Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 38 / Friday, February 26, 2010 / Notices 8999 

renourishment, sand retention 

structures, and future storm damage 

reduction measures. 

NASA plans to hold a public meeting 

to discuss the project and to solicit 

comments on the Draft SRIPP PEIS. The 

public meeting is currently scheduled 

for: 

Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at the WFF 

Visitor Information Center, Route 175, 

Wallops Island, Virginia, 6 p.m.–9 p.m. 

Written public input on 

environmental issues and concerns 

associated with the WFF SRIPP are 

hereby requested. 

Olga M. Dominguez, 

Assistant Administrator for Infrastructure. 

[FR Doc. 2010–3896 Filed 2–25–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Comment Request 

AGENCY: National Science Foundation. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104– 

13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), and as part 

of its continuing effort to reduce 

paperwork and respondent burden, the 

National Science Foundation invites the 

general public and other Federal 

agencies to take this opportunity to 

comment on this information collection. 

This is the second notice for public 

comment; the first was published in the 

Federal Register at 74 FR 68637 and one 

comment was received regarding the 

materials provided. NSF is forwarding 

the proposed submission to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

clearance simultaneously with the 

publication of this second notice. The 

full submission may be found at: 

http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ 

PRAMain. 

DATES: Comments regarding these 

information collections are best assured 

of having their full effect if received by 

OMB within 30 days of publication in 

the Federal Register. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments 

regarding the information collection and 

requests for copies of the proposed 

information collection request should be 

addressed to Suzanne Plimpton, Reports 

Clearance Officer, National Science 

Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Rm. 

295, Arlington, VA 22230, or by e-mail 

to splimpto@nsf.gov. Copies of the 

submission may be obtained by calling 

(703) 292–7556. 

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR

COMMENTS: Contact Suzanne Plimpton, 

the NSF Reports Clearance Officer, 

phone (703) 292–7556, or send e-mail to 

splimpto@nsf.gov. Individuals who use 

a telecommunications device for the 

deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 

1–800–877–8339, which is accessible 24 

hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a 

year (including Federal holidays). 

An agency may not conduct or 

sponsor a collection of information 

unless the collection of information 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number and the agency informs 

potential persons who are to respond to 

the collection of information that such 

persons are not required to respond to 

the collection of information unless it 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comment: On December 28, 2009, we 

published in the Federal Register (74 

FR 68637) a 60-day notice of our intent 

to request reinstatement of this 

information collection authority from 

OMB. One comment came from Jean 

Public of Florham Park, NJ, via e-mail 

on January 1, 2010. The commenter 

requested a list of the surveys described 

in the notice. 

Response: NSF responded that this 

information is publicly available via two 

sources: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/ 

and http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/ 

seind10/. NSF believes that because the 

comment does not contain suggestions 

for altering the collection of information 

for which NSF is seeking OMB 

approval, NSF is proceeding with the 

clearance request. 

Title: Generic Clearance of the 

Science Resources Statistics Survey 

Improvement Projects. 

OMB Approval Number: 3145–0174. 

Abstract. Generic Clearance of the 

Science Resources Statistics Survey 

Improvement Projects. The National 

Science Foundation’s Division of 

Science Resources Statistics (NSF/SRS) 

needs to collect timely data on constant 

changes in the science and technology 

sector and to provide the most complete 

and accurate information possible to 

policy makers in Congress and 

throughout government and academia. 

NSF/SRS conducts many surveys to 

obtain the data for these purposes. The 

Generic Clearance will be used to 

ensure that the highest quality data are 

obtained from these surveys. State-ofthe-art methodology will be used to 

develop, evaluate, and test 

questionnaires and survey concepts as 

well as to improve survey methodology. 

This may include field or pilot tests of 

questions for future large-scale surveys, 

as needed. 

Expected Respondents. The 

respondents will be from industry, 

academia, nonprofit organizations, 

members of the public, and State, local, 

and federal governments. Respondents 

will be either individuals or 

institutions, depending upon the survey 

under investigation. Qualitative 

procedures will generally be conducted 

in person or over the phone, but 

quantitative procedures may be 

conducted using mail, Web, e-mail, or 

phone modes, depending on the topic 

under investigation. Up to 19,150 

respondents will be contacted across all 

survey improvement projects. No 

respondent will be contacted more than 

twice in one year under this generic 

clearance. Every effort will be made to 

use technology to limit the burden on 

respondents from small entities. 

Both qualitative and quantitative 

methods will be used to improve NSF’s 

current data collection instruments and 

processes and to reduce respondent 

burden, as well as to develop new 

surveys. Qualitative methods include, 

but are not limited to, expert review; 

exploratory, cognitive, and usability 

interviews; focus groups; and 

respondent debriefings. Cognitive and 

usability interviews may include the use 

of scenarios, paraphrasing, card sorts, 

vignette classifications, and rating tasks. 

Quantitative methods include, but are 

not limited to, telephone surveys, 

behavior coding, split panel tests, and 

field tests. 

Information being collected is not 

considered sensitive. In general, 

assurances of data confidentiality will 

not be provided to respondents in the 

pretests. Instead, respondents have the 

option of requesting that any and all 

data they provide be kept confidential. 

Use of the Information. The purpose 

of these studies is to use the latest and 

most appropriate methodology to 

improve NSF surveys. The data will be 

used internally to improve NSF surveys. 

Methodological findings may be 

presented externally in technical papers 

at conferences, published in the 

proceedings of conferences, or in 

journals. Improved NSF surveys will 

help policy makers in decisions on 

research and development funding, 

graduate education, scientific and 

technical workforce, regulations, and 

reporting guidelines, as well as 

contributing to reduced survey costs. 

Burden on the Public. NSF estimates 

that a total reporting and recordkeeping 

burden of 14,280 hours will result from 

activities to improve its surveys. The 

calculation is: 


sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
9000 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 38 / Friday, February 26, 2010 / Notices 

Potential survey name Number of 

respondents 1 Hours 

Graduate Student Survey ........................................................................................................................................ 2 1,500 2,500 

SESTAT Surveys ..................................................................................................................................................... 10,000 5,000 

Postdoc Project ........................................................................................................................................................ 2,000 2,500 

New and Redesigned R&D Surveys: 

Higher Education R&D ..................................................................................................................................... 400 1,200 

Government R&D ............................................................................................................................................. 60 180 

Nonprofit R&D .................................................................................................................................................. 100 300 

Business R&D .................................................................................................................................................. 50 150 

Microbusiness R&D .......................................................................................................................................... 150 450 

Survey of Scientific & Engineering Facilities ........................................................................................................... 300 300 

Public Understanding of S&E Surveys .................................................................................................................... 200 50 

Survey of Earned Doctorates .................................................................................................................................. 700 450 

Additional surveys not specified .............................................................................................................................. 1,200 1,200 

Total ........................................................................................................................................................... 16,660 14,280 

1 Number of respondents listed for any individual survey may represent several methodological improvement projects. 

2This number refers to the science, engineering, and health-related departments within the academic institutions of the United States (not the 

academic institutions themselves). 

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 shall 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 on respondents, 

including through the use of automated 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology; and (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. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized and/or 

included in the request for OMB 

approval of this information collection; 

they also will become a matter of public 

record. 

Dated: February 23, 2010. 

Suzanne Plimpton, 

Reports Clearance Officer, National Science 

Foundation. 

[FR Doc. 2010–3977 Filed 2–25–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7555–01–P 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Comment Request: National Science 

Foundation Proposal/Award 

Information—Grant Proposal Guide 

AGENCY: National Science Foundation. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The National Science 

Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans 

to request renewed clearance of this 

collection. In accordance with the 

requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

we are providing opportunity for public 

comment on this action. After obtaining 

and considering public comment, NSF 

will prepare the submission requesting 

OMB clearance of this collection for no 

longer than 3 years. 

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 shall 

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 on 

respondents, including through the use 

of automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology; 

and (d) ways to minimize the burden of 

the collection of information on 

respondents, including through the use 

of automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

DATES: Written comments should be 

received by April 27, 2010 to be assured 

of consideration. Comments received 

after that date will be considered to the 

extent practicable. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments 

regarding the information collection and 

requests for copies of the proposed 

information collection request should be 

addressed to Suzanne Plimpton, Reports 

Clearance Officer, National Science 

Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Rm. 

295, Arlington, VA 22230, or by e-mail 

to splimpto@nsf.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Suzanne Plimpton on (703) 292–7556 or 

send e-mail to splimpto@nsf.gov. 

Individuals who use a 

telecommunications device for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, 

Monday through Friday. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title of Collection: ‘‘National Sciences 

Foundation Proposal/Award 

Information-Grant Proposal Guide’’. 

OMB Approval Number: 3145–0058. 

Expiration Date of Approval: August 

31, 2004. 

Type of Request: Intent to seek 

approval to extend with revision an 

information collection for three years. 

Proposed Project: The National 

Science Foundation Act of 1950 (Pub. L. 

81–507) set forth NSF’s mission and 

purpose: 

‘‘To promote the progress of science; to 

advance the national health, prosperity, and 

welfare; to secure the national defense. 

***’’ 

The Act authorized and directed NSF 

to initiate and support: 

• Basic scientific research and 

research fundamental to the engineering 

process; 

• Programs to strengthen scientific 

and engineering research potential; 

• Science and engineering education 

programs at all levels and in all the 

various fields of science and 

engineering; 

• Programs that provide a source of 

information for policy formulation; and 

• Other activities to promote these 

ends. 

Over the years, NSF’s statutory 

authority has been modified in a 

number of significant ways. In 1968, 

authority to support applied research 

was added to the Organic Act. In 1980, 

The Science and Engineering Equal 

Opportunities Act gave NSF standing 

authority to support activities to 

improve the participation of women and 

minorities in science and engineering. 

Another major change occurred in 

1986, when engineering was accorded 


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