Agency Information Collection Activities; Documenting, Managing, and Preserving Department of the Interior Museum Collections Housed in Non-Federal Repositories, 72420-72421 [2024-19858]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 172 (Thursday, September 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72420-72421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19858]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

[245D0102DM. DS62400000. DLSN00000.000000. DX62401; OMB Control Number 
1084-0034]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Documenting, Managing, 
and Preserving Department of the Interior Museum Collections Housed in 
Non-Federal Repositories

AGENCY: Office of Acquisition and Property Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, 
the Office of Acquisition and Property Management, Office of the 
Secretary, Department of the Interior are proposing to renew an 
information collection with revisions.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
October 7, 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 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Please provide a 
copy of your comments to Rochelle Bennett, Office of Acquisition and 
Property Management, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, MS 
4262-MIB, Washington, DC 20240; or by email to 
[email protected]. Please reference OMB Control Number 1084-
0034 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Rochelle Bennett by email at 
[email protected], or by telephone at 202-513-7564. 
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 
May, 10, 2024 (89 FR 40502). 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 personal identifying information in your comment, you 
should be aware that your entire comment--including your personal 
identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.
    Abstract: The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages an estimated 
75 million museum objects and over 92 thousand linear feet of archives 
in trust for the American public. This diverse collection consists of 
archaeological artifacts, archives, biological specimens, ethnographic 
objects, fine arts, geological specimens, historic objects, and 
paleontological specimens owned and managed by DOI bureaus and offices 
(bureaus). Although the majority of DOI museum collections are housed 
in DOI bureau facilities, at least 10 percent are located at more than 
1,000 non-Federal repositories, primarily state and tribal 
institutions, museums, and university departments. Most of DOI museum 
collections housed in non-Federal repositories resulted from projects 
on Federal lands, and include objects from the disciplines of 
archaeology, biology, geology, and paleontology, as well as associated 
project documentation (archives or associated records).This information 
collection request is directed to these non-Federal repositories that 
house DOI museum collections.
    DOI museum collections cared for in non-Federal repositories are 
established as Federal property under Federal law. Permits and other 
agreements for the collection of artifacts and specimens from public 
lands managed by DOI further affirm Federal ownership. Federal 
regulations and DOI policy require that all permittees (authorized 
individuals) conducting research or performing compliance activities on 
DOI-managed lands must ensure that any retained museum objects and 
archives collected or generated during a project are: (1) accessioned 
and cataloged according to DOI standards in the Interior Collection 
Management System (ICMS), its successor the Museum Collection 
Management System (MCMS), or another collection management system from 
which the

[[Page 72421]]

necessary data can be imported into ICMS or MCMS; and (2) housed in an 
appropriate museum repository that meets professional and DOI museum 
standards. These requirements help to establish and maintain 
accountability, as well as ensure the collections' long-term 
preservation, protection, and availability for access and use.
    Upon request by DOI bureaus, voluntary submittal of the information 
identified below from non-Federal repositories supports DOI's 
management of its museum collections, as well as compliance with the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) where 
applicable. DOI bureaus may request information within the following 
categories:
    (1) Museum records created to manage DOI museum collections, such 
as accession, catalog, inventory, loan, and deaccession records, and 
backups of collection management systems or other software/programs. 
(REVISED)
    (2) Associated records/archives generated by the activity of 
collecting and analyzing DOI museum collections. (NEW)
    (3) Access and use of DOI museum collections, such as use requests, 
analyses, physical and virtual exhibits, online catalogs and finding 
aids, presentations, and publications resulting from use. (NEW)
    (4) Objects newly identified as under DOI ownership and possible 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) human 
remains or cultural items in DOI museum collections. (NEW)
    (5) Improved management and care recommendations, including 
considerations for Duty of Care requirements consistent with NAGPRA. 
(NEW)
    (6) Reports of damaged, deteriorated, missing, or stolen objects. 
(NEW)
    (7) Core management and planning documents, such as scope of 
collection statement, emergency management, integrated pest management, 
security, and housekeeping plans. (NEW)
    (8) Partnerships, funding, or commercial sponsorships that may 
involve DOI museum collections. (NEW)
    (9) Facility Checklist for Spaces Housing DOI Museum Property 
(Checklist) to capture current environmental, security, and other 
management controls in place to document and safeguard DOI museum 
collections and provide recommendations for improvements. (EXISTING)
    (10) Input on Collections from Lands Administered by the U.S. 
Department of the Interior that are Located at Non-Federal Facilities 
(Input Form) to query a limited range of information about the 
repository, scope and types of DOI museum collections in the 
repository, DOI bureaus with which the collections are associated, 
status of documentation and NAGPRA compliance, and availability of 
objects and archives for research and other uses. (EXISTING)
    The expanded categories of information identified above provide a 
more accurate representation of the information that DOI bureaus may 
ask non-Federal repositories to voluntarily provide on DOI museum 
collections. The proposed changes in this information collection 
request also include elimination of the three instruction sheets for 
accession, catalog, and inventory information included in previous 
iterations, as that information is captured in a revised category 
identified above.
    Title of Collection: Documenting, Managing, and Preserving 
Department of the Interior Museum Collections Housed in Non-Federal 
Repositories.
    OMB Control Number: 1084-0034.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Museums; academic, cultural, and 
research institutions; and state, tribal, and local agencies and 
institutions.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 425.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 425.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 3 to 34 hours, 
depending on activity.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 8,475.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: Maximum of once per year per collection 
instrument, and likely less frequently.
    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 Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Megan Olsen,
Director, Office of Acquisition and Property Management.
[FR Doc. 2024-19858 Filed 9-4-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4334-63-P