Agency Information Collection Activities; Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Sighting Reporting Form and Alert Registration Form, 4202-4203 [2023-01362]

Agencies

• Geological Survey
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4202-4203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01362]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

[GX23MR00G74E400; OMB Control Number 1028-0098]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Nonindigenous Aquatic 
Species Sighting Reporting Form and Alert Registration Form

AGENCY: Geological Survey, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), the U.S. 
Geological Survey (USGS) is proposing to renew an information 
collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
February 23, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. You may 
also submit comments by mail to the U.S. Geological Survey, Information 
Collections Officer, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive MS 159, Reston, VA 
20192; or by email to [email protected]. Please reference 
OMB Control Number 1028-0098 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this Information Collection Request (ICR), contact Matthew 
Neilson by email at [email protected], or by telephone at (352) 264-
3519. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of 
hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 
TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals 
outside the United States should use the relay services offered within 
their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in 
the United States. You may also view the ICR at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the PRA and 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)(1), we provide the general public and other Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and 
continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact 
of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's 
reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information 
collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired 
format.
    A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period 
soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on 
November 8, 2022 (87 FR 67483). No comments were received.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other 
Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are 
especially interested in public comment addressing the following:
    (1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this 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) How the agency might 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, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of response.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. Before including your address, phone number, email 
address, or other personally identifiable information (PII) in your 
comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including your 
PII--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us 
in your comment to withhold your PII from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    Abstract: America is under siege by many harmful non-native species 
of plants, animals, and microorganisms. More than 6,500 nonindigenous 
species are now established in the United States, posing risks to 
native species, valued ecosystems, and human- and wildlife health. 
These invaders extract a huge cost, an estimated $120 billion per year, 
to mitigate their harmful impacts. The current annual environmental, 
economic, and health-related costs of invasive species exceed those of 
all other natural disasters combined.
    Through its Invasive Species Program (https://www.usgs.gov/ecosystems/invasive_species/), the USGS plays an important role in 
federal efforts to combat invasive species in natural and semi-natural 
areas through early detection and assessment of newly established 
invaders; monitoring of invading populations; and improving 
understanding of the ecology of invaders and factors in the resistance 
of habitats to invasion. The USGS provides the tools, technology, and 
information supporting efforts to prevent, contain, control, and manage 
invasive species nationwide. To meet user needs, the USGS also develops 
methods for compiling and synthesizing accurate and reliable data and 
information on invasive species for inclusion in a distributed and 
integrated web-based information system.
    As part of the USGS Invasive Species Program, the Nonindigenous 
Aquatic Species (NAS) database (https://nas.er.usgs.gov/) functions as a 
repository and clearinghouse for occurrence information on 
nonindigenous aquatic species from across the United States. It 
contains locality information on approximately 1,390 species of 
vertebrates, invertebrates, and vascular plants introduced since 1850. 
Taxa include foreign species as well as those native to North America 
that have been transported outside of their natural range. The NAS 
website provides immediate access to new occurrence records through a 
real-time interface with the NAS database. Visitors to the website can 
use a set of predefined queries to obtain lists of species according to 
state or hydrologic basin of interest. Fact sheets, distribution maps, 
and information on new occurrences are continually posted and updated. 
Dynamically generated species-distribution maps show the spatial 
accuracy of the locations reported, population status, and links to 
more information about each report. Information on new species 
occurrences from the public can be added to the NAS database using a 
sighting report form available on the NAS website. The form includes 
the species observed, location and date of observation, optional 
contact information (for any

[[Page 4203]]

subsequent follow up discussion on observation), and optional images or 
other media files that provide supporting evidence of the organism.
    The NAS website also allows users to sign up for email alert 
notifications of new species observations of interest matching several 
taxonomic or geographic filters through an alert registration form. The 
information collected includes a name, email address, a user-specific 
password, and notification preferences.
    Title of Collection: Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Sighting 
Reporting Form and Alert Registration Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1028-0098.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Federal, State, and local government 
employees, university personnel, and private individuals.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: We estimate 
approximately 350 respondents per year for the sighting report form 
(some respondents will submit multiple reports per year), and 50 
respondents (i.e., new registrations) per year for the alert 
registration form.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: We estimate 700 
responses per year for the sighting report form, and 85 responses 
(i.e., new registrations) per year for the alert registration form.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: We estimate 3 minutes for 
the sighting report form, and 1 minute for the alert registration form.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: We estimate 35 hours 
for the sighting report form, and 2 hours for the alert registration 
form; a total of 37 hours for the two forms.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: On occassion.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, nor is a person required to 
respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.
    The authority for this action is the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Lynn Copeland,
Center Director, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, U.S. Geological 
Survey.
[FR Doc. 2023-01362 Filed 1-23-23; 8:45 am]
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