Notice2025-11084

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; U.S. Geological Survey, Generic Clearance for Natural Hazard Disaster-Related Data Collection

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
June 17, 2025

Issuing agencies

Interior DepartmentGeological Survey

Abstract

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the United States Geological Survey (USGS, we) is proposing a new information collection.

Full Text

<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 115 (Tuesday, June 17, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 115 (Tuesday, June 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25623-25624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-11084]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

[GX25GA00EZ50000; OMB Control Number 1028-NEW]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; U.S. Geological Survey, Generic Clearance for Natural Hazard 
Disaster-Related Data Collection

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
the United States Geological Survey (USGS, we) is proposing a new 
information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments. To be 
considered, your comments must be received on or before July 17, 2025.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
    [ssquf] Internet: <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Search for and 
submit comments on Docket No. USGS-2025-0013.
    [ssquf] U.S. Mail: USGS, Information Collections Clearance Officer, 
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 159, Reston, VA 20192.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack Friedman by email at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c3a9a5b1aaa6a7aea2ad83b6b0a4b0eda4acb5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e8828e9a818d8c858986a89d9b8f9bc68f879e">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, or by telephone at 608-636-0796. 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 <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the 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.
    On August 1, 2024, USGS published a 60-day Federal Register notice 
(89 FR 62778). The 60-day comment period ended on September 30, 2024. 
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 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. Before including your address, phone number, email 
address, or other personally identifiable information (PII) in your 
comment, you should be aware that your entire

[[Page 25624]]

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: The mission of the USGS is to serve the Nation by 
providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand 
the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters 
(e.g., 42 U.S.C. 5121; 5132 Disaster Relief Act of 1974, Section 
202(a)); manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources (e.g., 
42 U.S.C. 300(f); 42 U.S.C. 2021(b); 42 U.S.C. 4321); and enhance and 
protect our quality of life (e.g., 42 U.S.C. 7701; USGS, SM 120.1.2). 
Regarding hazard events, the USGS provides information needed by its 
customers before, during, and after hazard events to minimize the loss 
of life and property. Hazards include, but are not limited to, 
earthquakes (42 U.S.C. 7701), volcanoes (43 U.S.C. 31k), landslides (43 
U.S.C. 49 3102; Pub. L. 116-323; H.R. 8810), geomagnetic (solar) 
storms, floods, drought, coastal erosion, tsunamis, wildland fire, 
wildlife disease, and other biological and chemical threats (USGS, SM 
120.1.3.A).
    Part of the USGS's function is to communicate with emergency 
managers, public safety officials, and others during hazard events and 
to conduct post-crisis analysis (USGS, SM 120.1.3.A.6-7). With this in 
mind, the USGS proposes to conduct a number of data collection efforts 
within the topic areas of hazards preparedness, response, and recovery 
studies, and community resilience and sustainability. These efforts 
include studies of specific disaster events (e.g., wildfire, hurricane, 
earthquake, volcano, landslide, tsunami, geomagnetic (i.e., space 
weather), and flood); assessments of the effectiveness of USGS science 
to meet the needs of emergency managers, public safety officials, and 
others; and evaluations of the usability and utility of USGS natural 
hazard-related guidance or other products.
    These data collection efforts may be either qualitative or 
quantitative in nature or may consist of mixed methods. Additionally, 
data may be collected via a variety of means, including but not limited 
to electronic or social media, direct or indirect observation (i.e., in 
person video and audio collections), interviews, questionnaires, and 
focus groups. The USGS will limit its inquiries to data collections 
that solicit strictly voluntary opinions or responses. The data 
collected will be used to decrease negative impacts of hazard events on 
society, improve the flow of actionable information to emergency 
managers and public safety officers, and, in turn, increase community 
resilience within the United States. Steps will be taken to protect 
confidentiality of respondents in each activity covered by this 
request.
    The USGS will utilize this information collection to conduct 
research in support of topic areas of natural hazard-related disaster 
studies and community resilience. This type of research is directly 
related to a range of hazards that are unpredictable in their number 
and scale during a given year. Additionally, some hazard events may 
require multiple studies resulting in multiple collections. Therefore, 
in light of the uncertainties regarding the frequency and extent of 
severe hazard events, the USGS is requesting the ICR annual response 
allotment be set at 4,500 responses and the ICR annual hours allotment 
at 2,000 hours.
    The USGS will collect this information by electronic means, when 
possible, as well as by mail, fax, telephone, technical discussions, 
and in-person interviews. The USGS may also utilize observational 
techniques to collect this information.
    Title of Collection: Generic Clearance for Hazard Event-Related 
Data Collection.
    OMB Control Number: 1028-NEW.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: New.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals or households; emergency 
managers; first responders; weather forecasters; members of the media; 
water, power, transportation, and communications infrastructure 
operators; businesses or other for-profit organizations; not-for-profit 
institutions; State, local or Tribal government; Federal government; 
standards-making bodies; universities.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 2,500.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 4,500 (2,500 15-minute 
surveys with the original respondent pool of 2,500; 1,500 15-minute 
follow-up surveys with the original respondent pool of 2,500; 500 2-
hour follow-up interviews with the original respondent pool of 2,500).
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varied, dependent upon the 
data collection method used. The possible response time to complete a 
questionnaire may be 15 minutes or 2 hours to participate in an 
interview.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2,000 Hours.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: The vast majority will be one-time data 
collection. It is possible that follow-up data collection (pre-/post-
conditions) could occur if data are collected from respondents who are 
impacted by more than one hazard-related incident or a prolonged 
incident, but we expect this to be very rare.
    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 of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et 
seq.).

James D. Applegate,
Acting Associate Director for Natural Hazards.
[FR Doc. 2025-11084 Filed 6-16-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4338-11-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>
Indexed from Federal Register on June 17, 2025.

This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.