Justification - Externally Sourced Bathymetry Data

Project Title: Externally Sourced Bathymetry Data

Program Office Sponsoring or Conducting this CSC Project: NOS/Office of Coast Survey/Hydrographic Surveys Division

Authority for this CSC Project: OCMIA and CCSA

Purpose of this CSC Project: In May 2017, the Office of Coast Survey (OCS) established a data policy to require the use of the “best available data” from both internal and external sources to improve nautical charting products. OCS defines externally sourced data (ESD) as “data that may have value for NOAA navigation product improvements, but was not originally requested by, produced intentionally for, or contracted by the National Ocean Service for the purpose of updating NOAA nautical charts.” Therefore, this project provides ESD, specifically bathymetry data, which OCS utilizes, where appropriate, to improve its nautical charting products.

Type(s) of Information Collected and From Whom It Is Collected: This project collects bathymetric data and associated metadata supplied by business or other for-profit organizations, not-for-profit institutions and local government, which include private hydrographic surveying companies, universities, and major ports.

Use of the Information: NOS uses that information to update NOAA navigation products and its BlueTopo seafloor model.

Method(s) of Information Collection: Electronically (Internet) and email

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations, not-for-profit institutions, State, Local, or Tribal government, and Federal government

Estimated Average Annual Number of Participants: 25

Estimated Average Annual Number of Responses per Participant: 1

Estimated Average Minutes per Response: 60

Estimated Average Annual Burden Hours: 25

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

Estimated Average Annual Costs to the Federal Government: $208,000

Estimated Average Annual Number of Federal Government Employees (FTEs): 1.21

Recruitment and Retention Methods for Voluntary Participants (SSA item 1): Participants voluntarily submit their data when they have an interest in seeing it included in NOAA navigation products and/or the BlueTopo seafloor model. They are retained with regular communications (typically email updates) regarding the progress of their data through OCS.

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 four supplemental documents for this CSC project include the following two licensing forms that collect information about those who voluntarily sign up to provide bathymetry data.

1. Data-Licensing-Form_Oct2022

2. Data-Licensing-Form_Extended-options_Oct2022

The other two documents explain both how to prepare data for nautical charting and required metadata for submission of bathymetry to the NOAA Office of Coast Survey. There is no "standard" data submission format. Data comes in a variety of formats and with a variety of metadata associated with it. There is no automatic submission process. This CSC project generally prefers processed data that takes human effort from the data provider. Therefore, the supplemental documents do not include data forms or apps.

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: Miya Pavlock