Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Evaluation Support Services, 23773-23774 [2015-09967]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 82 / Wednesday, April 29, 2015 / Notices mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Shaw, VCAT, NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 1060, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899–1060, telephone number 301–975–2667. Ms. Shaw’s email address is stephanie.shaw@nist.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this meeting is for the VCAT to review and make recommendations regarding general policy for NIST, its organization, its budget, and its programs within the framework of applicable national policies as set forth by the President and the Congress. The agenda will include updates on NIST activities and a review of NIST’s bioscience and information technology research along with external presentations on the future direction and trends of these technical areas. The agenda may change to accommodate Committee business. The final agenda will be posted on the NIST Web site at https://www.nist.gov/director/vcat/ agenda.cfm. Individuals and representatives of organizations who would like to offer comments and suggestions related to the Committee’s affairs are invited to request a place on the agenda. On Wednesday, June 10, approximately one-half hour in the morning will be reserved for public comments and speaking times will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. The amount of time per speaker will be determined by the number of requests received, but is likely to be about 3 minutes each. The exact time for public comments will be included in the final agenda that will be posted on the NIST Web site at https://www.nist. gov/director/vcat/agenda.cfm. Questions from the public will not be considered during this period. Speakers who wish to expand upon their oral statements, those who had wished to speak but could not be accommodated on the agenda, and those who were unable to attend in person are invited to submit written statements to VCAT, NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, MS 1060, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20899, via fax at 301–216–0529 or electronically by email to Karen.lellock@nist.gov. All visitors to the NIST site are required to pre-register to be admitted. Please submit your name, time of arrival, email address and phone number to Stephanie Shaw by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Tuesday, June 2, 2015. Non-U.S. citizens must submit additional information; please contact Ms. Shaw. Ms. Shaw’s email address is stephanie.shaw@nist.gov and her phone number is 301–975–2667. Also, please note that under the REAL ID Act of 2005 VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:18 Apr 28, 2015 Jkt 235001 (Pub. L. 109–13), federal agencies, including NIST, can only accept a stateissued driver’s license or identification card for access to federal facilities if issued by states that are REAL ID compliant or have an extension. NIST also currently accepts other forms of federally-issued identification in lieu of a state-issued driver’s license. For detailed information please contact Ms. Shaw or visit: https://nist.gov/public_ affairs/visitor/. Authority: 15 U.S.C. 278 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, 5 U.S.C. App. Richard R. Cavanagh, Acting Associate Director for Laboratory Programs. [FR Doc. 2015–09973 Filed 4–28–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–13–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Evaluation Support Services National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This is a new information collection for Evaluation Support Services. DATES: Written comments should be received Written comments must be submitted on or before June 29, 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 instrument and instructions should be directed to Meka Laster at (301) 628– 2906 or sent via email to meka.laster@ noaa.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 23773 I. Abstract This request is for a new information collection. Since its establishment in 1970 under the Department of Commerce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s primary goals are to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, to conserve and manage coastal and marine resources, and to serve the nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs. One of NOAA’s staff offices, the Office of Education (OEd), also serves a critical function as the nation’s primary educator on matters related to the ocean, coastal resources, the atmosphere, and climate. One of the ways NOAA fulfills its national duty is by providing educational resources and scholarship opportunities for future scholars. The Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program (HUSP) was established in 2005; since then, it has provided support to approximately 1,144 undergraduate students. This scholarship opportunity provides 2 academic years of tuition support (up to $8,000 per year) and a 10-week paid internship with a NOAA mentor to competitive undergraduate scholars in NOAA-related major fields of study. The HUSP also provides undergraduates with additional supports such as living expenses, travel stipends, and conference allowances. The main goals of HUSP include increasing undergraduate training and research in NOAA sciences; recruiting and preparig students for careers as public servants and environmental science educators; and building public understanding of and support for environmental stewardship issues (i.e., increasing environmental literacy). The Educational Partnership Program (EPP) comprises three unique components: The Undergraduate Scholarship Program (USP), the Graduate Studies Program (GSP), and four Cooperative Science Centers (CSCs). USP is a scholarship opportunity that provides recipients with hands-on research and training in NOAA-related sciences and provides scholars the opportunity to gain valuable work experience at NOAA facilities. To date, USP has funded 175 scholars. GSP is similar, and supported (funded 59 students) graduate students interested in pursuing NOAA missioncritical fields by providing them with work experience and hands-on training in NOAA-related research fields. The CSCs’ overarching goal is to increase underrepresentation in STEM and NOAA-related fields by providing education and training opportunities in E:\FR\FM\29APN1.SGM 29APN1 23774 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 82 / Wednesday, April 29, 2015 / Notices these fields. Each CSC has a distinct educational focus, defined mission, partner institution, and designated research partner. In addition to providing education and training opportunities for students, CSCs assist their MSI partners in building their institutional management, scientific, and research capacities in NOAArelated fields. The proposed evaluation will examine the effectiveness of two of NOAA’s OEd scholarship programs: EPP and HUSP. It will also assess the efficacy of the CSCs, which constitute another educational component central to NOAA’s educational mission. The primary objective of this evaluation is to determine how well NOAA’s HUSP and EPP scholarship programs translate to measurable outcomes for participants. II. Method of Collection This proposed mixed-methods evaluation will include the following components: • Reviews of extant data to understand the program and historical trends. • Web surveys of HUSP and EPP alumni with telephone follow-up to describe participant experiences and outcomes. • A regression discontinuity design evaluation of HUSP, EPP USP, and EPP GSP to compare scholarship recipients to similar applicants who did not receive scholarships. • Site visits to the CSCs to describe institution-level contexts and outcomes. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES III. Data OMB Control Number: 0648–xxxx. Form Number(s): None. Type of Review: Request for a new information collection. Affected Public: Individuals or households. Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,409 survey respondents (1,034 scholarship recipients and 375 scholarship non-recipients); 44 interviewees; 20 focus group participants (interviewees and focus groups composed of Cooperative Science Center management, faculty, and students). Estimated Time per Response: 25 minutes per recipient survey; 15 minutes per nonrecipient survey; 60 minutes per community partner, institution partner, CSC administrator, and CSC center director interview; 90 minutes per student focus group. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 599. Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/reporting costs. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:18 Apr 28, 2015 Jkt 235001 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 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 those who are eligible to respond. 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: April 24, 2015. Sarah Brabson, NOAA PRA Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 2015–09967 Filed 4–28–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–12–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XD829 Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Construction of the East Span of the San FranciscoOakland Bay Bridge National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; request for comments. AGENCY: NMFS has received a request from the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) for an incidental take authorization to take small numbers of California sea lions, Pacific harbor seals, harbor porpoises, and gray whales, by harassment, incidental to construction activities associated with the East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (SF– OBB) in California. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an authorization to CALTRANS to incidentally take, by harassment, small numbers of marine mammals for a period of 1 year. DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than May 29, 2015. ADDRESSES: Comments on the application should be addressed to Rob Pauline, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910–3225. The mailbox address for providing email comments is itp.pauline@noaa.gov. NMFS is not responsible for email comments sent to addresses other than the one provided here. Comments sent via email, including all attachments, must not exceed a 10-megabyte file size. Instructions: All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted to https://www.nmfs. noaa.gov/pr/permits/incidental/ construction.htm. All Personal Identifying Information (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. The application used in this document may be obtained by visiting the internet at: https://www.nmfs.noaa. gov/pr/permits/incidental/ construction.htm. Documents cited in this notice may also be viewed, by appointment, during regular business hours, at the aforementioned address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Pauline, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct the Secretary of Commerce to allow, upon request, the incidental, but not intentional, taking of small numbers of marine mammals by U.S. citizens who engage in a specified activity (other than commercial fishing) within a specified geographical region if certain findings are made and either regulations are issued or, if the taking is limited to harassment, a notice of a proposed authorization is provided to the public for review. An authorization for incidental takings shall be granted if NMFS finds that the taking will have a negligible impact on the species or stock(s), will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses (where relevant), and if the permissible methods of taking and requirements pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring and reporting of such takings are set forth. NMFS has defined ‘‘negligible impact’’ in 50 CFR 216.103 as ‘‘. . . an impact resulting from the specified activity that cannot be reasonably expected to, and is not reasonably likely to, adversely affect the species or stock through effects on annual rates of recruitment or survival.’’ E:\FR\FM\29APN1.SGM 29APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 82 (Wednesday, April 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23773-23774]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09967]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Evaluation Support Services

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

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on this proposed information collection for the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration. This is a new information collection for 
Evaluation Support Services.

DATES: Written comments should be received Written comments must be 
submitted on or before June 29, 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 instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Meka Laster at (301) 628-2906 or sent via email to 
meka.laster@noaa.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunication device 
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service 
(FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday 
through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for a new information collection.
    Since its establishment in 1970 under the Department of Commerce, 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s primary 
goals are to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, 
to conserve and manage coastal and marine resources, and to serve the 
nation's economic, social, and environmental needs. One of NOAA's staff 
offices, the Office of Education (OEd), also serves a critical function 
as the nation's primary educator on matters related to the ocean, 
coastal resources, the atmosphere, and climate. One of the ways NOAA 
fulfills its national duty is by providing educational resources and 
scholarship opportunities for future scholars.
    The Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program (HUSP) was 
established in 2005; since then, it has provided support to 
approximately 1,144 undergraduate students. This scholarship 
opportunity provides 2 academic years of tuition support (up to $8,000 
per year) and a 10-week paid internship with a NOAA mentor to 
competitive undergraduate scholars in NOAA-related major fields of 
study. The HUSP also provides undergraduates with additional supports 
such as living expenses, travel stipends, and conference allowances. 
The main goals of HUSP include increasing undergraduate training and 
research in NOAA sciences; recruiting and preparig students for careers 
as public servants and environmental science educators; and building 
public understanding of and support for environmental stewardship 
issues (i.e., increasing environmental literacy).
    The Educational Partnership Program (EPP) comprises three unique 
components: The Undergraduate Scholarship Program (USP), the Graduate 
Studies Program (GSP), and four Cooperative Science Centers (CSCs). USP 
is a scholarship opportunity that provides recipients with hands-on 
research and training in NOAA-related sciences and provides scholars 
the opportunity to gain valuable work experience at NOAA facilities. To 
date, USP has funded 175 scholars. GSP is similar, and supported 
(funded 59 students) graduate students interested in pursuing NOAA 
mission-critical fields by providing them with work experience and 
hands-on training in NOAA-related research fields. The CSCs' 
overarching goal is to increase underrepresentation in STEM and NOAA-
related fields by providing education and training opportunities in

[[Page 23774]]

these fields. Each CSC has a distinct educational focus, defined 
mission, partner institution, and designated research partner. In 
addition to providing education and training opportunities for 
students, CSCs assist their MSI partners in building their 
institutional management, scientific, and research capacities in NOAA-
related fields.
    The proposed evaluation will examine the effectiveness of two of 
NOAA's OEd scholarship programs: EPP and HUSP. It will also assess the 
efficacy of the CSCs, which constitute another educational component 
central to NOAA's educational mission. The primary objective of this 
evaluation is to determine how well NOAA's HUSP and EPP scholarship 
programs translate to measurable outcomes for participants.

II. Method of Collection

    This proposed mixed-methods evaluation will include the following 
components:
     Reviews of extant data to understand the program and 
historical trends.
     Web surveys of HUSP and EPP alumni with telephone follow-
up to describe participant experiences and outcomes.
     A regression discontinuity design evaluation of HUSP, EPP 
USP, and EPP GSP to compare scholarship recipients to similar 
applicants who did not receive scholarships.
     Site visits to the CSCs to describe institution-level 
contexts and outcomes.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-xxxx.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Request for a new information collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,409 survey respondents (1,034 
scholarship recipients and 375 scholarship non-recipients); 44 
interviewees; 20 focus group participants (interviewees and focus 
groups composed of Cooperative Science Center management, faculty, and 
students).
    Estimated Time per Response: 25 minutes per recipient survey; 15 
minutes per nonrecipient survey; 60 minutes per community partner, 
institution partner, CSC administrator, and CSC center director 
interview; 90 minutes per student focus group.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 599.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.

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 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 those who 
are eligible to respond.
    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: April 24, 2015.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-09967 Filed 4-28-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-12-P
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