National Environmental Policy Act: Implementing Procedures; Revision to Categorical Exclusions for U.S. Geological Survey (516 DM 9), 25322-25323 [2015-10242]

Download as PDF 25322 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 85 / Monday, May 4, 2015 / Notices mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES data is also used to make decisions on future functional requirements within the system. Earth Explorer is a Web application that enables users to find, preview, and download or order digital data published by the U.S. Geological Survey. There are more than 300 USGS Datasets available from the site. To download or order products from EE, users must register with the EE system. The information is stored on an internal encrypted database. The data is provided by the customer and utilized to contact the customer to notify customer of data ready for download. If downloads are unsuccessful, the customer is contacted to provide updated information. In addition, EE requires certain fields to be completed such as name, address, city and zip code before an account can be established and an order can be submitted. Email is sent to new registered users to validate user email information. EE does not derive new data and does not create new data through aggregation. Personal information is not used as search criteria. Access to the information uses the least privileged access methodology. Authorized individuals with specifically granted access to the Privacy Act data can retrieve only by account number or order number Personal data is encrypted while stored in the Database. Contact ID is generated when account is created. II. Data OMB Control Number: 1028–NEW. Title: Earth Explorer User Registration Service. Type of Request: Existing information collection without prior approval. Affected Public: Federal Agencies, state, tribal, and non-government individuals who have requested USGS products from USGS/Earth Explorer application are covered in this system. The system has only one category for individuals. Respondent’s Obligation: Participant data is furnished by the individual and is required for order fulfillment. Frequency of Collection: The information is collected at the time of registration and is only updated by the individual. Updates to the information are accomplished by the individual when they feel the need to update. Occasions’ that user might want to update would be if something has changed in their demographic (email address as an example). Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 84,000. Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: Approximately 84,000 new users are added on an annual basis. VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:40 May 01, 2015 Jkt 235001 Estimated Time per Response: 2 min. Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 2,800. Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ‘‘Non-Hour Cost’’ Burden: None. Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number and current expiration date. III. Request for Comments We are soliciting comments as to: (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) how to minimize the burden on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Please note that the comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of public record. Before including your personal mailing address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, including your personally identifiable information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personally identifiable information from public view, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Francis P. Kelly, Director, EROS Center. [FR Doc. 2015–10317 Filed 5–1–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4311–AM–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of the Secretary [GX15AE3800C2000] National Environmental Policy Act: Implementing Procedures; Revision to Categorical Exclusions for U.S. Geological Survey (516 DM 9) Office of the Secretary, Interior. Notice of Final National Environmental Policy Act implementing procedures. AGENCY: ACTION: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 1969 (NEPA) and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations implementing NEPA, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the Department of the Interior (the Department) is revising two existing categorical exclusions included in the Department of the Interior’s Departmental Manual 516 DM 9. The revisions to the categorical exclusions pertain to two types of activities conducted by the USGS: The excavation of trenches across potentially active faults to assess the history of earthquakes along those faults; and the removal of hydrologic and water-quality monitoring structures and equipment and restoration of the sites. USGS experience with these activities indicates that they do not normally have the potential for significant environmental impacts in the absence of extraordinary circumstances. The intent of the revisions is to improve the efficiency of the environmental review process. DATES: Effective Date: The categorical exclusions are effective immediately. ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the revised categorical exclusions contact Esther Eng, Chief, Environmental Management Branch—USGS, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192, email: eeng@usgs.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Esther Eng, Chief, Environmental Management Branch—USGS, (703) 648– 7550. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires Federal agencies to consider the potential environmental consequences of their decisions before deciding whether and how to proceed. The Council on Environmental Quality encourages Federal agencies to use categorical exclusions to protect the environment more efficiently by (a) reducing the resources spent analyzing proposals that normally do not have the potential to significantly impact the environment and, (b) focusing resources on proposals that may have significant environmental impacts. The appropriate use of categorical exclusions allows the NEPA review to conclude without preparing either an environmental assessment (EA) or an environmental impact statement (EIS) (40 CFR 1500.4(p) and 40 CFR 1508.4) in the absence of extraordinary circumstances. The Department’s list of extraordinary circumstances under which a normally excluded action would require further analysis and documentation in an EA or EIS is found at 43 CFR 46.215. E:\FR\FM\04MYN1.SGM 04MYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 85 / Monday, May 4, 2015 / Notices Categorical Exclusion Revision for Trenching The USGS excavates trenches across potentially active faults to assess the history of earthquakes along those faults. The study of ancient earthquakes and their rates of occurrence is known as paleoseismology. Paleoseismic data obtained from trenching studies is a fundamental input for USGS National Seismic Hazard Maps. The USGS National Seismic Hazard Maps are used to inform emergency response and to guide building codes. The revision of this categorical exclusion will allow for a more efficient NEPA review. Public comments were solicited through a notice placed in the Federal Register on August 22, 2014 (79 FR 49799). The proposed language for the categorical exclusion in the notice was as follows: ‘‘Digging and subsequent site restoration of exploratory trenches not to exceed one acre of surface disturbance.’’ mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Categorical Exclusion for Water Monitoring Equipment One of the seven science mission areas of the USGS, the Water Mission Area, is tasked with collecting and disseminating reliable, impartial, and timely information that is needed to understand the Nation’s water resources. The Water Mission Area actively promotes the use of this information by decision makers to: (1) Minimize loss of life and property as a result of water-related natural hazards, such as floods, droughts, and land movement; (2) effectively manage groundwater and surface-water resources for domestic, agricultural, commercial, industrial, recreational, and ecological uses; (3) protect and enhance water resources for human health, aquatic health, and environmental quality; and (4) contribute to the wise physical and economic development of the Nation’s resources for the benefit of present and future generations. To achieve this science mission, the USGS constructs and operates a variety of hydrologic and water-quality monitoring structures and equipment at streams, rivers, springs, wellheads, and other sites across the Nation. After these structures are no longer needed for scientific data collection, they are removed and the site is restored. The revision of this categorical exclusion will allow for a more efficient NEPA review. Public comments were solicited through the same notice placed in the Federal Register on August 22, 2014 (79 FR 49799). The proposed language for the categorical exclusion as set out in VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:40 May 01, 2015 Jkt 235001 the notice was as follows: ‘‘Operation, construction, installation, and removal—including restoration of sites to the pre-structure condition or equivalent of the surrounding environment—of hydrologic and waterquality monitoring structures and equipment including but not limited to weirs, cableways, streamgaging stations, groundwater wells, and meteorologic structures.’’ 25323 In accordance with Commission policy, subject matter listed above, not disposed of at the scheduled meeting, may be carried over to the agenda of the following meeting. By order of the Commission: Issued: April 28, 2015. Lisa R. Barton, Secretary to the Commission. [FR Doc. 2015–10385 Filed 4–30–15; 11:15 am] BILLING CODE 7020–02–P Public Comments No public comments were received. Categorical Exclusion The Department of the Interior will add the following categorical exclusions to the Departmental Manual at 516 DM 9, section 9.5 Categorical Exclusions: E. Operation, construction, installation, and removal—including restoration of sites to the pre-structure condition or equivalent of the surrounding environment—of hydrologic and water-quality monitoring structures and equipment including but not limited to weirs, cableways, streamgaging stations, groundwater wells, and meteorologic structures; and I. Digging and subsequent site restoration of exploratory trenches not to exceed one acre of surface disturbance. Willie R. Taylor, Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance. [FR Doc. 2015–10242 Filed 5–1–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–AM–P DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE [OMB Number 1110–NEW] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection eComments Requested; Approval of a New Collection; Rap Back Services Form (1–796) Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice. ACTION: 30-day notice. AGENCY: The Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register (80 FR 9753), on February 24, 2015, allowing for a 60 day comment period. SUMMARY: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for an additional 30 days until June 3, 2015. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have comments, especially on the estimated public burden or associated response time, suggestions, or need a copy of the proposed information collection instrument with instructions or additional information, please contact the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention Department of Justice Desk Officer, Washington, DC 20503. Additionally, comments may be submitted via email to OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of the following four points: —Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the DATES: INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [USITC SE–15–015] Government in the Sunshine Act Meeting Notice United States International Trade Commission. TIME AND DATE: May 7, 2015 at 11 a.m. PLACE: Room 101, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436, Telephone: (202) 205–2000. STATUS: Open to the public. MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: 1. Agendas for future meetings: none 2. Minutes 3. Ratification List 4. Vote in Inv. Nos. 731–TA–1013 (Second Review)(Saccharin from China). The Commission is currently scheduled to complete and file its determination and views of the Commission on May 20, 2015. 5. Outstanding action jackets: none AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETING: PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\04MYN1.SGM 04MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 85 (Monday, May 4, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25322-25323]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-10242]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

[GX15AE3800C2000]


National Environmental Policy Act: Implementing Procedures; 
Revision to Categorical Exclusions for U.S. Geological Survey (516 DM 
9)

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Final National Environmental Policy Act implementing 
procedures.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (NEPA) and the Council on Environmental Quality regulations 
implementing NEPA, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the Department 
of the Interior (the Department) is revising two existing categorical 
exclusions included in the Department of the Interior's Departmental 
Manual 516 DM 9. The revisions to the categorical exclusions pertain to 
two types of activities conducted by the USGS: The excavation of 
trenches across potentially active faults to assess the history of 
earthquakes along those faults; and the removal of hydrologic and 
water-quality monitoring structures and equipment and restoration of 
the sites. USGS experience with these activities indicates that they do 
not normally have the potential for significant environmental impacts 
in the absence of extraordinary circumstances. The intent of the 
revisions is to improve the efficiency of the environmental review 
process.

DATES: Effective Date: The categorical exclusions are effective 
immediately.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the revised categorical exclusions 
contact Esther Eng, Chief, Environmental Management Branch--USGS, 12201 
Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192, email: eeng@usgs.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Esther Eng, Chief, Environmental 
Management Branch--USGS, (703) 648-7550.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires Federal 
agencies to consider the potential environmental consequences of their 
decisions before deciding whether and how to proceed. The Council on 
Environmental Quality encourages Federal agencies to use categorical 
exclusions to protect the environment more efficiently by (a) reducing 
the resources spent analyzing proposals that normally do not have the 
potential to significantly impact the environment and, (b) focusing 
resources on proposals that may have significant environmental impacts. 
The appropriate use of categorical exclusions allows the NEPA review to 
conclude without preparing either an environmental assessment (EA) or 
an environmental impact statement (EIS) (40 CFR 1500.4(p) and 40 CFR 
1508.4) in the absence of extraordinary circumstances. The Department's 
list of extraordinary circumstances under which a normally excluded 
action would require further analysis and documentation in an EA or EIS 
is found at 43 CFR 46.215.

[[Page 25323]]

Categorical Exclusion Revision for Trenching

    The USGS excavates trenches across potentially active faults to 
assess the history of earthquakes along those faults. The study of 
ancient earthquakes and their rates of occurrence is known as 
paleoseismology. Paleoseismic data obtained from trenching studies is a 
fundamental input for USGS National Seismic Hazard Maps. The USGS 
National Seismic Hazard Maps are used to inform emergency response and 
to guide building codes. The revision of this categorical exclusion 
will allow for a more efficient NEPA review.
    Public comments were solicited through a notice placed in the 
Federal Register on August 22, 2014 (79 FR 49799). The proposed 
language for the categorical exclusion in the notice was as follows: 
``Digging and subsequent site restoration of exploratory trenches not 
to exceed one acre of surface disturbance.''

Categorical Exclusion for Water Monitoring Equipment

    One of the seven science mission areas of the USGS, the Water 
Mission Area, is tasked with collecting and disseminating reliable, 
impartial, and timely information that is needed to understand the 
Nation's water resources. The Water Mission Area actively promotes the 
use of this information by decision makers to: (1) Minimize loss of 
life and property as a result of water-related natural hazards, such as 
floods, droughts, and land movement; (2) effectively manage groundwater 
and surface-water resources for domestic, agricultural, commercial, 
industrial, recreational, and ecological uses; (3) protect and enhance 
water resources for human health, aquatic health, and environmental 
quality; and (4) contribute to the wise physical and economic 
development of the Nation's resources for the benefit of present and 
future generations. To achieve this science mission, the USGS 
constructs and operates a variety of hydrologic and water-quality 
monitoring structures and equipment at streams, rivers, springs, 
wellheads, and other sites across the Nation. After these structures 
are no longer needed for scientific data collection, they are removed 
and the site is restored. The revision of this categorical exclusion 
will allow for a more efficient NEPA review.
    Public comments were solicited through the same notice placed in 
the Federal Register on August 22, 2014 (79 FR 49799). The proposed 
language for the categorical exclusion as set out in the notice was as 
follows: ``Operation, construction, installation, and removal--
including restoration of sites to the pre-structure condition or 
equivalent of the surrounding environment--of hydrologic and water-
quality monitoring structures and equipment including but not limited 
to weirs, cableways, streamgaging stations, groundwater wells, and 
meteorologic structures.''

Public Comments

    No public comments were received.

Categorical Exclusion

    The Department of the Interior will add the following categorical 
exclusions to the Departmental Manual at 516 DM 9, section 9.5 
Categorical Exclusions:
    E. Operation, construction, installation, and removal--including 
restoration of sites to the pre-structure condition or equivalent of 
the surrounding environment--of hydrologic and water-quality monitoring 
structures and equipment including but not limited to weirs, cableways, 
streamgaging stations, groundwater wells, and meteorologic structures; 
and
    I. Digging and subsequent site restoration of exploratory trenches 
not to exceed one acre of surface disturbance.

Willie R. Taylor,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2015-10242 Filed 5-1-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-AM-P

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