Justification - Crowdsourced Bathymetry

Project Title: Crowdsourced Bathymetry

Program Office Sponsoring or Conducting this CSC Project: NESDIS/NCEI is collaborating with the International Hydrographic Organization.

Authority for this CSC Project: CCSA

Purpose of this CSC Project: This project taps into the enthusiasm for mapping the ocean floor by enabling trusted mariners to easily contribute data to fill the gaps in our current bathymetric coverage by using standard navigation instruments and while engaged in routine maritime operations.

Type(s) of Information Collected and From Whom It Is Collected: This CSC project collects water depth information by location, date and time from trusted mariners while engaged in their routine maritime operations.

Use of the Information: While these data are oftentimes nowhere near the quality or accuracy of professionally collected data, they can still fill the gaps where data are scarce. It is incredibly useful along coastlines where survey vessels may not visit often. In addition, while the data may not actually go on to a nautical chart, it can be used in aiding in the identification of uncharted features and assisting in verifying charted information. Access to water depths collected globally supports not only NOAA's many mission areas reliant on bathymetry, but also broader U.S. national interests and global governance.

Method(s) of Information Collection: Either data collection occurs from an electronic chart system participating in this initiative or through a small hardwarenovelnovel data logger that can be interfaced to the ships GNSS and depth sounder. Depth and position can be stored and submitted either (1) directly to the NCEI public application programming interface (API) using an authentication token provided by the NCEI data manager, (2) via FTP post or (3) via hard drive.

Affected Public: For-profit and not-for- profit entities that operate ships that voluntarily participate in this program.

Estimated Average Annual Number of Participants: 200

Estimated Average Annual Number of Responses per Participant: 50

Estimated Average Minutes per Response: 0.10

Estimated Average Annual Burden Hours: 17

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Participants in this CSC Project: $0

Estimated Average Annual Costs to the Federal Government: $180,296

Estimated Average Annual Number of Federal Government Employees (FTEs): 0.88

Recruitment and Retention Methods for Voluntary Participants (SSA item 1): This project will continue to focus on outreach to both current and potential data providers. Annual follow-ups with current data providers are intended to highlight data contributions and to encourage continued participation.

Gifts or Payments (SSA Item 9): We do not plan to provide a gift or payment to the voluntary participants.

Annual and Multi-Year Schedules (SSA Item 16): This project is ongoing and does not have an end date for data collection.

Display OMB Control No. and Expiration Date (SSA Item 17): This information will be provided when individuals sign up to participate in this CSC project.

Statistical Methods: This CSC project will not employ statistical methods.

Approval for Pretesting: This CSC project will not require additional pretesting with more than nine members of the public.

Supplemental Documents: The supplemental documents for this CSC project include the following:

1. Crowdsourced Bathymetry File Formats for Submission to the IHO Data Center for Digital Bathymetry

2. International Hydrographic Organization Crowdsourced Bathymetry Trusted Node: AGREEMENT: Terms of the Provision of Crowdsourced Bathymetry Data

3. Guidance for Submitting Crowdsourced Bathymetry Data to the IHO Data Center for Digital Bathymetry

4. Separate educational/recruitment information for each of the following:

1. Super yachts

2. Marine research vessels

3. Marine contractors

4. Hydrographic offices

5. Fishing vessels

6. Cruise ships

7. Software and hardware providers

CERTIFICATION: I certify the following are true.

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The collection will not include highly influential scientific information, ,which is information NOAA or OMB determines: (i) could have a potential impact of more than $500 million in any year, or (ii) is novel controversial, or precedent setting or has significant interagency interest.

5. The collection complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

6. The collection will provide qualitative and quantitative data that help inform scientific research and monitoring, validate models or tools, support STEM learning, and enhance the quantity and quality of data collected to support NOAA’s mission.

Name: Jennifer Jencks