Notice2026-04155
Agency Information Collection Activities; USGS Ash Fall Report
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
March 3, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentGeological Survey
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is proposing to renew an information collection.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 41 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10408-10409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04155]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Geological Survey
[Docket No. USGS-2026-0067; OMB Control Number 1028-
0106GX26WC00GJNV331]
Agency Information Collection Activities; USGS Ash Fall Report
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 (PRA) of 1995,
the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is proposing to renew an information
collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
May 4, 2026.
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-2026-0067.
[ssquf] U.S. Mail: USGS, Information Collections Clearance Officer,
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 159, Reston, VA 20192.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristi Wallace by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d8b3afb9b4b4b9bbbd98adabbfabf6bfb7ae"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="533824323f3f32303613262034207d343c25">[email protected]</span></a>, or by telephone at 907-786-7109. 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
[[Page 10409]]
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 of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information
collections require approval under the PRA. An agency may not conduct
or sponsor, nor is an individual 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
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 comments 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 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 using 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 information collection request. 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: The USGS provides notifications and warnings to the
public of volcanic activity in the U.S. in order to reduce the loss of
life, property, and economic and societal impacts. Ash fall to the
ground can pose significant disruption and damage to buildings,
transportation, water and wastewater, power supply, communications
equipment, agriculture, and primary production leading to potentially
substantial societal impacts and costs, even at thicknesses of only a
few millimeters or inches. Additionally, fine grained ash can cause
health impacts to humans and animals when ingested. The USGS will use
reports entered in real time by respondents of ash fall in their local
area to correct or refine ash fall forecasts as the ash cloud moves
downwind. Retrospectively these reports will enable the USGS to improve
their ash fall models and further research into eruptive processes.
This project is a database module and web interface allowing the
public and Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) staff to enter reports of
ash fall in their local area in real time and retrospectively following
an eruptive event. Users browsing the AVO website during eruptions will
be directed towards a web form allowing them to fill in ash fall
information and submit the information to AVO.
Compiled ash fall reports are available in real-time to AVO staff
through the AVO internal website. A pre-formatted summary report or
table that distills information received online will show ash fall
reports in chronological order with key fields including (1) date and
time of ash fall, (2) location, (3) positive or negative ash fall, (4)
name of observer, and (5) contact. Information is easily viewable
internally on the report so that calls for clarification can be made by
AVO staff quickly and so that operations room staff can visualize
ashfall information quickly.
Ash fall report data will also be displayed on a dynamic map
interface and show positive (yes ash) and negative (no ash) ash fall
reports by location. Ash fall reports (icons) will be publicly
displayed for a period of 24 hours and shaded differently as they age
so that the age of reports is obvious.
The ash fall report database will help AVO track eruption clouds
and associated fallout downwind. These reports from the public will
also give scientists a more complete record of the amount and duration
and other conditions of ash fall. Getting first-hand accounts of ash
fall will support model ash fall development and interpretation of
satellite imagery. AVO scientists will--as time allows--be able to
contact the individuals using their entered contact information for
clarification and details. Knowing the locations from which ash fall
reports have been filed will improve ash fall warning messages and AVO
Volcanic Activity Notifications and will make fieldwork more efficient.
AVO staff will be able to condense and summarize the various ash fall
reports and forward that information on to emergency management
agencies and the wider public. The online form will also free up
resources during exceedingly busy times during an eruption, as most
individuals currently phone AVO with their reports.
Title of Collection: USGS Ash Fall Report.
OMB Control Number: 1028-0106.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: General Public, local governments, and
emergency managers.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 250.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 250.
Estimated Completion Time per Response: 5 minutes.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 21 hours.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion, after each ash fall event.
Total Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden Cost: We have not identified
any ``non-hour cost'' burdens associated with this collection of
information.
The authority for this action is the PRA of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et
seq.).
Jacob B. Lowenstern,
Acting Center Director, USGS Volcano Science Center.
[FR Doc. 2026-04155 Filed 3-2-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4388-11-P
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