Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Ferrous Metals Surveys

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 and its implementing regulations, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) proposes to renew an information collection with revisions.

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 203 (Thursday, October 22, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 203 (Thursday, October 22, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66707-66708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21567]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

[Docket No. USGS-2026-0397; OMB Control Number 1028-0068; 
GX26LR000F60100]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Ferrous 
Metals 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 (PRA) of 1995 
and its implementing regulations, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 
proposes to renew an information collection with revisions.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments. To be 
considered, we must receive your comments on or before December 21, 
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-2026-0397.
    [ssquf] U.S. Mail: USGS, Information Collections Clearance Officer, 
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 159, Reston, VA 20192.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: E. Lee Bray by email at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b0dcd2c2d1c9f0c5c3d7c39ed7dfc6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e78b8595869ea792948094c9808891">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, or by telephone at 703-648-4979. 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 Information Collection Request (ICR) at <a href="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the PRA, as part of our

[[Page 66708]]

continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burdens, 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 provides the requested data in the desired format.
    We are soliciting comments on the proposed ICR described below. We 
are especially interested in public comments addressing the following 
issues:
    (1) whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the USGS minerals information 
mission; (2) whether the estimate of burden is accurate; (3) how the 
USGS might enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and (4) how the USGS might minimize the burden of this 
collection of information on the respondents, including through the use 
of information technology.
    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: Respondents to these forms supply the USGS with domestic 
production and consumption data for 13 ores, concentrates, metals, and 
ferroalloys, some of which are considered strategic and critical, to 
assist in determining Defense National Stockpile Center goals. These 
data and derived information will be published as chapters in USGS 
Minerals Yearbooks, monthly USGS Mineral Industry Surveys, annual USGS 
Mineral Commodity Summaries, and special publications for use by 
Government agencies, Congressional offices, industry education 
programs, research organizations, financial institutions, consulting 
firms, industry, academia, and the general public.
    The USGS Mineral Resources Program is submitting this Federal 
Register Notice as a revision to add a new `Iron and Steel Scrap and 
Pig Iron' monthly canvass (USGS Form 9-4148-M) to this ICR and to 
revise the `Iron and Steel Scrap and Pig Iron' monthly/annual canvass 
(USGS Form 9-4116-MA) including its conversion to an annual canvass 
only (USGS Form 9-4116-A). We estimate that the current 30 minutes 
average estimated burden time for the monthly/annual canvass will 
decrease to 20 minutes once converted to an annual canvass only. We 
also estimate an average estimated burden time of 10 minutes for the 
new `Iron and Steel Scrap and Pig Iron' monthly canvass. These 
adjustments are designed to boost response rates and maintain essential 
statistical insights for industry analyses. The annual canvass, in 
particular, will focus on eliminating redundant data points, allowing 
for more efficient responses. Both canvasses aim to capture the 
``missing middle'' of scrap consumption--materials sent to 
manufacturers with scrap and waste materials returned via contract--
whereas the previous canvass only identified post-consumer materials 
and home scrap. The updated form and new form also improve data 
collection, expand coverage of consumption and production, and support 
more advanced analytical capabilities.
    Title of Collection: Ferrous Metals Surveys.
    OMB Control Number: 1028-0068.
    Form Number: Various (16 USGS forms).
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit 
institutions; U.S. nonfuel minerals producers and consumers of ferrous 
and related metals.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 980.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 2,718.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: For each form, we will 
include an average burden time ranging from 10 minutes to 1 hour.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 899.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: Monthly or annually.
    Total Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden Cost: There are no ``non-
hour cost'' burdens associated with this ICR.
    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 authorities for this action are the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 et 
seq.), the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and 
Development Act of 1980 (30 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), the National Mining 
and Minerals Policy Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 21a), the Strategic and 
Critical Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98 et seq.), and the 
Defense Production Act (50 U.S.C. 2061 et seq.).

Elisa Alonso,
Acting Deputy Director, National Minerals Information Center, U.S. 
Geological Survey.
[FR Doc. 2026-21567 Filed 10-21-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4338-11-P


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