2023-01362. Agency Information Collection Activities; Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Sighting Reporting Form and Alert Registration Form

AGENCY:

Geological Survey, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is proposing to renew an information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before February 23, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. You may also submit comments by mail to the U.S. Geological Survey, Information Collections Officer, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive MS 159, Reston, VA 20192; or by email to [e-mail]. Please reference OMB Control Number 1028-0098 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this Information Collection Request (ICR), contact Matthew Neilson by email at [e-mail], or by telephone at [phone]. 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 http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the PRA 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.

A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on November 8, 2022 (87 FR 67483). 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 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: America is under siege by many harmful non-native species of plants, animals, and microorganisms. More than 6,500 nonindigenous species are now established in the United States, posing risks to native species, valued ecosystems, and human- and wildlife health. These invaders extract a huge cost, an estimated $120 billion per year, to mitigate their harmful impacts. The current annual environmental, economic, and health-related costs of invasive species exceed those of all other natural disasters combined.

Through its Invasive Species Program ( http://www.usgs.gov/​ecosystems/​invasive_​species/​), the USGS plays an important role in federal efforts to combat invasive species in natural and semi-natural areas through early detection and assessment of newly established invaders; monitoring of invading populations; and improving understanding of the ecology of invaders and factors in the resistance of habitats to invasion. The USGS provides the tools, technology, and information supporting efforts to prevent, contain, control, and manage invasive species nationwide. To meet user needs, the USGS also develops methods for compiling and synthesizing accurate and reliable data and information on invasive species for inclusion in a distributed and integrated web-based information system.

As part of the USGS Invasive Species Program, the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database ( http://nas.er.usgs.gov/​) functions as a repository and clearinghouse for occurrence information on nonindigenous aquatic species from across the United States. It contains locality information on approximately 1,390 species of vertebrates, invertebrates, and vascular plants introduced since 1850. Taxa include foreign species as well as those native to North America that have been transported outside of their natural range. The NAS website provides immediate access to new occurrence records through a real-time interface with the NAS database. Visitors to the website can use a set of predefined queries to obtain lists of species according to state or hydrologic basin of interest. Fact sheets, distribution maps, and information on new occurrences are continually posted and updated. Dynamically generated species-distribution maps show the spatial accuracy of the locations reported, population status, and links to more information about each report. Information on new species occurrences from the public can be added to the NAS database using a sighting report form available on the NAS website. The form includes the species observed, location and date of observation, optional contact information (for any subsequent follow up discussion on observation), and optional images or other media files that provide supporting evidence of the organism.

The NAS website also allows users to sign up for email alert notifications of new species observations of interest matching several taxonomic or geographic filters through an alert registration form. The information collected includes a name, email address, a user-specific password, and notification preferences.

Title of Collection: Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Sighting Reporting Form and Alert Registration Form.

OMB Control Number: 1028-0098.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Federal, State, and local government employees, university personnel, and private individuals.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: We estimate approximately 350 respondents per year for the sighting report form (some respondents will submit multiple reports per year), and 50 respondents ( i.e., new registrations) per year for the alert registration form.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: We estimate 700 responses per year for the sighting report form, and 85 responses ( i.e., new registrations) per year for the alert registration form.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: We estimate 3 minutes for the sighting report form, and 1 minute for the alert registration form.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: We estimate 35 hours for the sighting report form, and 2 hours for the alert registration form; a total of 37 hours for the two forms.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

Frequency of Collection: On occassion.

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.).

Lynn Copeland,

Center Director, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey.