Overview
Title
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Miscellaneous Short Supply Activities
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The Department of Commerce is asking people to share their thoughts on some activities that help control the export of certain goods, like farm produce and scrap metal, to make sure it's not too difficult for people to provide information and that it's still useful. They're also wondering if these activities are necessary since not many people are involved.
Summary AI
The Department of Commerce is requesting public comments on the necessity and impact of their information collection activities related to short supply activities, such as the registration of U.S. agricultural commodities for exemption from export limits and petitions for monitoring or controls on recyclable metallic materials. The public can submit comments until March 16, 2021, which will help assess the effectiveness and burden of these reporting requirements. This request for comments is part of the department's compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, aiming to ensure these collections serve their intended purpose without imposing excessive burdens.
Abstract
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
The document from the Federal Register is essentially a call for public comments concerning the Department of Commerce's information collection activities related to managing short supply commodities. In particular, it focuses on the processes for registering U.S. agricultural products to avoid potential export restrictions and for initiating petitions related to controlling the export of recyclable metallic materials. This invitation to comment is part of the department's compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, which mandates the reduction of paperwork burdens on individuals and businesses while ensuring necessary information collection.
Summary of the Document
The Department of Commerce is soliciting opinions from the public on whether these information collection activities are necessary and effective. They intend to gather feedback regarding the practical utility of collecting such data and its impact, including the time and cost burden associated with it. Comments are open until mid-March 2021, offering the public and federal agencies a 60-day window to voice their opinions.
Significant Issues and Concerns
There are several notable issues present within this document. Firstly, the technical language could alienate those without specialized knowledge, potentially deterring valuable public engagement and commentary from everyday citizens. Secondly, the absence of an estimated annual cost associated with these activities raises questions about how well these expenses have been evaluated. Furthermore, there is the issue of the "rarely used" classification of the activities in question, which may lead to doubts about their actual necessity. It's also worth noting that the estimated number of respondents is surprisingly low, which may call into question the scale and relevance of the entire process.
Impact on the Public
For the general public, the document represents an opportunity to weigh in on how the government manages data collection related to commodity regulation. While this input can help streamline bureaucratic processes, the complexity of the subject matter could limit effective participation to those already familiar with these topics.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
For certain stakeholders, such as businesses involved in agriculture or recycling, this notice could have notable implications. They are given a platform to express concerns or offer suggestions on how the collection of information might be improved to better serve its regulatory purposes. This dialogue could, in theory, lead to policies that better balance regulatory oversight with business needs, although the low estimated response rate suggests that engagement from the industry might not be as robust as hoped.
Overall, while the document serves as a conventional administrative step in ensuring government accountability and minimizing paperwork, its impact is blunted by a potentially limited audience that can provide informed feedback. Nonetheless, for those stakeholders who do engage, it represents a visible process by which business interests can potentially influence future governmental policies on commodity regulation.
Issues
• The document's text is highly specialized and uses technical language, which might be difficult for a layperson to fully understand, potentially reducing the opportunity for robust public comment.
• The notice does not specify any estimated total annual cost to the public, which might suggest that the administrative or compliance costs have not been comprehensively assessed.
• The nature of 'two rarely used short supply activities' could imply limited engagement or necessity, which may raise concerns about the necessity of continuing this information collection if usage is so low.
• The estimated number of respondents is very low (2), which might raise questions about the effectiveness or relevancy of the collection process.
• The actual benefits and impacts of the 'Registration of U.S. Agricultural Commodities for Exemption from Short Supply Limitations on Export' and 'Petitions for the Imposition of Monitoring or Controls on Recyclable Metallic Materials' are not clearly articulated, which could lead to questions about the utility and objective of these activities.
• The voluntary nature of the respondents' obligation may affect the comprehensiveness and representativeness of the collected data.