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NASS Seeks Comment on NC Water Use Survey Revision; Coast Guard Regulates Portland Dragon Boat Races

Two federal notices address agricultural water-use data collection in North Carolina and temporary navigational restrictions on the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon.

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NASS Water Use Survey Revision for North Carolina

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has announced its intent to revise and extend a currently approved information collection under OMB Control Number 0535-0262, covering water usage by North Carolina agricultural operations. The survey targets operations that likely use between 10,000 and 1,000,000 gallons per day; operations using over 1,000,000 gallons in any one day are required to report directly to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) and are not included in this survey.

The agency states that the Water Use survey program is conducted as a cooperative effort with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDACS), which is also providing funding for the survey. According to the notice, the program helps NCDACS and NCDEQ fulfill the requirements of North Carolina state legislation enacted in 2008 (SL2008-0143). Data will be collected under authority of 7 U.S.C. 2204(a), and all questionnaires are voluntary. Individually identifiable data are governed by Section 1770 of the Food Security Act of 1985 as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2276, which the notice states requires USDA to afford strict confidentiality to non-aggregated data provided by respondents.

The revision is necessary, according to the notice, due to a decrease in the sample size. The estimated sample size will be approximately 3,000 respondents, with an expected response time of 30 minutes per survey, plus approximately 5 minutes of additional burden per respondent for publicity materials and instruction sheets. Respondents who refuse to complete the survey will be allotted 2 minutes of burden per collection attempt. The estimated total annual burden on respondents is 1,438 hours. The frequency of data collection is annual, and the type of request is to revise and extend the collection for a period of three years. The current approval expires May 31, 2027.

NASS invites public comment on whether the collection is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions, the accuracy of burden estimates, ways to enhance quality and clarity of the information collected, and ways to minimize respondent burden through use of automated or electronic collection methods. All responses will become a matter of public record and be summarized in the request for OMB approval.

Coast Guard Enforces Navigational Restrictions for Portland Dragon Boat Races

The U.S. Coast Guard will enforce special local regulations under 33 CFR 100.1302 on the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, in connection with the Portland Dragon Boat Races. The enforcement covers the western side of the Willamette River extending from Tom McCall Waterfront Park between the Hawthorne and Marquam Bridges, with specific coordinates delineating the regulated area. The Coast Guard states this action is necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on navigable waters during the event.

During the enforcement period, vessel operators in the regulated area must comply with directions from the Patrol Commander or any official patrol vessel. Vessels may not transit the regulated area without approval from the Patrol Commander, and those permitted to transit must operate at a no-wake speed in a manner that will not endanger participants or other craft. Spectators and other vessels are prohibited from anchoring, blocking, loitering, or impeding the transit of event participants or official patrol vessels during the effective dates and times. The Coast Guard states it will also provide notification of enforcement periods via Local Notice to Mariners and marine information broadcasts.

What to Watch

  • November 10, 2026: Deadline for public comments on the NASS Water Use Survey revision and extension notice to be assured of consideration.
  • September 12–13, 2026: Coast Guard special local regulations in effect from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day on the Willamette River in Portland, OR, for the Portland Dragon Boat Races.

Related

Sources

26 cited

Every hard fact above is grounded in and cited to a primary source record.

  1. The frequency of data collection is annual.

    federalregister.gov

  2. NASS intends to request approval to revise and extend a currently approved information collection under OMB Control Number 0535-0262.

    federalregister.gov

  3. The Water Use survey targets North Carolina agricultural operations that likely use between 10,000 and 1,000,000 gallons per day.

    federalregister.gov

  4. Operations using over 1,000,000 gallons in any one day are required to report directly to NCDEQ and are not included in the survey.

    federalregister.gov

  5. The survey is conducted as a cooperative effort with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDACS), which is providing funding.

    federalregister.gov

  6. The program helps NCDACS and NCDEQ fulfill the requirements of North Carolina state legislation enacted in 2008 (SL2008-0143).

    federalregister.gov

  7. Data will be collected under authority of 7 U.S.C. 2204(a).

    federalregister.gov

  8. All questionnaires included in the information collection will be voluntary.

    federalregister.gov

  9. Individually identifiable data are governed by Section 1770 of the Food Security Act of 1985 as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2276, which requires USDA to afford strict confidentiality to non-aggregated data provided by respondents.

    federalregister.gov

  10. The revision is necessary due to a decrease in the sample size.

    federalregister.gov

  11. The estimated sample size will be approximately 3,000 respondents.

    federalregister.gov

  12. Expected response time per survey is 30 minutes.

    federalregister.gov

  13. Publicity materials and instruction sheets will account for approximately 5 minutes of additional burden per respondent.

    federalregister.gov

  14. Respondents who refuse to complete a survey will be allotted 2 minutes of burden per attempt to collect the data.

    federalregister.gov

  15. The estimated total annual burden on respondents is 1,438 hours.

    federalregister.gov

  16. The type of request is to revise and extend the collection for a period of three years.

    federalregister.gov

  17. The current approval expires May 31, 2027.

    federalregister.gov

  18. Comments on the NASS notice must be received by November 10, 2026 to be assured of consideration.

    federalregister.gov

  19. The Coast Guard will enforce special local regulations in 33 CFR 100.1302 for the Portland Dragon Boat Races on the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon.

    federalregister.gov

  20. The regulated area includes the western side of the Willamette River extending from Tom McCall Waterfront Park between the Hawthorne and Marquam Bridges, Portland, OR.

    federalregister.gov

  21. The regulations will be enforced from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day from September 12, 2026, through September 13, 2026.

    federalregister.gov

  22. The Coast Guard states the action is necessary to provide for the safety of life and property on navigable waters during marine events.

    federalregister.gov

  23. Vessels may not transit the regulated area without approval from the Patrol Commander.

    federalregister.gov

  24. Vessels permitted to transit must operate at a no-wake speed in a manner that will not endanger participants or other craft.

    federalregister.gov

  25. Spectators and other vessels shall not anchor, block, loiter, or impede the transit of event participants or official patrol vessels in the regulated areas during the effective dates and times.

    federalregister.gov

  26. The Coast Guard will provide notification of enforcement periods via the Local Notice to Mariners and marine information broadcasts.

    federalregister.gov

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