Agency Information Collection Activities; Cooperative Research Units (CRU), 69654 [2023-22326]

Agencies

• Geological Survey
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 193 (Friday, October 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 69654]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22326]



[[Page 69654]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

[GX24BD009AV0100; OMB Control Number 1028-0126 (renewal)]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Cooperative Research 
Units (CRU)

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

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is renewing an existing information 
collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
December 5, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request 
(ICR) by mail to the U.S. Geological Survey, Information Collections 
Clearance Officer, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 159, Reston, VA 
20192; or by email to [email protected]. Please reference 
OMB Control Number 1028-0126 CRU (renewal) in the subject line of your 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Melissa Thode, CRU Program Analyst, by email at 
[email protected], or by telephone at 703-648-4265. 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 
burdens, 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. 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: CRU cooperating universities submit applications for 
research work orders via Grants.gov. The statutory authority used is 
the Cooperative Research Units Act (16 U.S.C. 753a-753b), Public Law 
86-686, sec. 1, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 733, as amended by the Fish and 
Wildlife Improvement Act of 1978, Public Law 95-616, sec. 2, Nov. 8, 
1978, 92 Stat. 3110. Applications consist of project proposals, 
budgets, and SF-424 forms. Information submitted includes project 
titles, schedules, scope of work, contact information (names, emails, 
addresses, position titles, telephone numbers), and detailed budget 
breakdowns (salaries, names, positions, rates of compensation) per USGS 
Office of Acquisition and Grants requirements.
    Title of Collection: Cooperative Research Units.
    OMB Control Number: 1028-0126 (renewal).
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: New.
    Respondents/Affected Public: CRU cooperating universities.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 126.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 126.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 41 hours.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2325 hours.
    Respondent's Obligation: Reading application: 126 respondents x 10 
minutes = 21 hours; Preparing and submitting application 126 x 2 hours 
= 252 hours; Annual progress reports 126 x 2 hours = 252 hours; and 
Final reports 50 x 36 hours = 1,800 hours. Final Report numbers vary 
per year based on length of project.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Total Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden Cost: None.
    An agency 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.
    The authorities for this action are the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et 
seq.).

Don Dennerline,
Acting Deputy Chief, USGS CRU.
[FR Doc. 2023-22326 Filed 10-5-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4338-11-P