Notice2023-03882
Agency Information Collection Activities; North Atlantic Right Whale Research and Management Activities
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 24, 2023
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentOcean Energy Management Bureau
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposes a new information collection request (ICR).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 37 (Friday, February 24, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 37 (Friday, February 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11953-11954]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03882]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[OMB Control Number 1010-NEW; Docket ID: BOEM-2023-0004]
Agency Information Collection Activities; North Atlantic Right
Whale Research and Management Activities
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposes a new information
collection request (ICR).
DATES: Comments must be received by BOEM no later than April 25, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this ICR by mail to the BOEM
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Anna Atkinson, Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, Virginia 20166;
or by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d0b1bebeb1feb1a4bbb9bea3bfbe90b2bfb5bdfeb7bfa6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="096867676827687d6260677a6667496b666c64276e667f">[email protected]</span></a>. Please reference Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1010-NEW in the subject line
of your comments. You may also view the ICR and its related documents
by searching the docket number BOEM-2023-00004 at <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anna Atkinson by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0e6f60606f206f7a6567607d61604e6c616b6320696178"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6f0e01010e410e1b0406011c00012f0d000a0241080019">[email protected]</span></a>, or by telephone at 703-787-1025. 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 of 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 of 1995, BOEM provides the general public and other Federal
agencies with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and
continuing collections of information. This helps BOEM assess the
impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the
public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand BOEM's
information collection requirements and provide the requested data in
the desired format.
BOEM is soliciting comments on the proposed ICR described below.
BOEM is especially interested in public comments addressing the
following issues: (1) is the collection necessary to the proper
functions of BOEM; (2) what can BOEM do to ensure that this information
is processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the burden estimate
accurate; (4) how might BOEM enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information to be collected; and (5) how might BOEM minimize the
burden of this collection on the respondents, including minimizing the
burden through the use of information technology?
Comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. BOEM will include or summarize each comment in its ICR
to OMB for approval of this information collection. You should be aware
that your entire comment--including your address, phone number, email
address, or other personally identifiable information included in your
comment--may be made publicly available at any time.
You may request that BOEM withhold your personally identifiable
information
[[Page 11954]]
from public disclosure. In order for BOEM to consider withholding from
disclosure your personally identifying information, you must identify,
in a cover letter, any information contained in your comments that, if
released, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of your
personal privacy. You must also briefly describe any possible harmful
consequences from disclosing your information, such as embarrassment,
injury, or other harm. Even if BOEM withholds your information in the
context of this ICR, your submission is subject to the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552). If your submission is requested
under the FOIA, BOEM can only withhold your information if it
determines that one of the FOIA's exemptions to disclosure applies.
Such a determination will be made in accordance with the Department of
the Interior's FOIA regulations (43 CFR part 2) and applicable law.
Note that BOEM will make available for public inspection all
comments in their entirety submitted by organizations and businesses,
or by individuals identifying themselves as representatives of
organizations or businesses.
BOEM protects proprietary information in accordance with FOIA, the
Department's implementing regulations.
Title of Collection: ``North Atlantic Right Whale Research and
Management Activities.''
Abstract: BOEM is working on a project to identify and synthesize
current North Atlantic right whale (NARW) research and management
activities conducted by State and Federal government researchers,
academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This
project includes identification of mitigation efforts to avoid or limit
impacts from offshore wind development activities on NARWs. This
information will provide essential data and stakeholder feedback so
that BOEM managers and scientists are better able to predict, mitigate,
and monitor any potential conflicts between NARWs and offshore wind
development.
An important component of this project is the development of the
NARW synthesis report. This report will include a summary of: (1)
existing sources of information related specifically to understanding
presence, distribution, and density of NARWs in and around wind energy
areas offshore the U.S. Atlantic coast; (2) current approaches for
avoiding or limiting impacts to NARWs during offshore wind construction
and operation; (3) a listing of mitigation measures recommended by
others but not yet adopted; (4) current monitoring requirements and
their implementation; and (5) an accounting of emerging technologies
that may allow monitoring at project and regional scales.
In order to develop the synthesis report, BOEM seeks OMB approval
for a set of standardized questions to NARW stakeholders regarding
their activities to understand impacts from offshore wind energy
projects on the whales and to ensure effective mitigation monitoring.
The questions are designed to learn of recent and ongoing research and
management strategies employed by relevant State and Federal
governments, academic institutions, and NGOs, including outcomes of
prior workshops and planning bodies. BOEM has partnered with the Blue
World Research Institute to implement the questionnaire. The
questionnaire comprises approximately 20 questions that ask respondents
about: (1) their organization; (2) information on current monitoring
and research activities, such as objective, location, scope, methods,
timelines, outcomes and challenges, and contributions to NARW
conservation or impact reduction; (3) related ancillary information,
such as type of study, next steps, and focus of future funding sources;
and (4) additional comments and discussion. The questionnaire avoids
sensitive topics or matters that are commonly considered private. The
results will be summarized as part of the NARW synthesis report.
Additionally, BOEM plans to hold two to three webinars or one
virtual workshop to present results of the synthesis report and solicit
feedback on future research priorities and management needs from the
offshore energy industry and NARW stakeholders. This feedback will be
compiled in a final report.
OMB Control Number: 1010-NEW.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: New.
Respondents/Affected Public: State (and Federal) government
researchers, academic institutions, and NGOs.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 200 responses.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 210 hours.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden Cost: There is no non-hour
cost burden associated with this collection.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid
OMB control number.
The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Karen Thundiyil,
Chief, Office of Regulations, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2023-03882 Filed 2-23-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340-98-P
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