[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 176 (Monday, September 13, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55598-55599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-22669]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. Geological Survey

[USGS-8327-CMG61]


Proposed Information Collection; The State of Ecosystem Services 
Implementation Survey

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

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We (the U.S. Geological Survey) 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. Please note that 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 to this IC, 
we must receive them on or before November 12, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments and suggestions on this IC to Phadrea 
Ponds, Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Geological 
Survey, 2150-C Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80526 (mail); 
[email protected] (e-mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this IC, please contact USGS, Rudy Schuster by mail at 2150-C 
Centre Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80526 or [email protected] (e-mail).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    Ecosystem goods and services are defined by ecologists as the 
biophysical processes that give rise to social benefits. For example, 
in ecology, processes such as nutrient cycling, atmospheric regulation, 
pollination, and seed dispersal are considered ecosystem services. 
Indirect benefits are also considered; for example, recreation, avoided 
flood damage, and aesthetic benefits are also ecosystem services. In 
short, the benefits associated with an ecosystem service are the value 
that humans derive from that service. The objectives of this survey are 
to illustrate the various approaches that are being used to formulate 
ecosystem services projects and the state-of-the-art processes through 
which projects are implemented. The survey will gather information 
concerning: methods used in ecosystem services projects, motivations 
for conducting projects, degree of project implementation, management 
actions resulting from project results (for completed projects), and 
characteristics of projects that have successfully implemented 
ecosystem services concepts.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1028--NEW.
    Title: The State of Ecosystem Services Implementation.
    Type of Request: This is a new collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals who are (currently or recently have 
been) engaged in conducting ecosystem services research projects; 
potential respondents will include: federal employees, non-governmental 
organization employees, and academic researchers. The population will 
include people from the United States as well as other nations.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 350.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 350.
    Estimated Time per Response: 20 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 117 hours.

III. Request for Comments

    We invite comments concerning this IC on: (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the agency to perform its 
duties, 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, 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.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 
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 publically available at anytime. 
While you can ask OMB in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that 
will be done.


[[Page 55599]]


    Dated: August 31, 2010.
Anne Kinsinger,
Associate Director for Biology, U.S. Geological Survey.
[FR Doc. 2010-22669 Filed 9-10-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4311-AM-P