[Federal Register: February 3, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 21)]
[Notices]               
[Page 5940-5941]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03fe09-42]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R9-R-2009-N0025; 93261-99CS-0000-4A]

 
Proposed Information Collection; Survey of National Wildlife 
Refuge Visitors Service Refuge Visitors

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:  Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY:  We (Fish and Wildlife Service) will ask the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) 
described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 
as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take 
this opportunity to comment on this IC. We may not conduct or sponsor 
and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

DATES: You must submit comments on or before April 6, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the IC to Hope Grey, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 222-ARLSQ, 
4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 (mail); hope_
grey@fws.gov (e-mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Hope Grey by mail, or e-mail (see ADDRESSES) or 
by telephone at (703) 358-2482.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    We have contracted with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to 
conduct a survey of national wildlife refuge visitors so that we can 
better understand their recreational, educational, and information 
experiences. The Policy Analysis and Science Assistance Branch of the 
USGS will conduct the survey onsite at approximately 75 national 
wildlife refuges nationwide. Respondents will have the option to return 
the survey by mail or to complete it online.
    We will use this survey to measure visitor satisfaction with 
current visitor services and facilities and their desire for future 
services and facilities. Information from this survey will provide 
refuge managers, planners, and visitor services professionals with 
scientifically sound data that can be used to:
    (1) Prepare conservation planning documents,
    (2) Improve the design of visitor facilities,
    (3) Tailor visitor services and facilities to match visitor 
interests and needs,
    (4) Better protect refuge resources by combining this data with 
biological data, and
    (5) Understand the economic impact of visitors to the local 
community.
Additionally, this survey can target public access and transportation 
planning issues related to wildlife-oriented recreational opportunities 
such as auto tour routes, trails, parking lots, and roads.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: None. This is a new collection.
    Title: Survey of National Wildlife Refuge Visitors.
    Service Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: New.
    Affected Public: Visitors to national wildlife refuges.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: Biannual.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 15,000 (approximately 200 
visitors at 75 national wildlife refuges).
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 15,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 20 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5,000.

III. Request for Comments

     We invite comments concerning this IC on:
    (1) whether or not the collection of information is necessary, 
including whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) the accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information;
    (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this IC. Before including your address, phone number, 
e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your 
comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, including your 
personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any 
time. While you can ask us in your comment

[[Page 5941]]

to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, 
we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

    Dated: January 22, 2009
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E9-2146 Filed 2-2-09; 8:45 am]

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