Geological Survey 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The proposal to initiate the collection of information described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for approval under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Copies of the proposed collection of information and related forms may be obtained by contacting the Bureau's Clearance Officer at the phone number listed below. OMB has up to 60 days to approve the information collection, but may respond after 30 days; therefore public comments should be submitted to OMB within 30 days in order to assure maximum consideration. Comments and suggestions on the proposal should be made directly to the Desk Officer for the Interior Department, OMB-OIRA, via e-mail to OIRADOCET@omb.eop.gov or via facsimile to (202) 395-6566, and to the Bureau Clearance Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 807 National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 20192. Specific public comments are requested as to: 1. Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Bureau, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. The accuracy of the Bureau's estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions use; 3. The quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 4. How to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of the appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology. Title: Inventory of Geological and Geophysical Collections at State Surveys. OMB approval number: 1028-. Abstract: Section 351 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, ``to carry out a National Geological and Geophysical data Preservation Program'' (NGGDPP). The Implementation Plan for the National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program submitted to Congress in August 2006 outlines the vision and purpose of the program and makes recommendations for implementation of the program. One of the action items in the FY 2007 implementation plan is to ``begin interactions with State geological surveys and other DOI agencies that maintain geological and geophysical data and samples to address their preservation and data rescue needs.'' As the first step in this process, the USGS is requesting that each state provide an assessment of their current collections resources and data preservation needs. This information will provide a snapshot of the diversity of scientific collections held, supported, or used by state geological surveys. The inventory covers geological and geophysical collections including: (1) Physical collections such as cores, rocks, minerals, fossils, and liquid samples (such as oil). (2) Digital collections (such as analyses and well logs) that are/ were related to physical collections. (3) Paper and other records (such as microfiche and tapes) that need to be converted to digital format (such as seismic lines and historical geological records). Bureau Form Number: None. Frequency: One time. Description of Respondents: State Geological Surveys. Annual Responses: 50. Annual Burden in Hours: 150. Bureau Clearance Officer: Fred Travnicek, 703-648-7231.

Pursuant to Public Law 106-503, the Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee (SESAC) will hold its fourteenth meeting. The meeting location is the Albuquerque Seismological Laboratory, 10002 Isleta Road, SE, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico 87117. The Committee is comprised of members from academia, industry, and State government. The Committee shall advise the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on matters relating to the USGS's participation in the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program. The Committee will provide guidance on the USGS's contributions to the Global Seismographic Network and report preparation. Meetings of the Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee are open to the public.

The next meeting of the Advisory Committee on the Bird Banding Laboratory (Committee) will take place November 7 and 8, 2006, at the Red Lion Hotel, 3500 NE Cornell Road, Hillsboro, Oregon 97124. The meeting runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. The purpose of the Advisory Committee, which is co-chaired by the USGS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is to represent the interests of the bird banding community, including both game and non-game birds, in advising the U.S. Department of the Interior and the USGS on current and future management of the Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL). The agenda for this meeting will focus on finalizing the draft report, including numerous recommendations for improving the BBL's business operations and its level of customer service, begun with the Committee's first meeting in November, 2005. The meeting is open to all members of the interested public, and time on the agenda has been reserved at the conclusion of each day's work for the Committee to receive verbal comments (limited to 5 minutes per person) from the public. To speak before the Committee, please register in advance with Mr. Daniel James (see contact information below), the USGS Designated Federal Official (DFO) for the Committee).

Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the ACWI. This meeting is to discuss broad policy-related topics relating to national water initiatives, and the development and dissemination of water information, through reports from ACWI subgroups. The agenda will include status of a proposal for a new ACWI subgroup on Ground Water Monitoring; a new proposal by the Subcommittee on Hydrology, from the Satellite Telemetry Interagency Working Group; status of the National Monitoring Network for U.S. Coastal Waters and their Tributaries; and a presentation on the new Wetland Mapping Standard Workgroup of the Federal Geographic Data Committee. The ACWI was established under the authority of the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M92-01 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the ACWI is to provide a forum for water information users and professionals to advise the Federal Government on activities and plans that may improve the effectiveness of meeting the Nation's water information needs. Member organizations help to foster communications between the Federal and non-Federal sectors on sharing water information. Membership, limited to 35 organizations, represents a wide range of water resources interests and functions. Representation on the ACWI includes all levels of government, academia, private industry, and professional and technical societies. For more information on the ACWI, its membership, subgroups, meetings and activities, please see the Web site at: https://ACWI.gov.

The first public workshop on future land Imaging for the United States will be held in the main auditorium in the Main Interior Building, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC. The workshop, directed by the Office of Science and Technology Polict of the Executive Branch, is designed to inform the satellite user community of plans for moderate resolution, Landsat-type multispectral imaging. The workshop will include presentations by the Future of Land Imaging Interagency Working Group, industry, the user community and government representatives. Attendees will be given an opportunity to express views and perspectives on future land imaging needs and capabilities.

In accordance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, 16 U.S.C. 703-712, the trapping and marking of wild migratory birds by persons holding Federal permits must be monitored. Formerly managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the bird banding program is now the responsibility of the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL). This bird banding monitoring program involves information collections on three forms: (1) The Application for Federal Bird Marking and Salvage Permit; (2) The Bird Banding Recovery Report; and (3) The Bird Banding Schedule. The information on the Recovery Report may also be submitted electronically at the BBL Web site or via a toll-free telephone number. This program also assists the Fish and Wildlife Service in fulfillment of its responsibilities designated by International Migratory Bird Treaties with Canada, Mexico, Japan, and the Soviet Union. Estimated Completion Time: 30 minutes for Permit Application; 3 minutes for Recovery Report; 2 minutes for Banding Schedule for waterfowl and 200 minutes for Banding Schedule for birds other than waterfowl. Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 97,550. Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 32,959 hours. For Further Information Contact: To obtain a copy of the full information collection request or copies of the forms, contact the Bureau Information Collection Clearance Office, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive MS 807, Reston, VA 20192-0002, or e-mail (nfaries@usgs.gov), or phone (703-648-6879); or contact the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, 12100 Beech Forest Road, Laurel, MD 20708-4037.

The third meeting of the Advisory Committee on the Bird Banding Laboratory (Committee) will take place June 13 and 14, 2006, at the Western Regional Office for Ducks Unlimited, 3074 Gold Canal Drive, Rancho Cordova, California 95670-6116. The meeting runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. The purpose of the Advisory Committee, which is co-chaired by the USGS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is to represent the interests of the bird banding community, including both game and non-game birds, in advising the U.S. Department of the Interior, USGS, on current and future management of the Bird Banding Laboratory. The agenda for this meeting will focus on a full Committee review of the results of the work done since the last meeting by the writing subgroup. The subgroup was charged with developing draft one- page position papers on the following topics: (1) Bird banding permits; (2) data collection and storage; (3) data dissemination; (4) partnerships; and overarching issues. Subsequent to the review discussion, the Committee will finalize statements for each issue and begin developing recommendations for action. The meeting is open to all members of the interested public, and time on the agenda has been reserved at the conclusion of each day's work for the Committee to receive verbal comments (limited to 5 minutes per person) from the public. To speak before the Committee, please register in advance with Mr. Daniel James (see contact information below), the USGS Designated Federal Official (DFO) for the Committee.

The fourth meeting of the third Charter period will be held on April 19 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) April 20 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and April 21 (8 a.m. to Noon), 2006, at The Watergate Hotel, 2650 Virginia Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20037. The Committee, comprised of 15 members from academia, industry, government, information science, natural science, social science, and policy/law, will provide the Department of the Interior and USGS management with advice and consultation on defining and accomplishing the NSLRSDA's archiving and access goals to carry out the requirements of the Land Remote Sensing Policy Act; on priorities of the NSLRSDA's tasks; and, on issues of archiving, data management, science, policy, and public-private partnerships. Topics to be reviewed and discussed by the Committee include determining the content of and upgrading the basic data set as identified by the Congress; metadata content and accessibility; product characteristics; availability, and delivery; and, archiving, data access, and distribution policies. Agenda will be finalized at the beginning of the meeting. The meeting is open to all members of the interested public and time on the agenda has been reserved at the conclusion of each day's work for the Committee to receive verbal comments (limited to 5 minutes per person) from the public. To speak before the Committee, please register in advance with Mr. John Faundeen (see contact information below), the USGS Designated Federal Official (DFO) for the Committee.

The second meeting of the Advisory Committee on the bird Banding laboratory (Committee) will take place February 22 ad 23, 2006, at the national headquarters for Ducks Unlimited, One Waterfowl Way, Memphis, Tennessee 38120. The meeting, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day, will take place in DU's Conference Center. The purpose of the Advisory Committee, which is co-chaired by the USGS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is to represent the interests of the bird banding community, including both game and non-game birds, in advising the U.S. Department of the Interior, USGS, on current and future management of the bird Banding Laboratory. The agenda for this meeting will focus on a Committee review of the results of the work done since the last meeting by four smaller subgroups. Each subgroup was charged with developing draft issue statement for one of the following topics: (1) Bird banding permits; (2) data collection and storage; (3) data dissemination; and (4) partnerships. Subsequent to the review discussion, the Committee will finalize statements for each issue and begin developing recommendations for action. The meeting is open to all members of the interested public, and time on the agenda has been reserved at the conclusion of each day's work for the Committee to receive verbal comments (limited to 5 minutes per person) from the public. To speak before the Committee, please register in advance with Mr. Daniel James (see contact information below), the USGS Designated Federal Official (DFO) for the Committee.