[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 13 (Monday, January 23, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7708-7711]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-01284]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Parts 13 and 22

[Docket No. FWS-R9-MB-2011-0094; FF09M20300-167-FXMB123109EAGLE]
RIN 1018-AY30


Eagle Permits; Revisions to Regulations for Eagle Incidental Take 
and Take of Eagle Nests

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Final rule; information collection requirements.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), recently 
published a final rule that revises the regulations for eagle 
nonpurposeful take permits and eagle nest take permits. In that final 
rule, we stated that the Office of Management (OMB) had not yet 
approved the information collection requirements associated with the 
rule. This document announces that OMB has now approved the information 
collection requirements.

DATES: OMB approved the information collection requirements on January 
6, 2017, for the final rule that published at 81 FR 91494 on December 
16, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Relevant information and documents related to the eagle 
permit rule may be found on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov 
in Docket No. FWS-R9-MB-2011-0094. You may review the information 
collection request online at http://www.reginfo.gov. Follow the 
instructions to review Department of the Interior collections.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tina Campbell, Chief, Division of 
Policy, Performance, and Management Programs; 703-358-2676.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), published a final 
rule in the December 16, 2016, Federal Register (81 FR 91494) that 
revises the regulations in part 22 of title 50 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) for eagle nonpurposeful take permits and eagle nest 
take permits. Revisions included changes to permit issuance criteria 
and duration, definitions, compensatory mitigation standards, criteria 
for eagle nest removal permits, permit application requirements, and 
fees. In the final rule, we stated that the Office of Management (OMB) 
had not yet approved the information collection requirements associated 
with the rule. We also stated that we would announce the approval via a 
separate notification in the Federal Register. This document provides 
that notification.
    The following text sets forth the information collection 
requirements approved by OMB:
    Title: Eagle Take Permits and Fees, 50 CFR part 22.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0167.
    Service Form Number(s): 3-200-71, 3-200-72.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals and businesses. We expect 
that the majority of applicants seeking

[[Page 7709]]

long-term permits will be in the energy production and electrical 
distribution business.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Table 1 cites the total burden for this information collection. 
Table 2 sets forth the changes in nonhour burden fees for eagle take 
permits.

                    Table 1--Estimated Hour and Cost Burden for Long-Term Eagle Take Permits
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                                                              Average                                $ Value of
                                              Annual      completion time  Total annual                annual
           Activity/requirement              number of     per response       burden     Cost/hour  burden hours
                                             responses        (hours)         (hours)                 (rounded)
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Preconstruction Monitoring Surveys.......            15               650         9,750     $34.26      $334,035
Preparation of Eagle Conservation Plan...            15               200         3,000      34.26       102,780
Postconstruction Monitoring..............            15               700        10,500      34.26       359,730
Reporting Take of Eagles.................            10                 2            20      34.26           685
Reporting Take of Threatened and                      1                 2             2      34.26            69
 Endangered Species......................
Sec.   22.26(c)(7)(ii)--Permit reviews.               4                 8            32      34.26         1,096
 At no more than 5 years from the date a
 permit that exceeds 5 years is issued,
 and every 5 years thereafter, the
 permittee compiles and submits to the
 Service, eagle fatality data or other
 pertinent information that is site-
 specific for the project.\8\ (Footnote 8
 may be found below table 2. Note that
 the dollar value of the annual burden
 cost is included in the $8,000 permit 5-
 year permit review fee.)................
                                          ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total................................            60             1,562        23,304  .........       798,395
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[[Page 7710]]


                                                                                     Table 2--Changes in Nonhour Burden Fees for Eagle Take Permits
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                                      Previous approval                                                                                                                                                Difference between previous 1018-
       Activity/requirement         under OMB Control No.             Previous fee                         New fee               Total previously approved nonhour  Total new approved nonhour burden    0022 approval and new approval
                                          1018-0022                                                                                         burden costs                          costs
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3-200-71--application, Eagle        Approval covered       $500 Non-commercial..............  $500 Non-commercial..............  $12,500 Non-commercial...........  $12,500 Non-commercial...........  $0 Non-commercial.
 Incidental Take (not programmatic   number of responses   $500 Commercial..................  $2,500 Commercial................  $60,000 Commercial...............  $300,000 Commercial..............  +$240,000 Commercial.
 or long-term) \1\.                  and annual burden
                                     hours. The rule
                                     revises fees and
                                     nonhour costs.
3-200-72--application, Eagle Nest   Approval covered       $500 Non-commercial..............  $500 Non-commercial..............  $5,000 Non-commercial............  $5,000 Non-commercial............  $0 Non-commercial.
 Take-single nest (formerly          number of responses   $500 Commercial..................  $2,500 Commercial................  $10,000 Commercial...............  $50,000 Commercial...............  +$40,000 Commercial.
 ``standard'') \2\.                  and annual burden
                                     hours. The rule
                                     revises fees and
                                     nonhour costs.
3-200-72--application, Eagle Nest   Approval covered       $1,000...........................  $500 Non-commercial..............  $0 \3\...........................  $500 Non-commercial..............  +$500 Non-commercial.
 Take-multiple nests (formerly       number of responses                                      $5,000 Commercial................                                     $40,000 Commercial...............  +$40,000 Commercial.
 ``programmatic'') \3\.              and annual burden
                                     hours. The rule
                                     revises fees and
                                     nonhour costs.
3-200-71--Eagle Incidental Take     Approval covered       $150 Non-commercial..............  $150 Non-commercial..............  $300 Non-commercial..............  $300 Non-commercial..............  $0 Non-commercial.
 Amendment-less than 5 years         number of responses   $150 Commercial..................  $500 Commercial..................  $2,700 \5\ Commercial............  $9,000 Commercial................  +$6,300 Commercial.
 (formerly ``standard'') \4\.        and annual burden
                                     hours. The rule
                                     revises fees and
                                     nonhour costs.
3-200-72--Eagle Nest Take           Approval covered       $150 Non-commercial..............  $150 Non-commercial..............  $150 Non-commercial..............  $150 Non-commercial..............  $0 Non-commercial.
 Amendment-single nest (formerly     number of responses   $150 Commercial..................  $500 Commercial..................  $600 \6\ Commercial..............  $2,000 Commercial................  +$1,400 Commercial.
 ``standard'') \4\.                  and annual burden
                                     hours. The rule
                                     revises fees and
                                     nonhour costs.
3-200-71--Amendment-Eagle           Approval covered       $1,000 Commercial................  No Fee \7\.......................  $1,000 Commercial................  .................................  - $1,000 Commercial.
 Incidental Take-programmatic.       number of responses
                                     and annual burden
                                     hours.
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                                                                                          NEW REPORTING REQUIREMENT AND NEW ADMINISTRATION FEE
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Sec.   22.26(c)(7)(ii)--Permit      .....................  0................................  $8,000...........................  0................................  $32,000..........................  +$32,000.
 reviews. At no more than 5 years
 from the date a permit that
 exceeds 5 years is issued, and
 every 5 years thereafter, the
 permittee compiles and submits to
 the Service eagle fatality data
 or other pertinent information
 that is site-specific for the
 project.\8\.
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.........................  .....................  .................................  .................................  $92,250..........................  $431,450.........................  $359,200.
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\1\ Approved under 1018-0022: 145 annual responses (25 from individuals/households (homeowners) and 120 from the private sector (commercial), totaling 2,320 annual burden hours) (400 burden hours for individuals and 1,920 annual
  burden hours for private sector); $500 permit fee for both individuals and private sector for a total nonhour burden cost of $72,500. The rule changes the application fees: Homeowner fee remains $500; private sector fee
  (commercial) increases to $2,500. Total for 25 homeowners = $12,500; total for 125 commercial applicants = $300,000.
\2\ Approved under 1018-0022 (standard and programmatic permits were combined): 30 responses (10 from individuals/homeowners and 20 from private sector (commercial), totaling 480 burden hours) (160 hours (individuals) and 320 hours
  (private sector)). Homeowner fee remains $500; private sector fee (commercial) increases to $2,500. Total for 10 homeowners = $5,000.; total for 20 commercial applicants = $50,000.
\3\ Approved under 1018-0022 (standard and programmatic permits were combined): 9 responses (1 from individuals/homeowners (noncommercial) and 8 from private sector (commercial), totaling 360 burden hours) (40 hours (individuals)
  and 320 hours (private sector)). The homeowner fee increases to $500; private sector fee (commercial) increases to $5,000. Total for 1 homeowner = $500; total for 8 commercial = $40,000.
\4\ The amendments for standard nonpurposeful eagle take permits and standard eagle nest take permits are combined in the approved collection for a total of 25. Here they are split into 20 eagle incidental take permit amendments and
  5 eagle nest take permit amendments.
\5\ Two homeowner; 18 commercial.
\6\ One homeowner; four commercial.
\7\ The amendment fee for long-term programmatic permits was approved under 1018-0022. However, the rule removes this fee because the costs associated with it are included under the administration fee.
\8\ This is a new reporting requirement as well as a new administration fee and applies only to commercial permittees. We will not receive any reports or assess the administration fee until after a permittee has had a permit for 5
  years (earliest probably 2022). We estimate that we will receive 19 responses every 5 years, which, annualized over the 3-year period of OMB approval, results in 4 responses annually. We estimate that each response will take 8
  hours, for a total of 32 annual burden hours. We will assess an $8,000 administration fee for each permittee for a total of $32,000. Note: This burden reflects what will be imposed in 5 years. Each 5 years thereafter, the burden
  and nonhour costs will increase because of the number of permittees holding 5-year or longer term permits.


[[Page 7711]]

    Estimated Total Hour Burden: 23,304 hours; the total number of new 
respondents is 60.
    Estimated Total Hour Burden Cost: $798,395 for gathering 
information required to support an application, which may include 
preparation of an Eagle Conservation Plan (ECP). This amount includes 
650 hours for preconstruction monitoring surveys of eagle use of the 
project site and 700 hours of postconstruction monitoring for each 
respondent. Preparation of the application, which may include 
preparation of an ECP, will take approximately 200 hours per 
respondent. These burden hours apply only to those seeking a long-term 
eagle take permit. In addition, those that receive a permit are 
required to report take of eagles and threatened or endangered species 
within 48 hours of discovery of the take. It is estimated that of the 
15 projects permitted to take eagles each year, 10 will actually take 
eagles, requiring 2 hours per respondent to report. Take of threatened 
or endangered species is expected to be a rare event, and occur at only 
1 of the 15 projects permitted each year, requiring only 2 hours to 
report. The burden hours also include the costs for the 5-year permit 
review. We estimate 8 hours per respondent to complete the requirements 
of the permit review for a total of 32 hours.
    Estimated New Total Nonhour Burden Cost: $359,200 for 
administration fees and application fees associated with changes 
implemented by this rule. This amount does not include the nonhour cost 
burden for eagle or eagle nest take permits approved under OMB Control 
No. 1018-0022. States, local governments, and tribal governments are 
exempt from paying these fees.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to 
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

    Dated: January 12, 2017.
Michael J. Bean,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 2017-01284 Filed 1-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P