Agency Information Collection Activities; Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) Competitive Cooperative Agreement Program With State Geological Surveys, 25010-25011 [2023-08698]
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25010
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 79 / Tuesday, April 25, 2023 / Notices
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Respondents: 1,100.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Responses: 1,100.
Estimated Completion Time per
Response: 15 minutes.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Burden Hours: 275.
Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.
Frequency of Collection: Annually.
Total Estimated Annual Non-Hour
Burden Cost: There are no ‘‘non-hour
cost’’ burdens associated with this ICR.
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 authorities for this action are the
PRA, the National Materials and
Minerals Policy, Research and
Development Act of 1980 (30 U.S.C.
1601 et seq.), the National Mining and
Minerals Policy Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C.
21(a)), and the Strategic and Critical
Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98
et seq.).
Steven Fortier,
Director, National Minerals Information
Center, U.S. Geological Survey.
[FR Doc. 2023–08672 Filed 4–24–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4338–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Geological Survey
[GX23GB00UM20200; OMB Control Number
1028–0133]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Earth Mapping Resources
Initiative (Earth MRI) Competitive
Cooperative Agreement Program With
State Geological Surveys
U.S. Geological Survey,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection;
request for comment.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), the Office of the Secretary will
seek Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) approval of an extension of a
previously approved information
collection.
SUMMARY:
Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before June 26,
2023.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
clearance of a new information
collection should be sent to
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of
the Interior, 1849 C Street NW,
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DATES:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:47 Apr 24, 2023
Jkt 259001
Washington, DC 20240; or by email to
DOI-PRA@ios.doi.gov. Please reference
OMB Control Number ‘‘1028–0133
EarthMRI’’ in the subject line of your
comments.
To
request additional information about
this Information Collection Request
(ICR), contact James Mosley by
telephone at (703) 648–6312, or by
email at jmosley@usgs.gov. 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-ofcontact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
accordance with the PRA (44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all
information collections require
approval. We may not conduct or
sponsor, nor are you required to
respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number.
As part of our continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent
burden, we invite the public and other
Federal agencies 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.
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
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
PO 00000
Frm 00043
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
public record. We will include or
summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. 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: Public Law 117–58, Section
40201, ‘‘Earth Mapping Resources
Initiative’’ contained in the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
[otherwise known as the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law (BIL)] authorizes and
accelerates the mapping efforts of the
Earth Mapping Resources Initiative
(Earth MRI).
Earth MRI is a component of the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral
Resources Program and is a national
effort to carry out the fundamental
resources- and mapping mission of the
USGS. The goal of Earth MRI is to
modernize the surface- and subsurface
geologic mapping of the United States,
with a focus on identifying areas that
may have the potential to contain
mineral resources.
The BIL directed the USGS to
accelerate efforts to carry out
fundamental integrated topographic,
geologic, geochemical, and geophysical
mapping and provide interpretation of
subsurface and above-ground (mine
waste) critical-mineral resources data at
a funding level of $320,000,000
annually for five years (FY2022–
FY2026). The USGS developed a new
competitive cooperative agreement
program with the State geological
surveys to support mine-waste activities
authorized and funded by the BIL. State
geological surveys apply for funds
through an annual competitive
agreement process. Individual State
projects last for up to two years.
BIL Section 40201 stipulates that the
USGS may enter into cooperative
agreements with State geological
surveys to accelerate the efforts of Earth
MRI. The BIL requires the USGS to
collect information necessary to ensure
that cooperative-agreement funds
authorized by this legislation are used
in accordance with the BIL and Federal
assistance requirements under 2 CFR
200. Information collected by Earth MRI
as part of the consolidated workplan is
described below. The USGS seeks Office
of Management and Budget approval to
continue to collect this information to
manage and monitor cooperative
agreement awards to comply with the
BIL.
E:\FR\FM\25APN1.SGM
25APN1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 79 / Tuesday, April 25, 2023 / Notices
Title of Collection: Earth Mapping
Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
Competitive Cooperative Agreement
Program with State Geological Surveys.
OMB Control Number: 1028–0133.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension of an
approved information collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: 25.
Responses: 73 (25 applications, 32
total six-month progress reports, and 16
final technical reports.)
Total Burden Hours: 2,076 hours.
Respondent’s Obligation: Required to
obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
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.).
Sarah J. Ryker,
Associate Director for Energy and Mineral
Resources, U.S. Geological Survey.
[FR Doc. 2023–08698 Filed 4–24–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4338–11–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_NV_FRN_MO4500167453]
Notice of Intent To Amend the Las
Vegas Resource Management Plan and
Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed Golden
Currant Solar Project in Clark County,
Nevada
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the
Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Nevada State Director intends to prepare
a Resource Management Plan
amendment (RMPA) with an associated
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Golden Currant Solar Project and
by this notice is announcing the
beginning of the scoping period to
solicit public comments and identify
issues, and is providing the planning
criteria for public review.
DATES: The BLM requests the public
submit comments concerning the scope
of the analysis, potential alternatives,
and identification of relevant
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SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:47 Apr 24, 2023
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information, and studies by June 9,
2023. To afford the BLM the
opportunity to consider issues raised by
commenters in the RMPA/EIS, please
ensure your comments are received
prior to the close of the 45-day scoping
period or 15 days after the last public
meeting, whichever is later.
The BLM will conduct two public
scoping meetings (virtually):
• May 10, 2023, 6–8 p.m. Pacific
Time, Virtual via Zoom. Registration is
required. To register in advance for this
webinar, visit: https://
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_
TTSUwNMlRvquIS0d5kV2rA.
• May 11, 2023, 6–8 p.m. Pacific
Time, Virtual via Zoom. Registration is
required. To register in advance for this
webinar, visit: https://
us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_
1aKVxTCHShWKugCNOSQCvw.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on issues and planning criteria related
to the Golden Currant Solar Project by
any of the following methods:
• Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/
eplanning-ui/admin/project/2021533/
510.
• Email: BLM_NV_SND_
EnergyProjects@blm.gov.
• Mail: BLM, Las Vegas Field Office,
Attn: Golden Currant Solar Project, 4701
North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV
89130–2301.
Documents pertinent to this proposal
may be examined online at the project
ePlanning page: https://eplanning.
blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2019523/
510 and at the Southern Nevada District
Office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jessica Headen, Project Manager,
telephone (702) 515–5206; address 4701
North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV
89130–2301; email BLM_NV_SND_
EnergyProjects@blm.gov. Contact Ms.
Headen to have your name added to our
mailing list. 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 for contacting Ms. Headen.
Individuals outside the United States
should use the relay services offered
within their country to make
international calls to the point-ofcontact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
document provides notice that the BLM
Nevada State Director intends to prepare
an RMPA with an associated EIS for the
Golden Currant Solar Project,
announces the beginning of the scoping
process, and seeks public input on
issues and planning criteria. The RMPA
is being considered to allow the BLM to
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
25011
evaluate the Golden Currant Solar
Project, which would require amending
the existing 1998 Las Vegas Resource
Management Plan (RMP).
The proposed project and planning
area is in Clark County, southeast of the
Town of Pahrump and approximately 40
miles west of Las Vegas. The proposed
project encompasses approximately
4,456 acres of public lands.
In August 2021, Noble Solar LLC
submitted an updated right-of-way
application to the BLM Las Vegas Field
Office for the Golden Currant Solar
Project (Project) requesting
authorization to construct, operate,
maintain, and eventually decommission
a 400-megawatt photovoltaic solar
electric generating facility, battery
storage facilities, associated generation
tie-line, and access road facilities. The
electricity generated would be conveyed
to the Trout Canyon Substation located
north of the project site via a generation
(gen-tie) transmission line. Construction
for the facilities is estimated to take
approximately 12 months. The lands
within the proposed project area were
segregated, subject to valid existing
rights, for a term of two years beginning
July 5, 2022, with publication of the
Notice of Segregation in the Federal
Register.
The scope of this land use planning
process does not include addressing the
evaluation or designation of areas of
critical environmental concern (ACECs),
and the BLM is not soliciting ACEC
nominations as part of this process.
Purpose and Need
The BLM’s purpose and need for this
Federal action is to respond to right-ofway applications submitted by Noble
Solar LLC under title V of FLPMA (43
U.S.C. 1761) to construct, operate,
maintain, and decommission a solar
generation power plant and ancillary
facilities on approximately 4,456 acres
of BLM land in Clark County, Nevada,
in compliance with FLPMA, BLM rightof-way regulations, the BLM NEPA
Handbook (BLM 2008), U.S. Department
of the Interior NEPA regulations, and
other applicable Federal and State laws
and policies. In accordance with
FLPMA, public lands are to be managed
for multiple uses that takes into account
the long-term needs of future
generations for renewable and nonrenewable resources. The BLM is
authorized to grant rights-of-way on
public lands for systems of generation,
transmission, and distribution of
electrical energy (FLPMA section
501(a)(4)). The preliminary purpose and
need also includes an amendment to the
1998 Las Vegas RMP to realign
designated utility corridors that
E:\FR\FM\25APN1.SGM
25APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 25, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25010-25011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08698]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Geological Survey
[GX23GB00UM20200; OMB Control Number 1028-0133]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Earth Mapping Resources
Initiative (Earth MRI) Competitive Cooperative Agreement Program With
State Geological Surveys
AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA),
the Office of the Secretary will seek Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) approval of an extension of a previously approved information
collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
June 26, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
clearance of a new information collection should be sent to
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Department
of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240; or by email to
[email protected]. Please reference OMB Control Number ``1028-0133
EarthMRI'' in the subject line of your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this Information Collection Request (ICR), contact James Mosley
by telephone at (703) 648-6312, or by email at [email protected].
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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require
approval. We may not conduct or sponsor, nor are you required to
respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number.
As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent
burden, we invite the public and other Federal agencies 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.
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. We will include or summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. 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: Public Law 117-58, Section 40201, ``Earth Mapping
Resources Initiative'' contained in the Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act [otherwise known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)]
authorizes and accelerates the mapping efforts of the Earth Mapping
Resources Initiative (Earth MRI).
Earth MRI is a component of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Mineral Resources Program and is a national effort to carry out the
fundamental resources- and mapping mission of the USGS. The goal of
Earth MRI is to modernize the surface- and subsurface geologic mapping
of the United States, with a focus on identifying areas that may have
the potential to contain mineral resources.
The BIL directed the USGS to accelerate efforts to carry out
fundamental integrated topographic, geologic, geochemical, and
geophysical mapping and provide interpretation of subsurface and above-
ground (mine waste) critical-mineral resources data at a funding level
of $320,000,000 annually for five years (FY2022-FY2026). The USGS
developed a new competitive cooperative agreement program with the
State geological surveys to support mine-waste activities authorized
and funded by the BIL. State geological surveys apply for funds through
an annual competitive agreement process. Individual State projects last
for up to two years.
BIL Section 40201 stipulates that the USGS may enter into
cooperative agreements with State geological surveys to accelerate the
efforts of Earth MRI. The BIL requires the USGS to collect information
necessary to ensure that cooperative-agreement funds authorized by this
legislation are used in accordance with the BIL and Federal assistance
requirements under 2 CFR 200. Information collected by Earth MRI as
part of the consolidated workplan is described below. The USGS seeks
Office of Management and Budget approval to continue to collect this
information to manage and monitor cooperative agreement awards to
comply with the BIL.
[[Page 25011]]
Title of Collection: Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
Competitive Cooperative Agreement Program with State Geological
Surveys.
OMB Control Number: 1028-0133.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension of an approved information collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: 25.
Responses: 73 (25 applications, 32 total six-month progress
reports, and 16 final technical reports.)
Total Burden Hours: 2,076 hours.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
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.).
Sarah J. Ryker,
Associate Director for Energy and Mineral Resources, U.S. Geological
Survey.
[FR Doc. 2023-08698 Filed 4-24-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4338-11-P
