Notice2023-08698
Agency Information Collection Activities; Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) Competitive Cooperative Agreement Program With State Geological Surveys
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
April 25, 2023
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentGeological Survey
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Office of the Secretary will seek Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of an extension of a previously approved information collection.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 79 (Tuesday, April 25, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 25, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25010-25011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08698]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Geological Survey
[GX23GB00UM20200; OMB Control Number 1028-0133]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Earth Mapping Resources
Initiative (Earth MRI) Competitive Cooperative Agreement Program With
State Geological Surveys
AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, 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 Office of the Secretary will seek Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) approval of an extension of a previously approved information
collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
June 26, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
clearance of a new information collection should be sent to
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Department
of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240; or by email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a8ece7e185f8fae9e8c1c7db86ccc7c186cfc7de"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="64202b2d49343625240d0b174a000b0d4a030b12">[email protected]</span></a>. Please reference OMB Control Number ``1028-0133
EarthMRI'' in the subject line of your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this Information Collection Request (ICR), contact James Mosley
by telephone at (703) 648-6312, or by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#85efe8eaf6e9e0fcc5f0f6e2f6abe2eaf3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b5dfd8dac6d9d0ccf5c0c6d2c69bd2dac3">[email protected]</span></a>.
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 PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require
approval. We may not conduct or sponsor, nor are you required to
respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number.
As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent
burden, 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 the agency might 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 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: Public Law 117-58, Section 40201, ``Earth Mapping
Resources Initiative'' contained in the Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act [otherwise known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)]
authorizes and accelerates the mapping efforts of the Earth Mapping
Resources Initiative (Earth MRI).
Earth MRI is a component of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Mineral Resources Program and is a national effort to carry out the
fundamental resources- and mapping mission of the USGS. The goal of
Earth MRI is to modernize the surface- and subsurface geologic mapping
of the United States, with a focus on identifying areas that may have
the potential to contain mineral resources.
The BIL directed the USGS to accelerate efforts to carry out
fundamental integrated topographic, geologic, geochemical, and
geophysical mapping and provide interpretation of subsurface and above-
ground (mine waste) critical-mineral resources data at a funding level
of $320,000,000 annually for five years (FY2022-FY2026). The USGS
developed a new competitive cooperative agreement program with the
State geological surveys to support mine-waste activities authorized
and funded by the BIL. State geological surveys apply for funds through
an annual competitive agreement process. Individual State projects last
for up to two years.
BIL Section 40201 stipulates that the USGS may enter into
cooperative agreements with State geological surveys to accelerate the
efforts of Earth MRI. The BIL requires the USGS to collect information
necessary to ensure that cooperative-agreement funds authorized by this
legislation are used in accordance with the BIL and Federal assistance
requirements under 2 CFR 200. Information collected by Earth MRI as
part of the consolidated workplan is described below. The USGS seeks
Office of Management and Budget approval to continue to collect this
information to manage and monitor cooperative agreement awards to
comply with the BIL.
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Title of Collection: Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
Competitive Cooperative Agreement Program with State Geological
Surveys.
OMB Control Number: 1028-0133.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension of an approved information collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: 25.
Responses: 73 (25 applications, 32 total six-month progress
reports, and 16 final technical reports.)
Total Burden Hours: 2,076 hours.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, nor is a person 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.).
Sarah J. Ryker,
Associate Director for Energy and Mineral Resources, U.S. Geological
Survey.
[FR Doc. 2023-08698 Filed 4-24-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4338-11-P
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