[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 202 (Friday, October 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72438-72439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23129]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

[Docket ID: USA-2023-HQ-0014]


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Department of the Army, 
Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: 60-Day information collection notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announces a proposed public information 
collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments 
are invited on: 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; the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the 
burden of the information collection on respondents, including through 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received by December 
19, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number and 
title, by any of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail: Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant to the 
Secretary of Defense for Privacy, Civil Liberties, and Transparency, 
4800 Mark Center Drive, Mailbox #24, Suite 08D09, Alexandria, VA 22350-
1700.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency 
name, docket number and title for this Federal Register document. The 
general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the 
public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the 
internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without 
change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this 
proposed information collection or to obtain a copy of the proposal and 
associated collection instruments, please write to U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, 441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20314-1000, ATTN: Ms. 
Kathryn Nevins, or call 703-428-6440.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: Managed Aquifer Recharge 
Planning and Guidance Study; OMB Control Number 0710-MARP.
    Needs and Uses: The survey will inform the development of a 
screening tool and other resources for USACE Districts to identify 
optimal sites for Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR), which uses captured 
surface water to replenish groundwater. The Water Resources Development 
Act (WRDA) of 2016 provides authority for water supply conservation 
projects for drought resilience and water supply availability studies 
for water resources development (Sections 1116 and 1118, respectively). 
The WRDA of 2016 further requires USACE to consider natural and nature-
based features, such as MAR, as potential solutions to address various 
challenges along with other measures. However, USACE has not developed 
a strategic framework for incorporating MAR into its operations. 
Furthermore,

[[Page 72439]]

the Institute for Water Research concluded that Districts only engage 
with aquifer recharge in an ``ad hoc'' manner and recommended that 
USACE ``upgrade its internal capacity in MAR.'' (IWR 2020). The WRDA of 
2022 instructs USACE to ``conduct a study at Federal expense to 
determine the feasibility of carrying out managed aquifer recharge 
projects to address drought, water resiliency, and aquifer depletion.'' 
Following these recommendations, the proposed work contributes to the 
development of guidance on MAR. This aligns with Civil Works strategies 
for flood risk management, restoration of aquatic ecosystems in 
floodplains, and developing environmentally sustainable technical 
services that enhance public safety and require collaborative 
partnerships.
    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers--Engineer Research and Development 
Center (ERDC) has partnered with Arizona State University (ASU) through 
the Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Units (CESU) Network to complete the 
``Managed Aquifer Recharge Planning and Guidance Study'' and meet the 
above goals and directives. The design of an effective screening tool 
and other resources for implementing MAR requires information held by 
key stakeholders and decision-makers to understand the challenges and 
needs associated with implementing MAR in regions around the nation. 
Developing the screening tool and other resources will further require 
identifying practitioners and stakeholders interested in participating 
in pilot projects.
    The ASU Principal Investigator and research team will deploy a 
survey to inform the development of a MAR screening tool by gathering 
information about the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of 
stakeholders and decision-makers about MAR. The survey will target a 
purposively developed sample of key water and floodplain stakeholders 
and decision-makers from across the continental United States.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; not-for-profit 
Institutions; State, local or Tribal government.
    Annual Burden Hours: 400.
    Number of Respondents: 1,600.
    Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Annual Responses: 1,600.
    Average Burden per Response: 15 minutes.
    Frequency: One-time.

    Dated: October 16, 2023.
Aaron T. Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2023-23129 Filed 10-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6001-FR-P