[Federal Register: December 5, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 233)]
[Notices]
[Page 70501-70503]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05de06-19]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Notice of Intent To Extend a Currently Approved Information
Collection
AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR part 1320,
this notice announces the Cooperative State Research, Education, and
Extension Service's (CSREES) intention to revise and extend the
currently approved information collection for the CSREES Current
Research Information System (CRIS).
DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by February 5,
2007, to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date
will be considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments. E-mail:
jhitchcock@csrees.usda.gov; Fax: 202-720-0857; Mail: Information
Systems and Technology Management, CSREES, USDA, STOP 2216, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-2216; Hand Delivery/
Courier: 800 9th Street, SW., Waterfront Centre, Room 4217, Washington,
DC 20024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Hitchcock, 202-720-4343.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: CSREES Current Research Information System.
OMB Number: 0524-0042.
Expiration Date of Current Approval: 05/31/2007.
[[Page 70502]]
Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to revise and extend an
information collection for three years.
Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)
administers several competitive, peer-reviewed research, education, and
extension programs, under which awards of a high-priority are made.
These programs are authorized pursuant to the authorities contained in
the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act
of 1977, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.); the Smith-Lever Act (7
U.S.C. 341 et seq.); and other legislative authorities.
CSREES also administers several formula funded research programs.
The programs are authorized pursuant to the authorities contained in
the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Act of October 10,
1962 (16 U.S.C. 582a-582a-7); the Hatch Act of 1887, as amended (7
U.S.C. 361a-i); Section 1445 of Public Law 95-113, the Food and
Agriculture Act of 1977, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3222); and Section 1433
of Subtitle E (Sections 1429-1439), Title XIV of Public Law 95-113, as
amended (7 U.S.C. 3191-3201). Each formula funded program is also
subject to requirements, which were revised in March 2000, and set
forth in the ``Administrative Manual for the McIntire-Stennis
Cooperative Forestry Research Program,'' the ``Administrative Manual
for the Hatch Research Program,'' the ``Administrative Manual for the
Evans-Allen Cooperative Agricultural Research Program,'' and the
``Administrative Manual for the Continuing Animal Health and Disease
Research Program.'' Copies of the administrative manuals are available
online at: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/business/awards/formula.html
under Regulations, Guidelines, and Policies for each formula funded
research program. The Current Research Information System (CRIS) is the
USDA's documentation and reporting system for ongoing agricultural,
food science, human nutrition, and forestry research. CRIS forms AD-
416, AD-417, AD-419, and AD-421 constitute a necessary information
collection for publicly-supported research projects as set forth in
requirements established in 7 CFR Parts 3400-3419 pertaining to the
aforementioned authorities. This information collection is necessary in
order to provide descriptive information regarding individual research
activities, integrated activities, and extension activities to document
expenditures and staff support for the activities, and to monitor the
progress and impact of such activities.
The historical mission of CRIS, broadly stated, is to document the
research activities of USDA and the State agricultural research system
partners, to satisfy a variety of reporting requirements, and to
provide access to research information. This mission supports one of
CSREES' primary functions, as stated in the agency strategic plan, of
providing program leadership to identify, develop, and manage programs
to support university-based and other institutional research. The
boundaries and scope of the CRIS mission are being expanded each year
toward a more comprehensive purpose of documenting all of the research,
education, and extension activities funded or managed by CSREES. As
such, the information collected for CRIS can be utilized in an
essentially unlimited number of ways for a wide array of purposes. In
anticipation of the Office of Science and Technology Policy research
and non-research business model requirements, CSREES is working to
align this collection activity with that effort. CSREES is also
revising this information collection to include the reporting
information on the following Extension Activities to report using the
CRIS forms: Pest Management, Farm Safety, New Technologies for Ag
Extension, Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification, Federally
Recognized Tribes Extension Program, Renewable Resources Extension Act,
and Federal Administration. Generally, CRIS provides ready access to
information through public web accessible data as well as individually
requested, customized reports and services for agency officials,
program leaders, administrators, and managers. The information provided
helps users to keep abreast of the latest developments in agricultural,
food science, human nutrition and forestry research and education;
track resource utilization in specific target areas of work, plan for
future activities; plan for resource allocation to research, education,
and extension programs; avoid costly duplication of effort; aid in
coordination of efforts addressing similar problems in different
locations; and aid research, education, and extension workers in
establishing valuable contacts within the agricultural community.
Descriptive information pertaining to documented projects is
available to the general public as well as the research, education, and
extension community contributing to CRIS. Limited financial information
is available on individual grants and cooperative agreements as well as
summary financial information through the CRIS Web site. A cooperating
institution, including a state agricultural experiment station, state
forestry school, 1862 land grant institution, or 1890 land grant
institution has access to all of the data pertaining to that
institution. Many institutions take advantage of this access utilizing
CRIS system facilities to manage the research programs at their
institution. In addition, CSREES staff members can request specialized
reports directly from the CRIS staff. These requests can include
financial disclosure pertaining to a particular subject area or
targeted program. The nature of this type of request characterizes one
of the strengths of the CRIS information collection. The system
collects obligations and expenditures on individual projects; however,
information can be retrieved and aggregated based on subject areas or
targeted programs, and corresponding financial information can be
tabulated accordingly. The inclusion of subject-based classifications
and subject specific descriptive fields supports a unique retrieval
capability in this system. The information can be utilized nationally,
regionally, or at more detailed levels, by program leaders, budget
officials, and administrators to identify resource utilization, monitor
research, education, and extension activity in specific target areas,
and support decision making and resource allocation, not just on
individual projects, but also for specific program areas. This
combination of system capabilities facilitates program evaluation,
accountability, and decision making processes.
Estimate of Burden: CSREES is increasing the number of respondents
from the previous approved collection by 500 for each component to
account for the use of this system by several education and extension
programs. No changes have been made to the burden per response from the
previous approval. CSREES estimates the number of respondents for the
AD-416 form will be 3,758 with an estimated response time of 3.9 hours
per form, representing a total annual burden of 14,656 hours for this
form. It is estimated for the AD-417 there will be 3,758 respondents
with an estimated response time of .7 hours per form, representing a
total annual burden of 2,631 hours. CSREES estimates that the number of
respondents for the AD-419 form will be 12,267 with an estimated
response time of 1.4 hours per form, representing a total annual burden
of 17,174 hours. The AD-421 form is estimated to have 12,658
respondents and an estimated
[[Page 70503]]
response time of 2.7 hours per form, representing a total annual burden
for this form to be 34,177 hours. Thus, for this CRIS information
collection CSREES estimates a total of 68,638 annual burden hours.
Comments: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of
the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be
collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e)
the expanded use of CRIS forms for education and extension programs,
particularly programs that are competitive, project-based, and funded
under section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341).
Dated: November 24, 2006.
Gale Buchanan,
Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics.
[FR Doc. E6-20555 Filed 12-4-06; 8:45 am]
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