Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) Competitive Cooperative Agreement Program With State Geological Surveys, 42738-42739 [2023-14038]

Download as PDF 42738 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 126 / Monday, July 3, 2023 / Notices C. Authority Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35. Jeffrey D. Little, General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing. [FR Doc. 2023–14066 Filed 6–30–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4210–67–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Geological Survey [GX23GB00UM20200; OMB Control Number 1028–0133] Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) Competitive Cooperative Agreement Program With State Geological Surveys U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior. ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment. AGENCY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 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 August 2, 2023. ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this information collection request (ICR) by mail to USGS, Information Collections Clearance Officer, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 159, Reston, VA 20192; or by email to gs-info_ collections@usgs.gov. Please reference OMB Control Number ‘‘1028–0133 Earth MRI’’ in the subject line of your comments. SUMMARY: To request additional information about this ICR, contact James Mosely by email at jmosley@usgs.gov, or by telephone at (703) 648–6312. 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. You may lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:10 Jun 30, 2023 Jkt 259001 also view the ICR at https:// www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. 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 60day public comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on April 25, 2023 (88 FR 25010). 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: Public Law 117–58, section 40201, ‘‘Earth Mapping Resources Initiative’’ contained in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) (November 15, PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 2021) 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 OMB approval to continue to collect this information to manage and monitor cooperative agreement awards to comply with the BIL. 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 a currently approved collection. Respondents/Affected Public: 20. Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 20. Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 84 (20 applications, 48 total six-month progress reports, and 16 final technical reports). Estimated Completion Time per Response: We expect to receive 20 applications, each taking approximately 60 hours to complete (totaling 1,200 burden hours). We anticipate awarding E:\FR\FM\03JYN1.SGM 03JYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 126 / Monday, July 3, 2023 / Notices an average of 16 agreements per year. The 16 award recipients are required to submit 6-month progress reports throughout the duration of the project, and a final technical report. We estimate an additional eight hours for each sixmonth progress report (24 hours per award recipient, totaling 384 burden hours) and 20 hours for each cooperative agreement recipient to complete and submit a final technical report due within 90 days of the project ending date (totaling 320 burden hours). Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 1,904. Respondent’s Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit. Frequency of Collection: On occasion. Total Estimated Annual Non-hour 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. 2023–14038 Filed 6–30–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4338–11–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [BLM_ES_FRN_MO4500172068] Notice of Intent To Amend the Resource Management Plan and Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment; Notice of Realty Action: Proposed Sale of Public Lands in Simpson County, MS Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of intent; notice of realty action. 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) Eastern States State Director intends to prepare a resource management plan (RMP) amendment with an associated environmental assessment (EA) for the non-competitive direct sale of public land in Simpson County, Mississippi, and by this notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping period to solicit public comments and identify issues, providing the planning criteria for public review, and announcing a lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:10 Jun 30, 2023 Jkt 259001 comment period on the proposed realty action offering for sale a tract of public land. DATES: The BLM requests that the public submit comments concerning the scope of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of relevant information and studies by August 17, 2023. To afford the BLM the opportunity to consider issues raised by commenters in the Draft RMP Amendment and EA, 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. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria related to the Proposed RMP Amendment and Non-Competitive Direct Sale of Public Land in Simpson County, Mississippi, by any of the following methods: • Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/ eplanning-ui/project/2016717/510. • Mail: ATTN: Mississippi Tract 37, Southeastern States District Office, 273 Market Street, Flowood, MS 39232. Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at https:// eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/ project/2016717/510 and at the Southeastern States District Office. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vicki Craft, Realty Specialist, telephone (601) 317–6971; address Southeastern States District Office, 273 Market Street, Flowood, MS 39232; email vcraft@ blm.gov. Contact Ms. Craft 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. 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 Eastern States State Director intends to prepare an RMP amendment with an associated EA for the non-competitive direct sale of public land in Simpson County, Mississippi, announces the beginning of the scoping process, and seeks public input on issues and planning criteria. The RMP amendment is being considered to allow the BLM to evaluate the disposal of 12.3 acres of public land to Dempsey Sullivan, which would require amending the existing 2009 Mississippi RMP. The direct sale is subject to the applicable provisions of section 203 of FLPMA and BLM landsale regulations at 43 CFR 2710. Publication of this notice in the Federal PO 00000 Frm 00062 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 42739 Register also segregates the subject land from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including the general mining laws, and from the mineral leasing and geothermal leasing laws, except for the sale provisions of FLPMA. The planning area is in Simpson County, Mississippi, and encompasses approximately 12.3 acres of public land. 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 considering ACEC nominations as part of this process. Purpose and Need The need of the proposed action is to resolve an inadvertent, unauthorized use on public lands that were omitted from an official Federal survey in the early 1800’s in Simpson County, Mississippi. The purpose for the proposed action is to transfer from Federal ownership the small parcel of land that is logistically and economically difficult to manage (FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1713(a)(1)). The BLM needs to amend the 2009 Mississippi RMP because section 203 of FLPMA specifically requires that land made available for disposal under the sale authority be clearly identified in the relevant land use plan. The BLM proposes to amend the 2009 Mississippi RMP to identify the tract as available for disposal through sale. Preliminary Alternatives The RMP identifies parcels suitable for disposal, and the subject land is not currently listed as available for disposal. The BLM will analyze the suitability for disposal of the 12.3 acres per the criteria listed in FLPMA section 203(a). The RMP amendment would allow for the land to be sold if it is found suitable for disposal. The BLM is considering a direct sale of the following described land: St. Stephens Meridian, Mississippi T. 9 N., R. 17 W., Tract 37. The area described contains 12.3 acres, according to the official plat of the survey of the said land on file with the BLM. The conveyance document, if issued, will contain the following terms, covenants, conditions, and reservations: 1. All the mineral deposits in the land so patented pursuant to FLPMA (43 U.S.C. 1719), including, without limitation, substances subject to disposition under the general mining laws, the general mineral leasing laws, the Materials Act and the Geothermal Steam Act, and to it, its permittees, E:\FR\FM\03JYN1.SGM 03JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 126 (Monday, July 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42738-42739]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-14038]


=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

[GX23GB00UM20200; OMB Control Number 1028-0133]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Earth Mapping 
Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) Competitive Cooperative Agreement 
Program With State Geological Surveys

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 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 
August 2, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this information collection request 
(ICR) by mail to USGS, Information Collections Clearance Officer, 12201 
Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 159, Reston, VA 20192; or by email to [email protected]. Please reference OMB Control Number ``1028-
0133 Earth MRI'' in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact James Mosely by email at [email protected], or 
by telephone at (703) 648-6312. 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 (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq. 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 
April 25, 2023 (88 FR 25010). 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: Public Law 117-58, section 40201, ``Earth Mapping 
Resources Initiative'' contained in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 
(BIL) (November 15, 2021) 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 
OMB approval to continue to collect this information to manage and 
monitor cooperative agreement awards to comply with the BIL.
    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 a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: 20.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 20.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 84 (20 applications, 48 
total six-month progress reports, and 16 final technical reports).
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: We expect to receive 20 
applications, each taking approximately 60 hours to complete (totaling 
1,200 burden hours). We anticipate awarding

[[Page 42739]]

an average of 16 agreements per year. The 16 award recipients are 
required to submit 6-month progress reports throughout the duration of 
the project, and a final technical report. We estimate an additional 
eight hours for each six-month progress report (24 hours per award 
recipient, totaling 384 burden hours) and 20 hours for each cooperative 
agreement recipient to complete and submit a final technical report due 
within 90 days of the project ending date (totaling 320 burden hours).
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 1,904.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Non-hour 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. 2023-14038 Filed 6-30-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4338-11-P

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