The National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC) has the responsibility to manage Department of Interior (DOI) Climate Science Centers (CSC) that are co-located at cooperating organizations at non-US Geological Survey (USGS) facilities. The DOI CSCs include USGS staff that report to a national USGS office. The NCCWSC works in close partnership with the climate change science and natural and cultural resource management communities to understand high priority science needs and to develop science information tools that can help resource managers develop strategies for responding to climate change. This program provides funding for researchers through cooperative agreements that involve climate change science as a major component.
Eight DOI CSCs have been established, with the last three started up in Fiscal Year 2012. The DOI CSCs and Host partnerships have been established on a 5-year renewable basis.
The initial information collection activity was performed to identify the preferred locations / institutional partners for Climate Science Centers. This was a full and open competition announced on Grants.gov. Based on this information, CSC host institutions have been identified and have entered cooperative agreements with USGS. At present, information collection activities focus on annual performance and financial reports, required under the cooperative agreements. This information is used to conduct an annual performance evaluation of each CSC's progress in meeting the goals of the agreement.
US Code:
42 USC 5121
Name of Law: Disaster Relief Act (PL 93-288)
PL:
Pub.L. 110 - 161 n/a
Name of Law: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.