07-2070. Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request

AGENCY:

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of an extension of an information collection (1028-0062).

SUMMARY:

To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information collection request (ICR) to renew approval of the paperwork requirements for “Industrial Minerals Surveys, (38 USGS forms).” This notice also provides the public a second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these forms.

DATES:

Submit written comments by May 29, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments on this information collection directly to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior via OMB e-mail: ([e-mail]); or by fax [phone]; identify with (1028-0062).

Submit a copy of your comments to the Department of the Interior, USGS, via:

• E-mail: [e-mail]. Use Information Collection Number 1028-0062 in the subject line.
• Fax: [phone]. Use Information Collection Number 1028-0062 in the subject line.
• Mail or hand-carry comments to the Department of the Interior; USGS Clearance Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 807 National Center, Reston, VA 20192. Please reference Information Collection 1028-0062 in your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Scott F. Sibley at [phone]. Copies of the full Information Collection Request and the forms can be obtained at no cost at www.reginfo.gov or by contacting the USGC clearance officer at the phone number listed below.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Industrial Mineral Surveys.

OMB Control Number: 1028-0062.

Form Number: Various (38 forms).

Abstract: Respondents supply the U.S. Geological Survey with domestic production and consumption data on industrial minerals, some of which are considered strategic and critical. This information will be published as chapters in Minerals Yearbooks, monthly/quarterly Mineral Industry Surveys, annual Mineral Commodity Summaries, and special publications, for use by Government agencies, industry, education programs, and the general public. Responses are voluntary. No questions of a “sensitive” nature are asked.

Frequency: Monthly, Quarterly, Semiannually, and Annually.

Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 13,696 producers and consumers of industrial minerals.

Estimated Number of Responses: 16,161.

Annual burden hours: 11,716.

Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping “Non-Hour Cost” Burden: We have not identified any “non-hour cost” burdens associated with this collection of information.

Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and you are not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Comments: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) requires each agency “* * * to provide notice * * * and otherwise consult with members of the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of information * * *.” Agencies must specifically solicit comments to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the agency to perform its duties, including whether the information is useful; (b) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) minimize the burden on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

To comply with the public consultation process, on August 29, 2006, we published a Federal Register notice (71 FR 51208) announcing that we would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided the required 60-day public comment period. We have received no comments in response to the notice.

Bureau clearance officer: Alfred Travnicek, 703-648-7231.

John H. DeYoung, Jr.,

Chief Scientist, Minerals Information Team.