2013-18431. Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request for the Production Estimate (2 Forms)

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of an extension of a currently approved information collection (1028-0065).

SUMMARY:

We (the USGS) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection request (ICR) described below. This collection consists of 2 forms. The collection is a revision with a title change because it includes the previous transfer of USGS Form 9-4142-Q to Information Collection 1028-0062. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this ICR. This collection is scheduled to expire on July 31, 2013.

DATE:

To ensure that your comments on this IC are considered, we must receive them on or before September 3, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

Please submit written 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 email: ([e-mail]); or by fax [phone]; and identify your submission with OMB Control Number 1028-0065. Please also send a copy of your comments to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, 807 National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192 (mail); 703-648-7195 (fax); or [e-mail] (email). Reference Information Collection 1028-0065 in the subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Shonta E. Osborne at 703-648-7960 (telephone); [e-mail] (email); or by mail at U.S. Geological Survey, 985 National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192. To see a copy of the entire ICR submitted to OMB, go to http://www.reginfo.gov (Information Collection Review, Currently under Review).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

This collection is needed to provide data on mineral production for annual reports published by commodity for use by Government agencies, Congressional offices, educational institutions, research organizations, financial institutions, consulting firms, industry, academia, and the general public. This information will be published in the “Mineral Commodity Summaries,” the first preliminary publication to furnish estimates covering the previous year's nonfuel mineral industry.

II. Data

OMB Control Number: 1028-0065.

Form Numbers: 9-4042-A and 9-4124-A.

Title: Production Estimate.

Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Private sector: U.S. nonfuel minerals producers.

Respondent Obligation: Voluntary.

Frequency of Collection: Annually.

Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 1,614.

Annual Burden Hours: 403 hours. We expect to receive 1,614 annual responses. We estimate an average of 15 minutes per response.

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 a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number and current expiration date.

III. Request for Comments

Comments: We are soliciting comments as to: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the agency to perform its duties, including whether the information is useful; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden time to the proposed collection of information; (c) how to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) how to minimize the burden on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Please note that the comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of public record. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, including your personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee we will be able to do so.

Dated: July 26, 2013.

Steven D. Textoris,

Acting Director, National Minerals Information Center, U.S. Geological Survey.