Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Cooperative Research Units (CRU), 20996-20997 [2024-06428]

Agencies

• Geological Survey
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20996-20997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06428]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

[GX24BD009AV0100; OMB Control Number 1028-012]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; 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 proposing to renew an information 
collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
April 25, 2024.

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 Review--Open for

[[Page 20997]]

Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Please provide a 
copy of your comments 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 1028-0126 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this Information Collection Request (ICR), contact Melissa Thode, 
Program Analyst, CRU 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. You may also view the ICR at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (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 
October 6, 2023, (88 FR 69654). 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 might the agency 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), and detailed budget breakdowns 
(salaries includes names, positions, rate of compensation) per Office 
of Acquisition requirements.
    Only CRU Cooperating Universities (applicants/recipients) can apply 
to the Research Work Order (RWO) component of the CRU Program. All 
proposals & SF-424 forms (includes budgets) are submitted 
electronically through Grants.gov. USGS/Office of Acquisition and 
Grants uses this information to process the RWO award.
    Title of Collection: Cooperative Research Units.
    OMB Control Number: 1028-0126.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Renewal.
    Respondents/Affected Public: CRU Cooperating Universities.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 43.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 428.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Between 10 minutes and 40 
hours, depending on activity.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2,325.
    Respondent's Obligation: Necessary to retain/obtain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: Varies with research work order but at a 
minimum is responsible for initial applications, progress report and 
final report.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 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.).

Donald Dennerline,
Acting Deputy Chief, U.S. Geological Survey, Cooperative Research 
Units.
[FR Doc. 2024-06428 Filed 3-25-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4388-11-P