Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Inventory of U.S. Marine Protected Areas: Site Characteristics and Human Uses, 5515-5516 [2015-01853]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 21 (Monday, February 2, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5515-5516]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01853]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Inventory of 
U.S. Marine Protected Areas: Site Characteristics and Human Uses

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 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 March 4, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at JJessup@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instruments and instructions 
should be directed to Dr. Charles M. Wahle, Senior Scientist, NOAA's 
National Marine Protected Areas Center, via email at 
charles.wahle@noaa.gov, or by telephone: (831) 647-6460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for a revision and extension of an approved data 
collection effort to provide ocean managers, users and other interested 
parties with accurate, objective and useful information about the 
location, purpose, management and human uses of marine protected areas 
in the coastal and marine waters of the United States. To

[[Page 5516]]

this end, NOAA's National Marine Protected Areas Center (MPA Center), 
part of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), proposes to 
continue and augment an ongoing effort to inventory all U.S. MPAs.
    The MPA Center was established under Executive Order 13158, which 
directs NOAA and the Department of the Interior to work collaboratively 
with state, federal, territorial and tribal partners to enhance ocean 
conservation and management throughout the nation's system of MPAs. The 
Marine Protected Areas Inventory-- a publicly available, online, 
spatial database that provides detailed and unique information on MPAs 
nationwide--is fundamental to this goal. Required by Executive Order 
13158, the Inventory provides access to data and summary products on 
over 1,600 MPA sites across different management programs and all 
levels of government. The MPA Inventory is accessible via the MPA 
Center's Web site, marineprotectedareas.noaa.gov.
    This data collection effort would continue providing U.S. MPA 
managers with a voluntary, online means to share and update important 
information about: (i) The site's establishment, purpose(s), management 
approaches, and natural and cultural resources; and, (ii) the types, 
trends and potential resource management implications of expanding 
recreational uses within U.S. MPAs.
    The MPA Inventory data collection continues the periodic and 
voluntary solicitation of site-specific descriptive data from all MPAs 
in the U.S. Typically, an individual MPA site would complete an online 
site data form once, and then update it if necessary to reflect changes 
in boundaries, regulations, management approaches, etc. In order to 
keep this vital data resource current and accurate with the latest 
status and information on MPAs nationwide, the online site data form, 
posted at marineprotectedareas.noaa.gov, can be used to: (i) Describe a 
new or modified MPA; (ii) provide feedback, corrections or additions to 
existing MPA Inventory data; or, (iii) evaluate whether a site proposed 
for inclusion in the National System of MPAs meets the eligibility 
criteria (typically 5-10 sites per year). The MPA Inventory is 
frequently used by ocean managers, users, scientists and others to 
better understand place-based management of U.S. waters.
    In addition to continuing to manage and share descriptive 
information on U.S. MPAs, the MPA Center proposes to contact State and 
Federal MPA managers to solicit and facilitate their participation in a 
voluntary survey about conditions and trends in recreational uses of 
their sites. Data addressing the nature, trends, drivers and 
implications of recreational uses will be collected from U.S. MPA 
managers electronically over a period of 6 weeks using an online survey 
instrument. Individual managers' responses will remain confidential and 
the results aggregated to illustrate meaningful general trends rather 
data specific to a single MPA. Important patterns and lessons learned 
from this data collection will be shared directly with MPA managers 
around the country to assist in their management of some of the 
nation's most treasured ocean and coastal areas.

II. Method of Collection

    Submissions will be made on line.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0449.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Revision and extension of an approved information 
collection.
    Affected Public: Approximately 300 State, territorial and federal 
MPA managers or staff.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 150.
    Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes each for the uploading of 
information and for the survey.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 75.
    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 27, 2015.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-01853 Filed 1-30-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-NK-P