[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 250 (Thursday, December 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81960-81961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33392]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

[Account number: GX.12.LH00.0A000.UR]


Agency Information Collections Activities: Submitted for Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: United States Geological Survey (USGS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of a proposed new information collection and request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we 
are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB a new 
information collection request (ICR) for approval of the paperwork 
requirements for the Study on Uranium and other trace metals in Private 
Bedrock Wells of south-eastern New Hampshire.

DATES: You must submit comments on or before January 30, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Please submit written comments on this information 
collection directly to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs,

[[Page 81961]]

Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior via email to 
[email protected] or fax at (202) 395-5806; and identify your 
submission as 1028-NEW NHWELL. Please also submit a copy of your 
written comments to Shari Baloch, USGS Information Collection Clearance 
Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 
20192 MS 807 (mail); (703) 648-7199 (fax); or [email protected] 
(email). Please reference Information Collection 1028-NEW NHWELL in the 
subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah M. Flanagan, U.S. Geological 
Survey, 331 Commerce Way, Pembroke, New Hampshire 03275 (mail); at 
(603) 226-7811 (telephone); or [email protected] (email). You may also 
find information on this collection at www.reginfo.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting the study with the 
assistance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to (1) 
obtain information on water-quality issues that affect private well 
owners, (2) estimate the number of private wells containing raw-water 
concentrations of uranium and other trace metals (arsenic, iron, lead, 
and manganese) that are greater than the current drinking-water 
standards, and (3) assess the degree to which bedrock types can be 
associated with concentrations of uranium and other trace metals. This 
information will help guide future water-supply development and well-
water testing. It will guide local health officials to areas of concern 
within their communities. Responses are voluntary. No questions of a 
``sensitive'' nature are asked.

II. Data

    Title: Study on Uranium and other trace metals in Bedrock Wells in 
South-East New Hampshire.
    OMB Control Number: 1028-NEW NHWELL.
    Affected Public: Individual and household residents.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: One time collection.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: 350 private well 
owners in south-eastern New Hampshire.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 350.
    Estimated Time per Response: We estimate that the burden for this 
collection to be approximately 10 minutes to take the survey and 10 
minutes to locate and collect the water needed for the sample. The 
total estimate is approximately 20 minutes per response.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 117 hours.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: 
There are no ``non-hour cost'' burdens associated with this collection 
of information.

III. Request for Comments

    On August 9, 2011 we published a Federal Register notice (76 FR 
48882) announcing that we would submit this ICR to OMB for approval and 
soliciting comments. The comment period closed on October 11, 2011. We 
did not receive any comments in response to that notice. We again 
invite comments concerning this ICR on: (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 of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 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 anytime. 
While you can ask OMB in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that it 
will be done.

     Dated: December 20, 2011.
Keith W. Robinson,
Director, USGS New Hampshire-Vermont Water Science Center.
[FR Doc. 2011-33392 Filed 12-28-11; 8:45 am]
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