[Federal Register: April 25, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 81)]
[Notices]
[Page 22429-22430]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25ap08-113]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Proposed Information Collection; OMB Control Number 1018-0103,
Conservation Order for Control of Mid-Continent Light Geese
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. This IC is scheduled to expire
on June 30, 2008. 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 June 24, 2008.
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); or (703) 358-2269 (fax).
[[Page 22430]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this IC, contact Hope Grey by mail, fax, or e-mail (see
ADDRESSES) or by telephone at (703) 358-2482.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The number of light geese (lesser snow and Ross' geese) in the mid-
continent region has nearly quadrupled during the past several decades
due to a decline in adult mortality and an increase in winter survival.
Lesser snow and Ross' geese are referred to as light geese because of
their light coloration as opposed to dark geese such as white-fronted
or Canada Geese. Because of their feeding activity, light geese have
become seriously injurious to their habitat as well as to habitat
important to other migratory birds. This poses a serious threat to the
short- and long-term health and status of some migratory bird
populations. We believe that the number of light geese in the mid-
continent region has exceeded long-term sustainable levels for their
arctic and subarctic breeding habitats and that the populations must be
reduced. 50 CFR 21 provides authority for the management of
overabundant mid-continent light geese.
Light geese in the mid-continent region are separated into two
different populations for management purposes. Lesser snow and Ross'
geese that primarily migrate through North Dakota, South Dakota,
Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri, and winter in Arkansas,
Louisiana, Mississippi, and eastern, central, and southern Texas and
other Gulf States are referred to as the mid-continent population of
light geese. Lesser snow and Ross' geese that primarily migrate through
Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado and winter in New Mexico, northwestern
Texas, and Chihuahua, Mexico, are referred to as Western Central Flyway
population of light geese.
States that participate in the light geese conservation order must
inform and brief all participants on the requirements in 50 CFR 21.60
and conservation order conditions that apply to the implementation of
light geese control measures. Participating States must collect
information on the number of birds taken during control efforts, the
methods by which they were taken, and the date on which they were
taken. We use this information to administer the conservation order
and, particularly, to monitor the effectiveness of control strategies
and to protect migratory birds. Each participating State must submit an
annual report summarizing the activities it conducted.
II. Data
OMB Control Number: 1018-0103.
Title: Conservation Order for Control of Mid-Continent Light Geese,
50 CFR 21.60.
Service Form Number(s): None.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: States participating in the conservation order.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: Annually.
Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 24.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 24.
Estimated Time Per Response: 74 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,776.
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 and/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 to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Dated: February 13, 2008.
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E8-9063 Filed 4-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-S