[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 149 (Monday, August 3, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46697-46699]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16825]
[[Page 46697]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-HQ-NWRS-2020-N055; FXRS12630900000-190-FF09R81000; OMB Control
Number 1018-0102]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; National
Wildlife Refuge Special Use Permit Applications and Reports
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 with revisions.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
September 2, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Please
provide a copy of your comments to the Service Information Collection
Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB (JAO/3W),
5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or by email to
Info_Coll@fws.gov. Please reference OMB Control 1018-0102 in the
subject line of your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information
Collection Clearance Officer, by email at Info_Coll@fws.gov, or by
telephone at (703) 358-2503. Individuals who are hearing or speech
impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY
assistance. You may also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the PRA and 5 CFR
1320.8(d)(1), 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.
On September 13, 2019, we published a notice in the Federal
Register (84 FR 48368) announcing our intent to request renewal of this
information collection. We solicited public comment for 60 days, ending
on November 12, 2019. We received one comment in response to the
notice; however, the commenter did not address the information
collection requirements. No response is required.
As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent
burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other
Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are
especially interested in public comment addressing the following:
(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection
of information, including the validity of the methodology and
assumptions used;
(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
(4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g.,
permitting electronic submission of response.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. 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: The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of
1966 (Administration Act, 16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), as amended by the
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, consolidated
all refuge units into a single National Wildlife Refuge System
(System). It also authorized us to offer visitor and public programs,
including those facilitated by commercial visitor and management
support services, on lands of the System when we find that the
activities are appropriate and compatible with the purpose(s) for which
the refuge was established and the System's mission. The Refuge
Recreation Act of 1962 (Recreation Act, 16 U.S.C. 460k-460k-4) allows
the use of refuges for public recreation when it is not inconsistent or
does not interfere with the primary purpose(s) of the refuge. The
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA, 16 U.S.C. 3101
et seq.) provides specific authorization and guidance for the
administration and management of national wildlife refuges within the
State of Alaska. Its provisions provide for the issuance of permits
under certain circumstances.
We issue special use permits for a specific period as determined by
the type and location of the management activity or visitor service
provided. These permits authorize activities such as:
Agricultural activities (haying and grazing, 50 CFR 29.1
and 29.2).
Beneficial management tools that we use to provide the
best habitat possible on some refuges (50 CFR 30.11, 31.14, 31.16, and
36.41).
Special events, group visits, and other one-time events
(50 CFR 25.41, 25.61, 26.36, and 36.41).
Recreational visitor service operations (50 CFR 25.41,
25.61, and 36.41).
Guiding for fishing, hunting, wildlife education, and
interpretation (50 CFR 25.41 and 36.41).
Commercial filming (43 CFR 5, 50 CFR 27.71) and other
commercial activities (50 CFR 29.1 and 36.41).
Building and using cabins to support subsistence or
commercial activities (in Alaska) (50 CFR 26.35 and 36.41).
Research, inventory and monitoring, and other
noncommercial activities (50 CFR 26.36 and 36.41).
We use three forms to collect applicant information:
FWS Form 3-1383-G (General Activities Special Use
Application).
[[Page 46698]]
FWS Form 3-1383-C (Commercial Activities Special Use
Application).
FWS Form 3-1383-R (Research and Monitoring Special Use
Application).
The information we collect helps ensure that: (1) Applicants are
aware of the types of information that may be needed for permit
issuance; (2) requested activities are appropriate and compatible with
the purpose(s) for which the refuge was established and the System's
mission; and (3) the applicant is eligible or is the most qualified
applicant to receive the special use permit.
We may collect the necessary information in a non-form format
(through discussions in person or over the phone, over the internet, by
email, or by letter). In some instances, respondents will be able to
provide information verbally. Often, a simple email or letter
describing the activity will suffice. For activities that might have a
large impact on refuge resources (e.g., commercial visitor services,
research, etc.), we may require applicants to provide more detail on
operations, techniques, and locations. Because of the span of
activities covered by special use permits and the different management
needs and resources at each refuge, respondents may not be required to
answer all questions. Depending on the requested activity, refuge
managers have the discretion to ask for less information than appears
on the forms. However, refuge managers must not ask for more or
different information.
We issue permits for a specific period as determined by the type
and location of the use or service provided. We use these permits to
ensure that the applicant is aware of the requirements of the permit
and his/her legal rights. Refuge-specific special conditions may be
required for the permit. We identify conditions as an addendum to the
permit. Most of the special conditions pertain to how a permitted
activity may be conducted and do not require the collection of
information. However, some special conditions, such as activity
reports, before and after site photographs, or data sharing, would
qualify as an information collection, and we have included the
associated burden below.
Proposed Revision
We are proposing to revise this collection to request OMB approval
of a new form, FWS Form 3-1384, ``Bid Sheet--National Wildlife Refuge
System.'' We developed this form to streamline collection of the
necessary pre-award information from applicants during bidding
processes to conduct economic uses on Service lands, such as livestock,
harvesting hay and stock feed, or removing timber (50 CFR 29.21). This
form will simplify the pre-award selection/bidding process for bidders
and for refuge staff.
Currently, the only form approved for collection of this
information is the Commercial Activities Special Use Permit Application
(FWS Form 3-1383-C), which bidders and refuge staff alike find
confusing and complicated; this hampers the Service's ability to
collect the basic information necessary to determine which applicants
will be awarded economic use privileges. The proposed Bid Sheet will be
much clearer for bidders, better enabling them to understand what
information the refuge needs in order to select bids for economic use,
and, therefore, reducing the time and burden for the public and Service
staff in the pre-award selection bidding process. This form is also
easily customizable to the individual economic use being awarded. We
will continue to use the Commercial Special Use Permit as the actual
award document that will outline the terms and conditions of the
economic use on Service lands.
Title of Collection: National Wildlife Refuge Special Use Permit
Applications and Reports, 50 CFR 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, & 36.
OMB Control Number: 1018-0102.
Form Number: FWS Forms 3-1383-G, 3-1383-C, 3-1383-R, and 3-1384.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and households; businesses
and other for-profit organizations; nonprofit organizations; farms; and
State, local, or tribal governments.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion for applications; annually or
on occasion for reports.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $259,500 for fees
associated with applications for commercial use activities ($100.00 x
an estimated 2,595 applications (individuals and private sector
respondents only)).
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Completion
Annual number Total annual time per Total annual
Requirement of respondents responses response burden hours *
(hours)
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General Special Use Application (Form 3-1383-G)
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Individuals..................................... 2,285 2,285 0.5 1,143
Private Sector.................................. 1,219 1,219 0.5 610
Government...................................... 305 305 0.5 153
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Commercial Activities Special Use Application (Form 3-1383-C)
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Individuals..................................... 1,595 1,595 4 6,380
Private Sector.................................. 1,000 1,000 4 4,000
Government...................................... 108 108 4 432
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Research and Monitoring Special Use Application (Form 3-1383-R)
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Individuals..................................... 209 209 5 1,045
Private Sector.................................. 403 403 5 2,015
Government...................................... 135 135 5 675
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Bid Sheet--National Wildlife Refuge System (Form 3-1384)
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Private Sector.................................. 250 250 1 250
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[[Page 46699]]
Activity Reports
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Individuals..................................... 40 40 0.5 20
Private Sector.................................. 466 466 0.5 233
Government...................................... 100 100 0.5 50
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Totals...................................... 8,115 8,115 .............. 17,006
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* Rounded.
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.).
Dated: July 29, 2020.
Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-16825 Filed 7-31-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P