Search Results for keywords:"reporting burden"

The Department of Commerce, under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, is inviting public and federal agency comments on the collection of information regarding access to tissue samples from the National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank (NMMTB). The information helps assess the utility and efficiency of these collections and aims to reduce reporting burdens. Comments are being accepted until March 15, 2021, and suggestions should evaluate the necessity, accuracy, and potential improvements in the information collection process. Changes to the current protocol include additional checkbox options for data collection but maintain the mandatory submission of specimen information.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review and approve their information collection request as part of renewing an approved information collection. This collection involves Patent and Trademark Resource Center Metrics to help track the use of patent and trademark services provided by the public. The USPTO is also inviting public comments on this request, allowing people 30 more days to provide feedback. They state that it takes about 30 minutes on average to respond and that no additional costs are expected for respondents.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted a request to extend an existing information collection, called the Consolidated Air Rule, which applies to facilities in the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry. This rule helps ensure compliance with various environmental regulations by offering a single, consolidated set of requirements. Public comments on the proposal are being requested until January 27, 2025. The EPA reports an increase in the estimated reporting burden due to a rise in facilities choosing this compliance method and industry growth.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is seeking public comments on the renewal of information collection forms related to its whistleblower program, as per the Paperwork Reduction Act. The program, established under the Dodd-Frank Act, compensates whistleblowers who aid in enforcing securities law violations. Two forms are involved: Form TCR, which is used to report violations, taking about 1.5 hours to complete, and Form WB-APP, used to claim awards, requiring approximately 2 hours to fill out. Over the past years, the SEC has reported receiving an average of 560 TCR submissions and 215 WB-APP submissions annually, resulting in an estimated yearly reporting burden of 1,270 hours. Public feedback is encouraged within 30 days of this notice.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking public feedback on a revision of information collection activities under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information is needed to manage and protect national marine sanctuaries by evaluating permit applications for activities usually prohibited unless permitted. Changes include revising the permit application process and a reduction in the number of permits issued yearly. Comments can be submitted to NOAA's PRA officer, and are encouraged to focus on whether the information collection is necessary, accurate, and effectively minimizes reporting burdens.

The Census Bureau of the Commerce Department is inviting public comments on updates to the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS). This survey, conducted every two weeks, provides important real-time data on how businesses are doing in the U.S., such as changes in revenue, employment, and the use of technologies like artificial intelligence. The bureau aims to improve the quality of data and reduce the reporting burden on businesses. Comments are welcomed to help assess and refine these updates before seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking public comments on a proposed information collection related to its Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program. This program, part of the Department of Commerce, aims to improve ocean and coastal environmental understanding through education grants. To achieve this, NOAA is extending its existing data collection efforts to monitor and improve B-WET activities by gathering feedback from grant recipients and teachers. Comments on the proposal are invited until February 18, 2025, to help evaluate and enhance the program’s effectiveness.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is asking for public comments on a rule called Rule 10A-1, which is part of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This rule requires certain companies to report to the SEC if their auditors find serious financial problems that the company's management has not fixed promptly. Although this reporting requirement has been in place since the mid-1990s, its approval by the Office of Management and Budget expired in 2021, so the SEC seeks to renew this approval. The SEC estimates that the total additional burden of this rule is about 5 hours per year for the companies involved, and they invite public comments on how to improve or reduce this burden.

The Department of Commerce has prepared to submit an information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This request is related to the Baldrige Executive Fellows Program, a professional development opportunity. Comments from the public and other agencies are invited for 30 days from the date of this notice to help determine the impact and reduce any reporting burden. The information collected will assist in selecting applicants for the program, and participation is voluntary. The request is reviewed annually, affects a range of organizations and individuals, and is estimated to involve 24 respondents each year.

The Census Bureau under the Department of Commerce has issued a notice inviting public comments for 60 days on a new information collection process called the Decennial Census Temporary, Intermittent Applicant Information Collection. This will gather data from job applicants for temporary positions related to the upcoming census. Applicants will fill out electronic forms that collect details like personal data, employment status, and job-related qualifications. The aim is to streamline the hiring process for census jobs and improve future recruitment efforts. Public comments will help the Bureau refine its information collection methods to minimize the public's reporting burden.