSI Unfunded Applicants ............................................................................
EAPSI US Advisors .........................................................................................
EAPSI Foreign Hosts .......................................................................................
IRFP Fellows ...................................................................................................
IRFP Unfunded Applicants ..............................................................................
IRFP Foreign Hosts .........................................................................................
1,434
1,401
*1,434
*1,434
567
1,502
*567
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
1,075
1,050
1,075
1,075
425
1,126
425
537.5
525
537.5
537.5
212.5
563
212.5
Total ..........................................................................................................
*8,339
N/A
6,251
3,125.5
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
# Assume a 75% response rate.
* Or fewer. We assume that some foreign hosts for both programs have accepted more than one fellow; that some EAPSI fellows and applicants had the same graduate advisor; and that some EAPSI fellows participated in IRFP. The numbers in the table are therefore overestimates
for these groups.
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 of the proposed
VerDate Nov<24>2008
17:18 Mar 11, 2010
Jkt 220001
collection of information; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information on respondents,
including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology; and (d) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to
PO 00000
Frm 00108
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
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
E:\FR\FM\12MRN1.SGM
12MRN1
11942
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 48 / Friday, March 12, 2010 / Notices
information collection; they also will
become a matter of public record.
Dated: March 9, 2010.
Suzanne Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2010–5444 Filed 3–11–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
Conflict Resolution. Alternative dispute
resolution is a process in which a
neutral mediator with no decisionmaking authority assists the parties in
reaching an agreement on resolving any
differences regarding the dispute. This
Confirmatory Order is issued pursuant
to the agreement reached during the
ADR process.
III
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket No. 030–03732, License No. 05–
03166–05, EA–09–142, NRC–2010–0098]
In the Matter of U.S. Department of
Commerce, National Institute of
Standards and Technology;
Confirmatory Order Modifying License
(Effective Immediately)
I
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s
National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST or Licensee) is the
holder of Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC or Commission)
Materials License 05–03166–05 issued
pursuant to 10 CFR Part 30 on December
19, 1966, and amended to include 10
CFR Parts 40 and 70 on April 19, 2007.
The license authorizes the operation of
the NIST-Boulder facility in accordance
with conditions specified therein. The
facility is located on the Licensee’s site
in Boulder, Colorado.
This Confirmatory Order is the result
of an agreement reached during an
alternative dispute resolution (ADR)
mediation session conducted on January
5, 2010.
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
II
On July 22, 2008, the NRC’s Office of
Investigations began an investigation
(Office of Investigations’ Case No. 4–
2008–062) into the circumstances
surrounding the June 9, 2008,
plutonium contamination event at
NIST-Boulder. A special inspection of
the contamination event was initiated
on June 11, 2008. Based on the evidence
developed during its investigation and
associated inspection, 10 apparent
violations were identified (summarized
in Section III below). In addition, the
NRC was concerned that willfulness
may have been associated with one of
those apparent violations. The results of
the investigation and inspection were
sent to NIST in a letter dated November
2, 2009. In response to NRC’s November
2, 2009, letter, NIST requested ADR to
resolve these issues.
On January 5, 2010, the NRC and
NIST met in an ADR session mediated
by a professional mediator, arranged
through Cornell University’s Institute on
VerDate Nov<24>2008
17:18 Mar 11, 2010
Jkt 220001
In response to the NRC’s offer, NIST
requested use of the NRC ADR process
to resolve issues associated with the 10
apparent violations identified by the
NRC. During that ADR session, a
preliminary settlement agreement was
reached. The elements of the agreement
consisted of the following:
Pursuant to the NRC Office of
Enforcement’s ADR program, the
following are the terms and conditions
agreed upon in principle by the U.S.
Department of Commerce, NIST, and the
NRC relating to NRC Inspection Report
030–03732/2008–001 issued by the NRC
to NIST on November 2, 2009.
Whereas, the NRC’s inspection and
investigation conducted between June
11, 2008, and November 2, 2009,
identified ten apparent violations of
NRC requirements;
Whereas, the ten apparent violations
involved were:
(1) The failure to provide complete
and accurate information to the
Commission;
(2) The failure to control and maintain
constant surveillance of licensed
material in a controlled area and not in
storage;
(3) The failure to secure from
unauthorized removal or limit access to
licensed materials stored in a controlled
area;
(4) The failure to provide radiation
safety training for all applicable
individuals;
(5) The failure to have a radiation
safety program sufficient to ensure that
occupational doses and doses to
members of the public were as low as
reasonably achievable;
(6) The failure to periodically audit
the radiation safety program content and
implementation;
(7) The failure to demonstrate that the
total effective dose equivalent to
individuals would not exceed the
annual dose limit for members of the
public;
(8) The failure to monitor the
occupational intake of plutonium by
radiation workers;
(9) The failure to limit receipt,
possession, and use of radioactive
material authorized on the NRC license;
and
PO 00000
Frm 00109
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
(10) The failure to assure that
servicing involving radioactive material
of a device was performed by a person
authorized to perform this activity.
Whereas, the NRC is concerned that
willfulness may be associated with one
apparent violation above;
Whereas, NRC acknowledges the
extensive corrective actions NIST has
already implemented associated with
the apparent violations, which include:
(1) Completing extensive, successful
decontamination of the NIST-Boulder
facility;
(2) Designating a new radiation safety
officer at NIST-Boulder;
(3) Designating a new radiation safety
officer at NIST-Gaithersburg;
(4) Establishing and filling a seniorlevel safety-executive position to
oversee the NIST central safety
organization;
(5) Reorganizing the central safety
organization so that both NIST-Boulder
and NIST-Gaithersburg report to the
safety executive;
(6) Providing additional resources to
the NIST central safety organization,
including resources for additional staff
and equipment for health physics;
(7) Establishing and filling a senior
safety-management position to oversee
the safety organization at NIST-Boulder;
(8) Establishing and filling a seniorlevel research-director position at NIST–
Boulder with local line-management
responsibility for the safety of all
laboratory activities at NIST–Boulder;
(9) Establishing and filling a new
executive-level site-manager position at
NIST–Boulder to coordinate safety,
emergency preparedness, and security
for the entire Department of Commerce’s
Boulder site and to help ensure that the
safety functions needed by NIST–
Boulder are provided effectively and
efficiently by the safety office in
Boulder;
(10) Improving the safety culture of
NIST by communicating individual and
management responsibility for safety,
providing staff with the tools needed to
understand how to protect themselves
and those around them, and creating
safer workplaces;
(11) Establishing and implementing a
new NIST-wide policy on hazard
analysis and control, including
requirements related to emergency
planning; and
(12) Undertaking additional efforts to
further evaluate and improve the safety
culture at NIST.
Whereas, the NRC acknowledges
NIST took the following additional
actions to address issues identified by
the city of Boulder, Colorado:
(1) Updating the inventory of and
properly disposing of unused chemicals;
E:\FR\FM\12MRN1.SGM
12MRN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 48 (Friday, March 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11941-11942]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5444]
[[Page 11941]]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13
(44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), and as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, the National Science Foundation
invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this
opportunity to comment on this information collection.
DATES: Written comments should be received by May 11, 2010 to be
assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will be
considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the information collection and
requests for copies of the proposed information collection request
should be addressed to Suzanne Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer,
National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Rm. 295, Arlington, VA
22230, or by e-mail to splimpto@nsf.gov.
For additional information or comments: Contact Suzanne Plimpton,
the NSF Reports Clearance Officer, phone (703) 292-7556, or send e-mail
to splimpto@nsf.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications device
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service
(FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, 365 days a year (including federal holidays).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Generic Clearance for the Evaluation of National Science
Foundation's East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes and International
Research Fellowship Program.
OMB Approval Number: 3145-NEW.
Expiration Data of Approval: Not applicable.
Abstract: This is a request that the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) approve, under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, a
three year clearance for Abt Associates Inc. to conduct data collection
efforts for an outcome evaluation of the National Science Foundation's
East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes (EAPSI) and International
Research Fellowship (IRFP) Program.
These two programs offer early career researchers an opportunity to
forge collaborative relationships with foreign scientists and
engineers, albeit through different interventions. Launched in 1999,
EAPSI provides $5,000 of support to US graduate students to spend the
summer (two months) conducting research in seven countries in East Asia
and the Pacific region. The program is designed to immerse US scholars
into the scientific and social culture of the host location. IRFP,
established in 1992, provides support to post-graduate scientists
(generally a year or two after the receipt of a doctoral degree), for a
research experience abroad lasting from 9 to 24 months, with no
restriction on geographical area. Awards range from $57,000 to
$200,000, depending on the location, cost and duration of the project,
and the applicants' family status.
To assess the program effectiveness, NSF has plans to collect data
that are designed to explore the fellowship experiences and educational
and career outcomes of EAPSI and IRFP fellows as well as the influence
of the programs on host scientists and their institutions and on US
scientists and their institutions. The primary methods of data
collection will include analyses of NSF program records and surveys of
fellows, unfunded applicants, US advisors of fellows, and foreign
hosts.
Expected Respondents: Include EAPSI and IRFP fellows; EAPSI and
IRFP unfunded applicants (individuals who submitted an application, but
did not receive an award); EAPSI and IRFP foreign hosts (individuals
with whom EAPSI and IRFP fellows conduct research in foreign
countries); and EAPSI US advisors (graduate advisors of EAPSI
students).
Use of the Information: The purpose of these studies is to provide
NSF with outcome data on the EAPSI and IRFP programs. These data would
be used for internal program management and for reporting to
stakeholders within and outside of NSF.
Burden on the Public: NSF estimates that a total reporting and
recordkeeping burden of 3,125.5 hours will result from activities to
implement the surveys. The calculation is shown in Table 1:
Table 1--Number of Respondents, Frequency of Response, and Annual Hour Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Time per Number of
Respondent type Number of response responses Total time
respondents (hours) burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EAPSI Fellows................................... 1,434 0.5 1,075 537.5
EAPSI Unfunded Applicants....................... 1,401 0.5 1,050 525
EAPSI US Advisors............................... *1,434 0.5 1,075 537.5
EAPSI Foreign Hosts............................. *1,434 0.5 1,075 537.5
IRFP Fellows.................................... 567 0.5 425 212.5
IRFP Unfunded Applicants........................ 1,502 0.5 1,126 563
IRFP Foreign Hosts.............................. *567 0.5 425 212.5
---------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................................... *8,339 N/A 6,251 3,125.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assume a 75% response rate.
* Or fewer. We assume that some foreign hosts for both programs have accepted more than one fellow; that some
EAPSI fellows and applicants had the same graduate advisor; and that some EAPSI fellows participated in IRFP.
The numbers in the table are therefore overestimates for these groups.
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 of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information on
respondents, including through the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology; and (d) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological 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
[[Page 11942]]
information collection; they also will become a matter of public
record.
Dated: March 9, 2010.
Suzanne Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2010-5444 Filed 3-11-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P