[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 194 (Tuesday, October 10, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47021-47023]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21733]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-HQ-ES-2017-N096; FXHC11220900000-167-FF09E33000; OMB Control
Number 1018-0148]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Land-Based Wind Energy
Guidelines
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) are proposing to renew an
information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
December 11, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request
(ICR) by mail to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls
Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or by email to Info_Coll@fws.gov. Please
reference OMB Control Number 1018-0148 in the subject line of your
comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this ICR, contact Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information
Collection Clearance Officer, by email at Info_Coll@fws.gov, or by
telephone at (703) 358-2503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, we provide the general public and other Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and
continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact
of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's
reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information
collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired
format.
[[Page 47022]]
We are soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described
below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the
following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper
functions of the Service; (2) will this information be processed and
used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4)
how might the Service enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (5) how might the Service minimize the
burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use
of information technology.
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 ICR. Before including your address, phone
number, email 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 to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Abstract: As wind energy production increased, both developers and
wildlife agencies recognize the need for a system to evaluate and
address the potential negative impacts of wind energy projects on
species of concern. As a result, the Service worked with the wind
energy industry, conservation non-governmental organizations, federal
and state agencies, Tribes, and academia to develop the voluntary Land-
Based Wind Energy Guidelines (Guidelines; http://www.fws.gov/windenergy) to provide a structured, scientific process for addressing
wildlife conservation concerns at all stages of land-based wind energy
development. Released in 2012, the Guidelines promote effective
communication among wind energy developers and Federal, State, tribal,
and local conservation agencies. When used in concert with appropriate
regulatory tools, the Guidelines are the best practical approach for
conserving species of concern.
The Guidelines discuss various risks to species of concern from
wind energy projects, including collisions with wind turbines and
associated infrastructure; loss and degradation of habitat from
turbines and infrastructure; fragmentation of large habitat blocks into
smaller segments that may not support sensitive species; displacement
and behavioral changes; and indirect effects such as increased predator
populations or introduction of invasive plants. The Guidelines assist
developers in identifying species of concern that may potentially be
affected by proposed projects, including, but not limited to:
Migratory birds;
Bats;
Bald and golden eagles, and other birds of prey;
Prairie chickens and sage grouse; and
Listed, proposed, or candidate endangered and threatened
species.
The Guidelines follow a tiered approach. The wind energy developer
begins at Tier 1 or Tier 2, which entails gathering of existing data to
help identify any potential risks to wildlife and their habitats at
proposed wind energy project sites. The developer then proceeds through
subsequent tiers, as appropriate, to collect information in increasing
detail until the level of risk is adequately ascertained and a decision
on whether or not to develop the site can be made. Many projects may
not proceed beyond Tier 1 or 2, when developers become aware of
potential barriers, including high risks to wildlife. Developers would
only have an interest in adhering to the Guidelines for those projects
that proceed beyond Tier 1 or 2.
At each tier, wind energy developers and operators should retain
documentation to provide to the Service. Such documentation may include
copies of correspondence with the Service, results of pre- and post-
construction studies conducted at project sites, bird and bat
conservation strategies, or any other record that supports a
developer's adherence to the Guidelines. The extent of the
documentation will depend on the conditions of the site being
developed. Sites with greater risk of impacts to wildlife and habitats
will likely involve more extensive communication with the Service and
longer durations of pre- and post-construction studies than sites with
little risk.
Distributed or community-scale wind energy projects are unlikely to
have significant adverse impacts to wildlife and their habitats. The
Guidelines recommend that developers of these small-scale projects
conduct the desktop analysis described in Tier 1 or Tier 2 using
publicly available information to determine whether they should
communicate with the Service. Since such project designs usually
include a single turbine associated with existing development,
conducting a Tier 1 or Tier 2 analysis for distributed or community-
scale wind energy projects should incur limited non-hour burden costs.
For such projects, if there is no potential risk identified, a
developer will have no need to communicate with the Service regarding
the project or to conduct studies described in Tiers 3, 4, and 5.
Adherence to the Guidelines is voluntary. Following the Guidelines
does not relieve any individual, company, or agency of the
responsibility to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
Developers of wind energy projects have a responsibility to comply with
the law; for example, they must obtain incidental take authorization
for species protected by the Endangered Species Act and/or Bald and
Golden Eagle Protection Act.
Title of Collection: Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines.
OMB Control Number: 1018-0148.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Developers and operators of wind
energy facilities.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $7,187,265. Costs will
depend on the size and complexity of issues associated with each
project. These expenses may include, but are not limited to: Travel
expenses for site visits, studies conducted, and meetings with the
Service and other Federal and State agencies; training in survey
methodologies; data management; special transportation, such as all-
terrain vehicles or helicopters; equipment needed for acoustic,
telemetry, or radar monitoring, and carcass storage.
[[Page 47023]]
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Total Total Estimated Total
estimated estimated completion estimated
Requirement number of Number of number of time per number of
annual responses each annual response annual burden
respondents responses (hours) hours
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Tier 1 (Desktop Analysis)
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Reporting....................... 40 1 40 80 3,200
Recordkeeping................... .............. .............. .............. 1 40
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Tier 2 (Site Characterization)
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Reporting....................... 35 1 35 366 12,810
Recordkeeping................... .............. .............. .............. 3 105
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Tier 3 (Pre-construction studies)
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Reporting....................... 30 1 30 14,690 440,700
Recordkeeping................... .............. .............. .............. 5 150
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Tier 4 (Post-construction fatality monitoring and habitat studies)
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Reporting....................... 45 1 45 4,018 180,810
Recordkeeping................... .............. .............. .............. 5 225
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Tier 5 (Other post-construction studies)
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Reporting....................... 10 1 10 6,934 69,340
Recordkeeping................... .............. .............. .............. 5 50
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Totals...................... 160 .............. 160 .............. 707,430
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An agency 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.
The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq).
Madonna L. Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-21733 Filed 10-6-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P