[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 50 (Friday, March 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14533-14534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05605]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[OMB Number 1010--New]
Information Collection: Social Indicators in Coastal Alaska:
Arctic Communities Survey; Proposed Collection for OMB Review; Comment
Request; MMAA104000
ACTION: 60-Day notice.
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SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is inviting comments on a new
collection of information that we will submit to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information
collection request (ICR) pertains to a survey conducted in northern
coastal Alaska communities.
DATES: Submit written comments by May 13, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Please send your comments on this ICR to the BOEM
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Arlene Bajusz, Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management, 381 Elden Street, HM-3127, Herndon, Virginia
20170 (mail); or [email protected] (email); or 703-787-1209 (fax).
Please reference ICR 1010--New Alaska Survey in your comment and
include your name and return address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arlene Bajusz, Office of Policy,
Regulations, and Analysis at (703) 787-1025. You may also request a
free copy of the survey. For more information on the survey, contact
Chris Campbell in the BOEM Alaska Regional Office at (907) 334-5264.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 1010--New.
Title: Social Indicators in Coastal Alaska: Arctic Communities
Survey.
Abstract: This is a new collection that involves a survey of the
Alaska coastal area along the Arctic. Section 20 of the Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act (OCSLA) requires the Secretary of the
Department of the Interior (DOI) to monitor and assess the impacts of
resource development activities in Federal waters on human, marine, and
coastal environments. The OCSLA authorizes the Secretary of the
Interior to conduct studies in areas or regions of lease sales to
ascertain the ``environmental impacts on the marine and coastal
environments of the outer Continental shelf and the coastal areas which
may be affected by oil and gas development'' (43 U.S.C. 1346) (Pub. L.
95-372).
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C.
4321-4347) requires that all Federal agencies use a systematic,
interdisciplinary approach to ensure the integrated use of the natural
and social sciences in any planning and decision making that may have
an effect on the human environment. The Council on Environmental
Quality's Regulations for Implementing Procedural Provisions of NEPA
(40 CFR 1500-1508) state that the ``human environment'' is to be
``interpreted comprehensively'' to include ``the natural and physical
environment and the relationship of people with that environment'' (40
CFR 1508.14). An action's ``aesthetic, historic, cultural, economic,
social or health'' effects must be assessed, ``whether direct,
indirect, or cumulative'' (40 CFR 1508.8).
The BOEM is the DOI agency that conducts OCS lease sales and
monitors and mitigates adverse impacts that might be associated with
offshore resource development. The BOEM Environmental Studies Program
implements and manages the responsibilities of research. This new
survey will facilitate the meeting of DOI/BOEM information needs by
quantifying measures of well-being and the living conditions of
residents in coastal Alaska areas, with specific focus on six
I[ntilde]upiat coastal Alaska Native communities in the North Slope
Borough (Barrow, Point Hope, Wainwright, Nuiqsut, Kaktovik, Point Lay).
The BOEM will use the information collected from this survey to
learn about local social systems and well-being in a way that may shape
development strategies and serve as an interim baseline for impact
mitigation and/or monitoring to compare against future research in
these areas. Without these data, BOEM will not have sufficient
information to make informed oil and gas leasing and development
decisions for these areas. The studies will help
[[Page 14534]]
BOEM identify and mitigate impacts of offshore oil and gas exploration
and development on Alaska Native communities.
Survey Instrument: The Social Indicators survey is voluntary and
will be given to the head of each selected household in the study
communities. The survey instrument was developed through collaborative
discussions with key community members tasked to serve on the North
Slope Management Board, specifically established to deal with this
study.
Interview Methods: The interviews will be conducted in person in a
setting most comfortable for the respondents. This personal method is
more expensive and time consuming for the researchers, but these
drawbacks are outweighed by improvements in the quality of information
obtained and the rapport established between the surveyor and the
person interviewed. Telephone interviews have not been successful on
the North Slope. Each respondent will be paid an honorarium for taking
part in the study. Responses are voluntary.
Frequency: One-time event.
Description of Respondents: Respondents are members of the Alaskan
coastal communities in the North Slope Borough.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: We estimate
1,001 respondents and expect each interview to last 1 hour for a total
of 1,001 burden hours.
Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Non-Hour Cost Burden: We have
identified no non-hour paperwork cost burdens for this collection.
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.
Until OMB approves a collection of information, you are not obligated
to respond.
Comments: We invite comments on: (1) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the agency to perform its
duties, including whether the information is useful; (2) the accuracy
of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity
of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden
on the respondents, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
We will summarize written responses to this notice and address them
in our submission for OMB approval. As a result of your comments, we
will make any necessary adjustments to the burden in our submission to
OMB.
Public Availability of Comments: 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: March 5, 2014.
Deanna Meyer-Pietruszka,
Chief, Office of Policy, Regulations, and Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2014-05605 Filed 3-13-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P