Information Collection: Generic Clearance for Social Science and Economics Data Collections on Goods, Services, and Jobs Provided by Forests and Natural Areas, 10828-10829 [2018-05006]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 49 / Tuesday, March 13, 2018 / Notices
amozie on DSK30RV082PROD with NOTICES
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Generic Clearance for Social
Science Research on Natural Resource
Planning and Collaborative
Conservation.
OMB Number: 0596—NEW.
Expiration Date of Approval: NEW.
Type of Request: NEW.
Abstract: The USDA Forest Service’s
mission is ‘‘Caring for the Land and
Serving People.’’ This includes directly
managing National Forest and Grassland
units and providing science-based
guidelines for the management of
forests, grasslands, and other natural
resources in cities and towns as well as
those under management by land trusts,
neighborhood groups, states, and other
entities. In order to fulfill this mission,
the Agency needs an accurate
understanding of the range of views and
preferences held by stakeholders
regarding the management and
conservation of forests and other natural
resources.
Collaborative conservation is the
process of creating and executing land
and resource management decisions
informed by local knowledge,
community participation, and science.
Collaborative conservation aims to
improve the health, resilience, and
sustainability of natural resources and
human communities and to maximize
the benefits that forests, grasslands, and
other natural resources provide to
society. This includes environmental
benefits such as clean air and water and
carbon storage; economic benefits such
as energy savings and timber and other
forest products; and social benefits such
as improved physical health, aesthetic
beauty, and stress reduction. A
collaborative conservation approach to
land management amendments and
planning revisions for forests,
grasslands, and other natural resources
may also help ensure environmental
justice for groups and individuals
whose views and concerns have not
historically been taken into account in
land management planning.
Managing forests, grasslands, and
natural areas in a collaborative and
sustainable way requires detailed,
scientifically-based information about
people’s views on both conservation in
general and about specific forests or
other natural places that are important
in their lives. A collaborative
conservation approach to land
management amendments and planning
takes in-depth understanding of how
groups and individuals work effectively
together, how information and
knowledge are shared, and how to
incorporate multiple viewpoints in
resource planning while effectively
managing conflict.
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Taking all of this into account, the
Forest Service and other public and
private land managers need to collect
information from a wide range of
stakeholders in order to make informed
decisions about natural resource
conservation, restoration and
management, land management
amendments and planning revisions. To
ensure that the Forest Service can meet
its statutory and regulatory
responsibilities and is able to inform
management of forests and other natural
areas, the Forest Service is seeking OMB
approval to collect information from
people who use, live near, manage,
make policies for, or otherwise have a
stake in the management of forests and
other natural resources.
Estimate of Annual Burden on
Respondents: 32,183 hours/year.
Type of Respondents: Participants/
respondents will be individuals, not
specific entities.
Estimated Annual Number of
Respondents: 251,050 year.
Estimated Annual Number of
Responses per Respondent: 1 response/
respondent is anticipated.
Comment Is Invited
Comment is invited on: (1) Whether
this collection of information is
necessary for the stated purposes and
the proper performance of the functions
of the Agency, including whether the
information will have practical or
scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the
Agency’s estimate of the burden of the
collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and
assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (4)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on
respondents, including the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology. The Forest Service will
consider the comments received and
amend the ICR as appropriate. The final
ICR package will then be submitted to
OMB for review and approval.
All comments received in response to
this notice, including names and
addresses when provided, will be a
matter of public record. Comments will
be summarized and included in the
submission request for final Office of
Management and Budget approval.
Dated: February 15, 2018
Monica Lear,
Associate Deputy Chief, Research &
Development.
[FR Doc. 2018–05003 Filed 3–12–18; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Information Collection: Generic
Clearance for Social Science and
Economics Data Collections on Goods,
Services, and Jobs Provided by
Forests and Natural Areas
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice; request for comment.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Forest Service is seeking comments
from all interested individuals and
organizations on a new generic
information collection request, Social
Science and Economics Data Collections
on Goods, Services, and Jobs Provided
by Forests and Natural Areas.
DATES: Comments must be received in
writing on or before May 14, 2018 to be
assured of consideration. Comments
received after that date will be
considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
Kenli Kim, National Program Leader for
Social Science Research, 1400
Independence Ave. SW, Mailstop 1114,
Washington, DC 20250–1114, or by
electronic mail to PRAcomments@
fs.fed.us, with ‘‘PRA comment on
Goods, Services, and Jobs’’ in the
subject line. If comments are sent by
electronic mail, the public is requested
not to send duplicate written comments
via regular mail. Please confine written
comments to issues pertinent to the
information collection request, explain
the reasons for any recommended
changes, and, where possible, reference
the specific section or paragraph being
addressed.
All timely submitted comments,
including names and addresses when
provided, are placed in the record and
are available for public inspection and
copying. The public may inspect
comments received on this information
collection at the USDA Forest Service
Headquarters, 201 14th St. SW,
Washington, DC 20250 between the
hours of 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on
business days. Those wishing to inspect
comments should contact Kenli Kim
(kkim@fs.fed.us) to facilitate an
appointment and entrance to the
building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kenli Kim, National Program Leader for
Social Science Research at the Forest
Service (kkim@fs.fed.us). Individuals
who use telecommunication devices for
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339
twenty-four hours a day, every day of
the year, including holidays.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\13MRN1.SGM
13MRN1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 49 / Tuesday, March 13, 2018 / Notices
amozie on DSK30RV082PROD with NOTICES
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Generic Clearance for Social
Science and Economics Data Collections
on Goods, Services, and Jobs Provided
by Forests and Natural Areas.
OMB Number: 0596—NEW.
Expiration Date of Approval: NEW.
Type of Request: NEW.
Abstract: The USDA Forest Service is
seeking Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) approval to collect
information that will help the Forest
Service sustainably manage and provide
guidance to others about managing the
wide range of goods, services, jobs, and
other values that people get from forests,
grasslands, parks, and other natural
areas.
In rural, suburban, and urban parts of
the country, forests, grasslands, and
other natural areas provide jobs through:
Logging, sawmills, and extraction of
non-timber forest products; guide
services, hotels, restaurants, and
equipment sales that support outdoor
recreation; and natural area restoration
and management activities. Innovative
forest products such as wood-based
nano-technologies and laminated
timbers are critical to the modern
economies of communities large and
small. Forests and natural areas provide
important ecosystem services such as
clean water and natural flood control
and influence other critical economic
factors like home and land values. Time
spent in or with a view of trees, forests,
and green spaces can have indirect
economic impacts and provide
community benefits by improving
mental and physical health and wellbeing.
In addition to the products and
services derived from forests,
grasslands, or natural areas, people may
also value and appreciate the natural
environment itself when they
experience it directly. These
experiences can have meaningful and
direct impacts on quality of life, sense
of self, and sense of community. While
such values are sometimes hard for
people to express or to quantify, they
play an important role in how people
respond to natural resource
management proposals and actions, and
can often be at the root of conflict over
land management policies and
practices.
Understanding people’s views on
these goods, services, and values is
critical to managing forests, grasslands,
and other natural areas to meet the
needs of American citizens—to provide
the ‘‘greatest good to the greatest
number of people for the longest time’’
as Gifford Pinchot, Founding Chief of
the Forest Service, described it. Surveys,
interviews, focus groups, and related
VerDate Sep<11>2014
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methods administered under this
Generic Clearance will collect
information from individuals and
groups who seek or benefit from a wide
variety of goods, services, and other
values from forests, grasslands, and
other natural areas. Any specific study
conducted under this Generic ICR will
be posted for public comment in The
Federal Register for 30 days by the
USDA Forest Service.
Estimate of Annual Burden on
Respondents: 9,440 hours/year.
Type of Respondents: Participants/
respondents will be individuals, not
specific entities.
Estimated Annual Number of
Respondents: 60,420 year.
Estimated Annual Number of
Responses per Respondent: 1 response/
respondent is anticipated.
Comment is Invited
Comment is invited on: (1) Whether
this collection of information is
necessary for the stated purposes and
the proper performance of the functions
of the Agency, including whether the
information will have practical or
scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the
Agency’s estimate of the burden of the
collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and
assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (4)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on
respondents, including the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology. The Forest Service will
consider the comments received and
amend the ICR as appropriate. The final
ICR package will then be submitted to
OMB for review and approval.
All comments received in response to
this notice, including names and
addresses when provided, will be a
matter of public record. Comments will
be summarized and included in the
submission request for final Office of
Management and Budget approval.
Dated: February 15, 2018.
Monica Lear,
Associate Deputy Chief, Research &
Development.
[FR Doc. 2018–05006 Filed 3–12–18; 8:45 am]
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10829
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Notice of Solicitation of Applications
for the Rural Energy for America
Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2018
Rural Business-Cooperative
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Rural BusinessCooperative Service (the Agency) Notice
of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA)
is being issued prior to passage of a final
appropriations act to allow potential
applicants time to submit applications
for financial assistance under Rural
Energy for America Program (REAP) for
Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, and give
the Agency time to process applications
within the current fiscal year. This
NOSA is being issued prior to
enactment of full year appropriation for
2018. The Agency will publish the
amount of funding received in any
continuing resolution or the final
appropriations act on its website at
https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/
notices-solicitation-applications-nosas.
Expenses incurred in developing
applications will be at the applicant’s
risk.
The REAP has two types of funding
assistance: (1) Renewable Energy
Systems and Energy Efficiency
Improvements Assistance, and (2)
Energy Audit and Renewable Energy
Development Assistance Grants.
The Renewable Energy Systems and
Energy Efficiency Improvement
Assistance provides grants and
guaranteed loans to agricultural
producers and rural small businesses to
purchase and install renewable energy
systems and make energy efficiency
improvements to their operations.
Eligible renewable energy systems for
REAP provide energy from: Wind, solar,
renewable biomass (including anaerobic
digesters), small hydro-electric, ocean,
geothermal, or hydrogen derived from
these renewable resources.
The Energy Audit and Renewable
Energy Development Assistance Grant is
available to a unit of State, Tribal, or
local government; instrumentality of a
State, Tribal, or local government;
institution of higher education; rural
electric cooperative; a public power
entity; or a council, as defined in 16
U.S.C. 3451. The recipient of grant
funds, grantee, will establish a program
to assist agricultural producers and rural
small businesses with evaluating the
energy efficiency and the potential to
incorporate renewable energy
technologies into their operations.
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 13, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10828-10829]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05006]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Information Collection: Generic Clearance for Social Science and
Economics Data Collections on Goods, Services, and Jobs Provided by
Forests and Natural Areas
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and
organizations on a new generic information collection request, Social
Science and Economics Data Collections on Goods, Services, and Jobs
Provided by Forests and Natural Areas.
DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before May 14, 2018
to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will
be considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Kenli Kim, National Program Leader
for Social Science Research, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Mailstop 1114,
Washington, DC 20250-1114, or by electronic mail to
[email protected], with ``PRA comment on Goods, Services, and
Jobs'' in the subject line. If comments are sent by electronic mail,
the public is requested not to send duplicate written comments via
regular mail. Please confine written comments to issues pertinent to
the information collection request, explain the reasons for any
recommended changes, and, where possible, reference the specific
section or paragraph being addressed.
All timely submitted comments, including names and addresses when
provided, are placed in the record and are available for public
inspection and copying. The public may inspect comments received on
this information collection at the USDA Forest Service Headquarters,
201 14th St. SW, Washington, DC 20250 between the hours of 10:00 a.m.
to 5:00 p.m. on business days. Those wishing to inspect comments should
contact Kenli Kim ([email protected]) to facilitate an appointment and
entrance to the building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenli Kim, National Program Leader for
Social Science Research at the Forest Service ([email protected]).
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 twenty-four
hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.
[[Page 10829]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Generic Clearance for Social Science and Economics Data
Collections on Goods, Services, and Jobs Provided by Forests and
Natural Areas.
OMB Number: 0596--NEW.
Expiration Date of Approval: NEW.
Type of Request: NEW.
Abstract: The USDA Forest Service is seeking Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) approval to collect information that will help the
Forest Service sustainably manage and provide guidance to others about
managing the wide range of goods, services, jobs, and other values that
people get from forests, grasslands, parks, and other natural areas.
In rural, suburban, and urban parts of the country, forests,
grasslands, and other natural areas provide jobs through: Logging,
sawmills, and extraction of non-timber forest products; guide services,
hotels, restaurants, and equipment sales that support outdoor
recreation; and natural area restoration and management activities.
Innovative forest products such as wood-based nano-technologies and
laminated timbers are critical to the modern economies of communities
large and small. Forests and natural areas provide important ecosystem
services such as clean water and natural flood control and influence
other critical economic factors like home and land values. Time spent
in or with a view of trees, forests, and green spaces can have indirect
economic impacts and provide community benefits by improving mental and
physical health and well-being.
In addition to the products and services derived from forests,
grasslands, or natural areas, people may also value and appreciate the
natural environment itself when they experience it directly. These
experiences can have meaningful and direct impacts on quality of life,
sense of self, and sense of community. While such values are sometimes
hard for people to express or to quantify, they play an important role
in how people respond to natural resource management proposals and
actions, and can often be at the root of conflict over land management
policies and practices.
Understanding people's views on these goods, services, and values
is critical to managing forests, grasslands, and other natural areas to
meet the needs of American citizens--to provide the ``greatest good to
the greatest number of people for the longest time'' as Gifford
Pinchot, Founding Chief of the Forest Service, described it. Surveys,
interviews, focus groups, and related methods administered under this
Generic Clearance will collect information from individuals and groups
who seek or benefit from a wide variety of goods, services, and other
values from forests, grasslands, and other natural areas. Any specific
study conducted under this Generic ICR will be posted for public
comment in The Federal Register for 30 days by the USDA Forest Service.
Estimate of Annual Burden on Respondents: 9,440 hours/year.
Type of Respondents: Participants/respondents will be individuals,
not specific entities.
Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 60,420 year.
Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1 response/
respondent is anticipated.
Comment is Invited
Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information
is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the
functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have
practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the Agency's
estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
respondents, including the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology. The Forest Service will consider the comments received and
amend the ICR as appropriate. The final ICR package will then be
submitted to OMB for review and approval.
All comments received in response to this notice, including names
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record.
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission request for
final Office of Management and Budget approval.
Dated: February 15, 2018.
Monica Lear,
Associate Deputy Chief, Research & Development.
[FR Doc. 2018-05006 Filed 3-12-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
