41968 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 149 / Monday, August 4, 1997 / Notices

Dated: July 23, 1997.

Michael H. Trujillo,

Assistant Surgeon General, Director.

[FR Doc. 97–20432 Filed 8–1–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160–16–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Information Collection Submitted to

the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) for Approval Under the

Paperwork Reduction Act

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The collection of information

listed below has been submitted to OMB

for approval under the provisions of the

Paperwork Reduction Act. A copy of the

information collection requirement is

included in this notice. Copies of the

proposed information collection

requirement, related forms, and

explanatory material may be obtained

by contacting the Service Information

Collection Clearance Officer at the

address listed below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before September 3, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Commens and suggestions

on the requirement should be sent

directly to the Office of Information and

Regulatory Affairs; Office of

Management and Budget; Attention:

Interior Desk Officer, Washington, DC

20503; and a copy of the comments

should be sent to the Information

Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, MS 224–ARLSQ;

1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC

20204.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Phyllis H. Cook, Service Information

Collection Clearance Officer, (703) 358–

1943; (703) 358–2269 (fax).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments

are invited on: (1) Whether the

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the agency, including

whether the information will have

practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

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.

Title: Sandhll Crane Harvest

Questionnaire.

Approval Number: 1018–0023.

Service Form Number(s): 3–530 and

3–530A.

Description and use: The Migratory

Bird Treaty Act (16 USC 703–711) and

the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16

USC 742d) designates the Department of

the Interior as the key agency

responsible for the wise management of

migratory bird populations frequenting

the United States and for the setting of

hunting regulations that allow

appropriate harvests that are within the

guidelines that will allow for the

populations’ well being. These

responsibilities dictate the gathering of

accurate data on various characteristics

of migratory bird harvest of a temporal

and geographic nature. Knowledge

attained by determining harvest and

harvest rate of cranes is used to regulate

populations (to promulgate hunting

regulations) and to encourage hunting

opportunity, especially where crop

depredations are chronic and/or lightly

harvested flocks occur.

Beginning in 1960 and continuing to

date, hunting seasons have been

allowed for sandhill cranes in portions,

or in all, of eight Midwestern States

(Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North

Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas,

and Wyoming). A sandhill crane

hunting season has been allowed in

Kansas since 1993. The survey is used

by the Fish and Wildlife Service to

annual estimate the magnitude, the

geographical and temporal distribution

of sandhill crane harvest, and the

portion it constitute of the total

population. The information has been

particularly useful in determining the

effects on harvests of daily bag limits

and changes in hunting dates and the

area (counties) of States open to

hunting. Based on information from the

U.S. and Canadian surveys, hunting

regulations can be adjusted as needed to

optimize harvest at levels that provide

a maximum of hunting recreation while

keeping populations at desired levels.

Agencies participating in determining

appropriate sandhill crane hunting

regulations and making use of survey

results include Department of the

Interior, the Canadian Wildlife Service,

State conservation agencies, and various

private conservation organizations.

Service Form Number: 3–530 and 3–

530A.

Frequency of Collection: Annually.

Description of Respondents:

Individuals and households.

Estimated completion time: The

reporting burden is estimated to average

5 minutes per respondent.

Number of respondents: Recent

Service experience indicates that about

3,600 hunters will respond to the

questionnaire each year. This is a

decrease of about 4,400 respondents.

The number of huntings contacted

annually has decreased due to a change

in sampling rates. A recent Service

evaluation of sampling rates indicated

that sampling rates could be reduced

without compromising the utility of

survey results for population

management purposes.

Annual burden hours: 299.

Dated: July 28, 1997.

Robert G. Streeter,

Assistant Director, Refuges and Wildlife.

[FR Doc. 97–20414 Filed 8–1–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Intent To Prepare a

Comprehensive Management Plan and

Associated Environmental Document

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public

that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

(Service) intends to gather information

necessary to prepare a comprehensive

management plan (CMP) and an

environmental document

(environmental assessment or

environmental impact statement) for the

proposed Alameda National Wildlife

Refuge, Alameda County, California.

The Service is furnishing this notice in

compliance with the Service CMP

policy and the National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA) and its implementing

regulations:

(1) To advise other agencies and the

public of our intentions, and

(2) To obtain suggestions and

information on the scope of issues to

include in the environmental document.

DATES: Written comments should be

received by September 12, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Address comments and

requests for more information to:

Charles J. Houghten, Chief, Planning

Branch, ARW/RE, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, 911 NE 11th Avenue,

Portland, Oregon 97232–4181.

See the Supplementary Information

Section for the electronic access and

filing address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background Information

The Service is beginning the

planning/compliance process for the

proposed Alameda National Wildlife

Refuge (NWR). This process includes

preparation of an environmental

document to establish an approved

refuge boundary and to evaluate

management alternatives and

preparation of a comprehensive