Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget; Pollinator Conservation Social Network Analysis Survey, 78894-78895 [2024-22043]

Agencies

• Fish and Wildlife Service
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 187 (Thursday, September 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78894-78895]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-22043]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-OSA-2024-N045; FXSC142003MON30-245-FF03S00000; OMB Control 
Number 1018-New]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget; Pollinator Conservation Social Network 
Analysis Survey

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 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 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing a new 
information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
October 28, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be submitted within 30 days of 
publication of this notice at https://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 the Service 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, MS: PRB (JAO/3W), 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803 (mail); or by email to [email protected]. Please reference 
``1018--New Pollinator Survey'' in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this information collection request (ICR), contact Madonna L. 
Baucum, Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, by email at 
[email protected], or by telephone at (703) 358-2503. 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 Paperwork Reduction 
Act (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and its implementing regulations at 5 
CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require approval under 
the PRA. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to 
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.
    On May 22, 2024, we published in the Federal Register (89 FR 45006) 
a notice of our intent to request that OMB approve this information 
collection. In that notice, we solicited comments for 60 days, ending 
on July 22, 2024. In an effort to increase public awareness of, and 
participation in, our public commenting processes associated with 
information collection requests, the Service also published the Federal 
Register notice on Regulations.gov (Docket FWS-R3-OSA-2024-0064) to 
provide the public with an additional method to submit comments (in 
addition to the typical U.S. mail submission method). We received two

[[Page 78895]]

comments in response to that notice which did not address the 
information collection requirements; therefore, no response is 
required.
    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 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. 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 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 Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742d) 
designates the Department of the Interior as a key agency responsible 
for the conservation and protection of wildlife and fisheries resources 
in the United States. This responsibility dictates that we gather 
accurate data on conservation efforts through means such as research to 
improve the development, management, and advancement of conservation 
efforts. At the June 2022 Monarch Butterfly Summit, the Secretary of 
the Interior announced that the Service would establish a national 
Center for Pollinator Conservation (Center), funded through annual 
appropriations. Formally launched later that year, the Center serves as 
a science and collaboration hub across internal Service programs and 
regions as well as with external agencies and partners. The Center 
helps to direct conservation actions that can reverse declining 
pollinator population trends.
    The Center is seeking to conduct a social network analysis to 
collect information regarding the structure and functions of pollinator 
networks throughout the United States, key influencers and network 
clusters, network gaps, and the diffusion of information across the 
broad pollinator conservation community. The proposed survey collects 
information necessary to support the Center's role as a science and 
collaboration hub helping inform evidence-based decisions to create, 
sustain, and strengthen relationships and communication channels across 
individuals and organizations to increase awareness of, collaboration 
on, and efficacy of pollinator conservation efforts.
    In addition to an overview of the survey (Section 1), the proposed 
survey collects the following information:
     Respondent's organization and its involvement in 
pollinator conservation efforts (Section 2);
     Collaboration on pollinator conservation, including 
identification of collaborative organizations and collaboration types 
(Section 3);
     Network characteristics, including how organizations work 
together and potential barriers (Section 4);
     Respondent's role within their organization, along with 
name and email address (Section 5); and
     Additional comments on the survey or pollinator 
conservation in general (Section 6).
    We will use the information collected in this effort to develop 
multiple products aimed at translating the data into information that 
can strengthen partnerships, identify gaps, and inform conservation 
decisions.
    The public may request a copy of the draft survey instrument by 
sending a request to the Service Information Collection Clearance 
Officer (see ADDRESSES, above).
    Title of Collection: Pollinator Conservation Social Network 
Analysis.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-New.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: New.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Private sector and government 
respondents (e.g., Federal, State, Tribal, nongovernmental 
organizations (NGOs), academic entities, etc.) that work on pollinator 
conservation efforts throughout North America, with primary focus in 
the United States.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 265 (160 private 
sector respondents, including academic entities and NGOs, and 205 
State/Local/Tribal/Federal agencies/organizations).
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 265.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 20 minutes.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 89.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: One time.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

    Note:  We estimate that approximately 100 U.S. Federal employees 
will respond to the survey (for a total estimate of 365 annual 
respondents); however, because U.S. Federal employees are exempt 
from the Paperwork Reduction Act, they are removed from the burden 
calculations.

    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.).

Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-22043 Filed 9-25-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P