[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 22 (Monday, February 3, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6212-6213]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-02127]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FW-HQ-FHC-2014-N019; FXFR133409NFHP0-134-FF09F1000]
Proposed Information Collection; National Fish Habitat Action
Plan Project Funding Process
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Service) will ask the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information
collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction
Act 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 IC. We may not
conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number.
DATES: To ensure that we are able to consider your comments on this IC,
we must receive them by April 4, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the IC to the Service Information
Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 2042-
PDM, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 (mail); or hope_grey@fws.gov (email). Please include ``1018-NFHAP'' in the subject line
of your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this IC, contact Hope Grey at hope_grey@fws.gov (email) or 703-
358-2482 (telephone).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
We receive annual appropriations to implement the National Fish
Habitat Action Plan. We use these funds to:
Support our participation in the National Fish Habitat
Board and activities of the Board.
Support Action Plan coordination and leadership at the
Regional level.
Implement habitat-based cost-shared projects.
Funds used to implement habitat-based cost-shared projects (project
funds) are subject to reallocation each year. The Director allocates
the available project funding among Fish Habitat Partnerships (FHPs)
consistent with the goals and strategies of the National Fish Habitat
Board. In FY 2014, we will implement a competitive, performance-based
process to allocate project funds. We will distribute project funds
among FHPs in two categories: (1) Stable operational support and (2)
competitive, performance-based funds to encourage strategic
conservation delivery. To determine which projects receive funding, we
will collect the following information:
Justification for Stable Operational Support ($75,000 per year). To
be eligible to receive stable operational support, FHPs must submit a
justification that provides an overview of all projects and activities
over the previous 3 years and anticipated projects and activities over
the next 3 years. The justification should concisely describe these
projects and activities as well as how these projects and activities
(both individually and collectively) have contributed, or are expected
to contribute, to achieving FHP goals and leverage partner resources
and capabilities.
Accomplishments Report and Work Plan. To compete for performance-
based funds, FHPs must submit:
Accomplishments Report that provides a detailed
description of all
[[Page 6213]]
projects and activities of the FHP over the previous 3 years.
Work Plan consisting of a prioritized list of new or
ongoing habitat projects over the next year. The work plan will
include, but not be limited to, project title, funds requested,
anticipated partner contributions, measurable goals and objectives, and
proposed conservation actions that will produce desired conservation
outcomes and achieve project goals and objectives.
Application. FHPs will solicit proposals for Service funding.
Applicants must submit an application that describes in substantial
detail project locations, benefits, funding, and other characteristics.
Performance and Financial Reports. Persons or entities receiving
project funding must submit annual performance and financial reports
that contain information necessary for us to track costs and
accomplishments. Performance reports will include:
A comparison of actual accomplishments to the goals and
objectives established for the reporting period, the results/findings,
or both;
If the goals and objectives were not met, the reasons why,
including analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit costs
compared to the benefit received to reach an objective; and
Performance metrics, such as the number of stream miles or
acres of riparian habitat restored or protected by the project, the
number of fish passage barriers removed, and the aquatic species
benefitted by the project.
II. Data
OMB Control Number: 1018-XXXX. This is a new collection.
Title: National Fish Habitat Action Plan Project Funding.
Service Form Number: None.
Type of Request: Request for a new OMB Control Number.
Description of Respondents: Fish Habitat Partnerships recognized by
the National Fish Habitat Board; individuals; businesses and
organizations; and State, local, and tribal governments.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: Annually or on occasion.
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Completion
Number of Number of time per Total annual
Activity respondents responses response burden hours
(hours)
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Justification for Stable Operational Support.... 18 18 5 90
Accomplishments Report and Work Plan............ 18 18 20 360
Application..................................... 100 100 20 2,000
Financial and Performance Reports............... 100 100 20 2,000
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TOTALS...................................... 236 236 .............. 4,450
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Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
III. Comments
We invite comments concerning this information collection on:
Whether or not the collection of information is necessary,
including whether or not the information will have practical utility;
The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this
collection of information;
Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on respondents.
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 IC. 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 that we
will be able to do so.
Dated: January 28, 2014.
Tina A. Campbell,
Chief, Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-02127 Filed 1-31-14; 8:45 am]
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