Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 54308-54310 [2018-23525]
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54308
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 83, No. 209
Monday, October 29, 2018
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
October 24, 2018.
The Department of Agriculture has
submitted the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for
review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Comments are
requested regarding (1) whether the
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of burden 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 those who
are to respond, including through the
use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques and
other forms of information technology.
Comments regarding this information
collection received by November 28,
2018 will be considered. Written
comments should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), New Executive Office Building,
725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC
20503. Commentors are encouraged to
submit their comments to OMB via
email to: OIRA_Submission@
omb.eop.gov or fax (202) 395–5806 and
to Departmental Clearance Office,
USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602,
Washington, DC 20250–7602. Copies of
the submission(s) may be obtained by
calling (202) 720–8681.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:48 Oct 26, 2018
Jkt 247001
number and the agency informs
potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
the collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Forest Service
Title: Generic Clearance Social
Science and Economics Data Collections
on Natural Disasters and Disturbances.
OMB Control Number: 0596–NEW.
Summary of Collection: Wildfires,
droughts, floods, diseases, invasive
species, effects of climate change, and
other natural disasters and disturbances
periodically affect ecosystems, causing
immediate and long-term changes. The
frequency, type, duration, and intensity
of disturbances shape our forests,
grasslands, and other natural
ecosystems and impact people’s lives.
Social science and economics research
methods, including surveys, interviews,
and focus groups, administered under
this generic information collection
approval will be designed to collect
information from individuals/
households, States, Local and Tribal
Agencies and groups who are preparing
for, responding to, and/or recovering
from natural disasters and disturbances,
including but not limited to fires,
droughts, floods, hurricanes, climate
change, high intensity weather systems,
and invasive species infestations.
The data collection efforts initiated
under this generic information approval
will be broadly similar in that they will
all be focused on all individuals,
communities, and/or stakeholders
preparing for, responding to, recovering
from, and/or building resilience to
natural disasters or disturbances. The
justification for each individual study,
in particular the rationale for
populations being queried, the
questions being asked, and the research
methods used, will be thoroughly
described in each individual
information collection submission that
falls under this generic clearance.
This generic information collection
contains a comprehensive but not
exhaustive range of questions that the
individual research teams may deploy
to successfully answer research
questions, and the methods, sampling
approaches, and data collection
questions will be carefully determined
based on individual, group, and site
factors, and will be detailed in the
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individual information collections.
Specific studies may propose additional
questions as needed to provide a
rigorous, reliable, and valid
investigation of the identified
knowledge gap.
Need and Use of the Information: The
purpose of this collection is to collect
information to enable the USDA Forest
Service to understand how individuals,
communities, and organizations prepare
for, respond and adapt to, recover from,
and build resilience to natural
disturbances and disasters. Given the
wide range of people affected by natural
disasters and disturbances, as well as
the significant impacts these
disturbances have on agriculture,
forestry, and rural communities
providing key food and fiber sources,
and the business and employment
implications related to such topics, the
collection of this information is of great
importance to achieving our Forest
Service Strategic Goal to deliver benefits
to the public as well as the USDA Goal
to focus on customer service.
Description of Respondents:
Individuals or households; Business or
other for-profit; Not-for-profit
institutions; State, Local or Tribal
Government.
Number of Respondents: 78,150.
Frequency of Responses: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 9,754.
Forest Service
Title: Generic Information Collection
for Social Science and Economics Data
Collections on Goods, Services, and Jobs
Provided by Forests and Natural Areas.
OMB Control Number: 0596–NEW.
Summary of Collection: Across the
country, forests, grasslands and other
natural areas provide jobs through a
range of ways, including logging,
sawmills, and extraction of non-timber
forest products; guiding services, hotels,
restaurants, and equipment sales that
support recreation; and natural area
restoration and management activities,
among many others. Innovative forest
products such as wood-based
nanotechnologies and laminated timbers
are critical to the modern economies of
rural and urban communities. Forests
and natural areas provide important
ecosystem services such as clean water
and air, carbon sequestration, natural
flood control, cultural services, and
recreation opportunities, and influence
other critical economic factors like
home and land values. Furthermore,
E:\FR\FM\29OCN1.SGM
29OCN1
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 209 / Monday, October 29, 2018 / Notices
there is a significant body of research
that demonstrates contact with nature
can have positive impacts on human
health and well-being. In addition to the
products and services derived from
forests, grasslands, and other natural
areas, people may also value and
appreciate the natural environment
itself when they experience it directly.
These experiences can have meaningful
impacts on quality of life, sense of self,
and sense of community, and play an
important role in how people respond to
management proposals and actions.
The information collected under this
generic approval links to the delivery of
high quality customer service. Because
the goods, services, and experiences of
forests, grasslands, and natural areas
benefit every American in some way,
directly or indirectly, it is imperative
that the views and perspectives of as
wide a range of the population as
possible are included in decision
making. Research under this generic
information collection will assist forest
and natural resources managers and
other public policy makers in
understanding tradeoffs and synergies,
building consensus, and assuring that
diverse market and non-market
information is incorporated in decisionmaking.
The data collection efforts initiated
under this generic information approval
will be broadly similar in that they will
all be focused on all individuals,
communities, and/or stakeholders who
seek or are benefited by a wide variety
of services from forests and other
natural areas. The justification for each
individual study, in particular the
rationale for populations being queried,
the questions being asked, and the
research methods used will be
thoroughly described in each individual
information collection submission that
falls under this generic clearance.
This generic information collection
contains a comprehensive but not
exhaustive range of questions that the
individual research teams may deploy
to successfully answer research
questions, and the methods, sampling
approaches, and data collection
questions will be carefully determined
based on individual, group, and site
factors, and will be detailed in the
individual information collections.
Specific studies may propose additional
questions as needed to provide a
rigorous, reliable, and valid
investigation of the identified
knowledge gap.
Need and Use of the Information: The
purpose of this collection is to collect
information that will help the Forest
Service sustainably manage and provide
guidance to others about managing the
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:48 Oct 26, 2018
Jkt 247001
wide range of goods, services, values,
and jobs derived from forests,
grasslands, and other natural areas.
Understanding these provisioning
services is critical to managing the
Nation’s forests and grasslands, and
other natural areas to meet the needs of
American citizens and to achieving the
mission of the USDA Forest Service: ‘‘to
sustain the health, diversity, and
productivity of the Nation’s forests and
grasslands to meet the needs of present
and future generation.’’
Central to effective policy
development and management is better
understanding the risks, trade-offs,
synergies, and values implied by
alternate decisions. Although market
prices reflect social preferences and
acceptable trade-offs to some degree,
they clearly do not encompass all values
associated with forests and other natural
areas. Better and/or new means are
needed to translate society’s preferences
into meaningful goals, objectives, and
guidelines for managers to consider and
incorporate into management, planning,
and programming. Utilizing such data,
which often cannot be quantifiable
through market indicators alone, will
position the Agency for greater
efficiency and output measures. This
effort requires a sound scientific basis
and the engagement of Forest Service
social science and economics
researchers and varied experts.
Description of Respondents:
Individuals or households; Business or
other for-profit; Not-for-profit
institutions; State, Local or Tribal
Government.
Number of Respondents: 78,150.
Frequency of Responses: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 9,754.
Forest Service
Title: Generic Information Collection
for Social Science and Economics Data
Collections on Natural Resources
Planning and Collaborative
Conservation.
OMB Control Number: 0596–NEW.
Summary of Collection: The USDA
Forest Service’s motto is ‘‘caring for the
land and serving people’’ and the
mission is ‘‘to sustain the health,
diversity, and productivity of the
Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet
the needs of present and future
generation.’’ This includes directly
managing National Forests and
providing science-based guidelines for
the management of forests 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
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54309
preferences held by stakeholders
regarding management and conservation
of forests and other natural resources.
This requires a sound scientific basis
and the engagement of Forest Service
social science and economics
researchers and experts.
The data collection efforts initiated
under this generic information approval
will be broadly similar in that they will
all be focused on individuals and
groups who are stakeholders in the
conservation, management, planning,
and restoration of forests and other
natural resources. The justification for
each individual study, in particular the
rationale for populations being queried,
the questions being asked, and the
research methods used will be
thoroughly described in each individual
information collection submission that
falls under this generic clearance.
This generic information collection
contains a comprehensive but not
exhaustive range of questions that the
individual research teams may deploy
to successfully answer research
questions, and the methods, sampling
approaches, and data collection
questions will be carefully determined
based on individual, group, and site
factors, and will be detailed in the
individual information collections.
Specific studies may propose additional
questions as needed to provide a
rigorous, reliable, and valid
investigation of the identified
knowledge gap.
Need and Use of the Information: The
purpose of this collection is to collect
information from a wide range of
stakeholders to guide the agency in
conserving and managing forests and
associated natural resources. 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.
Such stakeholders would include
individuals/households, States, local
and Tribal Agencies and groups who
may participate and/or contribute to the
National Forest Land Management
Planning process. 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 seeks 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.
The USDA Forest Service Research &
Development Social Science Program,
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54310
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 209 / Monday, October 29, 2018 / Notices
and others as appropriate, will conduct
the necessary quality controls to ensure
that each information collection and its
data collection instrument conforms to
the guidelines of this generic approval,
and will submit each information
collection request to OMB for expedited
review. Each collection will clearly fit
within the overall plan and scope of this
generic approval and will be well
defined in terms of its research methods
and sample or respondent pool.
Standardization of methods and content
across the country, as appropriate, will
help provide reliable and consistent
information to land managers, policy
makers, and other decision makers over
time.
Description of Respondents:
Individuals or households; Business or
other for-profit; Not-for-profit
institutions; State, Local or Tribal
Government.
Number of Respondents: 104,200.
Frequency of Responses: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 13,226.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018–23525 Filed 10–26–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
October 24, 2018.
The Department of Agriculture has
submitted the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for
review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Comments are
requested regarding (1) whether the
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of burden 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 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 regarding this information
collection received by November 28,
2018 will be considered. Written
comments should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:48 Oct 26, 2018
Jkt 247001
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), New Executive Office Building,
725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC
20502. Commenters are encouraged to
submit their comments to OMB via
email to: OIRA_Submission@
OMB.EOP.GOV or fax (202) 395–5806
and to Departmental Clearance Office,
USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602,
Washington, DC 20250–7602. Copies of
the submission(s) may be obtained by
calling (202) 720–8958.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control
number and the agency informs
potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
the collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number. Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
Title: National Poultry Improvement
Plan (NPIP).
OMB Control Number: 0579–0007.
Summary of Collection: Under the
Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C.
8301 et seq.), the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is
authorized to among other things,
administer the National Poultry
Improvement Plan (NPIP or the Plan),
the primary purpose of which is to
protect the health of the U.S. poultry
population. NPIP is a voluntary FederalState-industry cooperative program for
the improvement of poultry flocks and
products through disease control
techniques. The NPIP regulations are
contained in 9 CFR parts 56, 145, 146
and 147.
Need and Use of the Information:
APHIS will collect information using
several forms to continually improve the
health of the U.S. poultry population
and the quality of U.S. poultry products.
If the information were collected less
frequently or not collected, APHIS
could not affectively monitor the health
of the nation’s poultry population.
Description of Respondents: Business
or other for-profit; State, Local or Tribal
Government.
Number of Respondents: 6,851.
Frequency of Responses:
Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 117,254.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service.
Title: Animal Welfare.
OMB Control Number: 0579–0036.
Summary of Collection: Under the
Animal Welfare Act (AWA, 7 U.S.C.
2131 et seq.), the Secretary of
Agriculture is authorized to promulgate
standards and other requirements
governing the humane handling, care,
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Sfmt 4703
treatment, and transportation of certain
animals by dealers, exhibitors, operators
of auction sales, research facilities,
carriers and intermediate handlers. The
Secretary has delegated responsibility
for administering the AWA to the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS), Animal Care.
Definitions, regulations, and
standards established under the AWA
are contained in 9 CFR parts 1, 2, and
3 (referred to below as the regulations).
Part 1 contains definitions for terms
used in parts 2 and 3. Part 2 provides
administrative requirements and sets
forth institutional responsibilities for
regulated parties, including licensing
requirements for dealers, exhibitors, and
operators of auction sales. Dealers,
exhibitors, and operators of auction
sales are required to comply in all
respects with the regulations and
standards (9 CFR 2.100(a)) and to allow
APHIS officials access to their place of
business, facilities, animals, and records
to inspect for compliance (9 CFR 2.126).
Part 3 provides standards for the
humane handling, care, treatment, and
transportation of covered animals. Part
3 consists of subparts A through E,
which contain specific standards for
dogs and cats, guinea pigs and hamsters,
rabbits, nonhuman primates, and
marine mammals, respectively, and
subpart F, which sets forth general
standards for warmblooded animals not
otherwise specified in part 3.
Need and Use of the Information:
Administering the AWA requires the
use of several information collection
activities such as license applications
and renewals, which now include a
request to identify whether the business
mailing address is a personal residence
or not a personal residence; registration
applications and updates; annual
reports; acknowledgement of regulations
and standards; inspections; requests;
notifications; agreements; plans; written
program of veterinary care and health
records; itineraries; applications and
permits; records of acquisition,
disposition, or transport of animals;
official identification; variances;
protocols; health certificates;
complaints; marking requirements; and
recordkeeping. The information is used
to provide APHIS with the data
necessary to review and evaluate
program compliance by regulated
facilities, and provide a workable
system to administer the requirements
of the AWA and intent of Congress
without resorting to more detailed and
stringent regulations and standards that
could be more burdensome to regulated
facilities.
E:\FR\FM\29OCN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 209 (Monday, October 29, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54308-54310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-23525]
========================================================================
Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 209 / Monday, October 29, 2018 /
Notices
[[Page 54308]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
October 24, 2018.
The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments
are requested regarding (1) whether the collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the
accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden 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 those who are
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques
and other forms of information technology.
Comments regarding this information collection received by November
28, 2018 will be considered. Written comments should be addressed to:
Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office
Building, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503. Commentors are
encouraged to submit their comments to OMB via email to:
[email protected] or fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-
7602. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-
8681.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays
a currently valid OMB control number.
Forest Service
Title: Generic Clearance Social Science and Economics Data
Collections on Natural Disasters and Disturbances.
OMB Control Number: 0596-NEW.
Summary of Collection: Wildfires, droughts, floods, diseases,
invasive species, effects of climate change, and other natural
disasters and disturbances periodically affect ecosystems, causing
immediate and long-term changes. The frequency, type, duration, and
intensity of disturbances shape our forests, grasslands, and other
natural ecosystems and impact people's lives. Social science and
economics research methods, including surveys, interviews, and focus
groups, administered under this generic information collection approval
will be designed to collect information from individuals/households,
States, Local and Tribal Agencies and groups who are preparing for,
responding to, and/or recovering from natural disasters and
disturbances, including but not limited to fires, droughts, floods,
hurricanes, climate change, high intensity weather systems, and
invasive species infestations.
The data collection efforts initiated under this generic
information approval will be broadly similar in that they will all be
focused on all individuals, communities, and/or stakeholders preparing
for, responding to, recovering from, and/or building resilience to
natural disasters or disturbances. The justification for each
individual study, in particular the rationale for populations being
queried, the questions being asked, and the research methods used, will
be thoroughly described in each individual information collection
submission that falls under this generic clearance.
This generic information collection contains a comprehensive but
not exhaustive range of questions that the individual research teams
may deploy to successfully answer research questions, and the methods,
sampling approaches, and data collection questions will be carefully
determined based on individual, group, and site factors, and will be
detailed in the individual information collections. Specific studies
may propose additional questions as needed to provide a rigorous,
reliable, and valid investigation of the identified knowledge gap.
Need and Use of the Information: The purpose of this collection is
to collect information to enable the USDA Forest Service to understand
how individuals, communities, and organizations prepare for, respond
and adapt to, recover from, and build resilience to natural
disturbances and disasters. Given the wide range of people affected by
natural disasters and disturbances, as well as the significant impacts
these disturbances have on agriculture, forestry, and rural communities
providing key food and fiber sources, and the business and employment
implications related to such topics, the collection of this information
is of great importance to achieving our Forest Service Strategic Goal
to deliver benefits to the public as well as the USDA Goal to focus on
customer service.
Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or
other for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal
Government.
Number of Respondents: 78,150.
Frequency of Responses: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 9,754.
Forest Service
Title: Generic Information Collection for Social Science and
Economics Data Collections on Goods, Services, and Jobs Provided by
Forests and Natural Areas.
OMB Control Number: 0596-NEW.
Summary of Collection: Across the country, forests, grasslands and
other natural areas provide jobs through a range of ways, including
logging, sawmills, and extraction of non-timber forest products;
guiding services, hotels, restaurants, and equipment sales that support
recreation; and natural area restoration and management activities,
among many others. Innovative forest products such as wood-based
nanotechnologies and laminated timbers are critical to the modern
economies of rural and urban communities. Forests and natural areas
provide important ecosystem services such as clean water and air,
carbon sequestration, natural flood control, cultural services, and
recreation opportunities, and influence other critical economic factors
like home and land values. Furthermore,
[[Page 54309]]
there is a significant body of research that demonstrates contact with
nature can have positive impacts on human health and well-being. In
addition to the products and services derived from forests, grasslands,
and other natural areas, people may also value and appreciate the
natural environment itself when they experience it directly. These
experiences can have meaningful impacts on quality of life, sense of
self, and sense of community, and play an important role in how people
respond to management proposals and actions.
The information collected under this generic approval links to the
delivery of high quality customer service. Because the goods, services,
and experiences of forests, grasslands, and natural areas benefit every
American in some way, directly or indirectly, it is imperative that the
views and perspectives of as wide a range of the population as possible
are included in decision making. Research under this generic
information collection will assist forest and natural resources
managers and other public policy makers in understanding tradeoffs and
synergies, building consensus, and assuring that diverse market and
non-market information is incorporated in decision-making.
The data collection efforts initiated under this generic
information approval will be broadly similar in that they will all be
focused on all individuals, communities, and/or stakeholders who seek
or are benefited by a wide variety of services from forests and other
natural areas. The justification for each individual study, in
particular the rationale for populations being queried, the questions
being asked, and the research methods used will be thoroughly described
in each individual information collection submission that falls under
this generic clearance.
This generic information collection contains a comprehensive but
not exhaustive range of questions that the individual research teams
may deploy to successfully answer research questions, and the methods,
sampling approaches, and data collection questions will be carefully
determined based on individual, group, and site factors, and will be
detailed in the individual information collections. Specific studies
may propose additional questions as needed to provide a rigorous,
reliable, and valid investigation of the identified knowledge gap.
Need and Use of the Information: The purpose of this collection is
to collect information that will help the Forest Service sustainably
manage and provide guidance to others about managing the wide range of
goods, services, values, and jobs derived from forests, grasslands, and
other natural areas. Understanding these provisioning services is
critical to managing the Nation's forests and grasslands, and other
natural areas to meet the needs of American citizens and to achieving
the mission of the USDA Forest Service: ``to sustain the health,
diversity, and productivity of the Nation's forests and grasslands to
meet the needs of present and future generation.''
Central to effective policy development and management is better
understanding the risks, trade-offs, synergies, and values implied by
alternate decisions. Although market prices reflect social preferences
and acceptable trade-offs to some degree, they clearly do not encompass
all values associated with forests and other natural areas. Better and/
or new means are needed to translate society's preferences into
meaningful goals, objectives, and guidelines for managers to consider
and incorporate into management, planning, and programming. Utilizing
such data, which often cannot be quantifiable through market indicators
alone, will position the Agency for greater efficiency and output
measures. This effort requires a sound scientific basis and the
engagement of Forest Service social science and economics researchers
and varied experts.
Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or
other for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal
Government.
Number of Respondents: 78,150.
Frequency of Responses: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 9,754.
Forest Service
Title: Generic Information Collection for Social Science and
Economics Data Collections on Natural Resources Planning and
Collaborative Conservation.
OMB Control Number: 0596-NEW.
Summary of Collection: The USDA Forest Service's motto is ``caring
for the land and serving people'' and the mission is ``to sustain the
health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation's forests and
grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generation.'' This
includes directly managing National Forests and providing science-based
guidelines for the management of forests 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 management and
conservation of forests and other natural resources. This requires a
sound scientific basis and the engagement of Forest Service social
science and economics researchers and experts.
The data collection efforts initiated under this generic
information approval will be broadly similar in that they will all be
focused on individuals and groups who are stakeholders in the
conservation, management, planning, and restoration of forests and
other natural resources. The justification for each individual study,
in particular the rationale for populations being queried, the
questions being asked, and the research methods used will be thoroughly
described in each individual information collection submission that
falls under this generic clearance.
This generic information collection contains a comprehensive but
not exhaustive range of questions that the individual research teams
may deploy to successfully answer research questions, and the methods,
sampling approaches, and data collection questions will be carefully
determined based on individual, group, and site factors, and will be
detailed in the individual information collections. Specific studies
may propose additional questions as needed to provide a rigorous,
reliable, and valid investigation of the identified knowledge gap.
Need and Use of the Information: The purpose of this collection is
to collect information from a wide range of stakeholders to guide the
agency in conserving and managing forests and associated natural
resources. 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. Such stakeholders would include individuals/
households, States, local and Tribal Agencies and groups who may
participate and/or contribute to the National Forest Land Management
Planning process. 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 seeks
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.
The USDA Forest Service Research & Development Social Science
Program,
[[Page 54310]]
and others as appropriate, will conduct the necessary quality controls
to ensure that each information collection and its data collection
instrument conforms to the guidelines of this generic approval, and
will submit each information collection request to OMB for expedited
review. Each collection will clearly fit within the overall plan and
scope of this generic approval and will be well defined in terms of its
research methods and sample or respondent pool. Standardization of
methods and content across the country, as appropriate, will help
provide reliable and consistent information to land managers, policy
makers, and other decision makers over time.
Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or
other for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal
Government.
Number of Respondents: 104,200.
Frequency of Responses: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 13,226.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-23525 Filed 10-26-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
