Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 30 / Thursday, February 13, 1997 / Notices 6755

be granted unless, within sixty days

from the date of this published Notice,

the Forest Service receives written

evidence and argument which

establishes that the grant of the license

would not be consistent with the

requirements of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37

CFR 404.7.

Richard M. Parry, Jr.,

Assistant Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97–3569 Filed 2–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–13–M

Forest Service

Information Collection for Recreation,

Scenery and Tourism Management

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the

Forest Service announces its intention

to establish a new information

collection. The new collection is

necessary to gather information about

visitor preferences and expectations

concerning recreational facilities, such

as campgrounds and parking areas;

scenery management, including visitors’

favorite scenic views; and highway

management, such as whether highway

maintenance activities are compatible

with the scenic objectives. The

information collected will be used in

developing Scenic Byways Corridor

Management Plans for the Bighorn

National Forest.

DATES: Comments must be received in

writing on or before April 14, 1997.

ADDRESSES: All comments should be

addressed to: Bernie Bornong, Forester,

Bighorn National Forest, 1969 S.

Sheridan Avenue, Sheridan, WY 82801.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bernie Bornong, Bighorn National

Forest, at (307) 672–0751.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description of Information Collection

The following describes the

information collection:

Title: Bighorn National Forest Scenic

Byways Summer User Survey.

OMB Number: New.

Expiration Date of Approval: New.

Type of Request: The following

describes a new collection requirement

and has not received approval by the

Office of Management and Budget.

Abstract: The Bighorn National

Forest, located in north central

Wyoming, has contracted with EDAW,

Inc. to write a Scenic Byways Corridor

Management Plan (CMP) for three

Scenic Byways on the Bighorn National

Forest located on U.S. Highways 14,

14A, and 16. As part of this project,

EDAW, Inc. will conduct a survey of

visitors using the Scenic Byways during

the summer of 1997 to ensure that the

needs, expectations, and preferences of

visitors are addressed in the Scenic

Byways Corridor Management Plan.

The Forest Service Bighorn National

Forest, Wyoming Department of

Transportation (WYDOT), local

Chambers of Commerce, and numerous

small businesses, including lodges and

restaurants, will use this information to

more effectively manage the Scenic

Byways to ensure that recreational

opportunities and scenic views meet the

expectations of visitors and to ensure

that management of the highways

within the Scenic Byways meets

WYDOT standards while enhancing

visitor experiences.

The Forest Service, for example, will

use the information to incorporate

visitor preferences into the management

of recreational facilities, such as

campgrounds. This could include the

location of campgrounds, as well as the

condition of the campgrounds. The data

will also help the Forest Service

incorporate scenic preferences, such as

wildlife viewing areas, when planning

projects.

The Wyoming Department of

Transportation (WYDOT) will use the

information to plan for and assess the

public’s desires concerning the dual

purposes of providing safe and efficient

transportation within the Scenic

Byways, while at the same time

maintaining the scenic beauty of the

highway corridors. When designing

roads, WYDOT will consider visitor

preferences for such matters as type and

color of guardrails to install, use of

retaining walls in specific locations, or

the use of snow fences instead of

plowing snow. WYDOT also will

include visitor needs, expectations, and

preferences when planning and

conducting road maintenance.

Local communities and tourism and

recreation industries will use the

information to design marketing

strategies to promote tourism and

increase visitation within and along the

Scenic Byways.

To facilitate the collection of

information, personnel from EDAW, Inc.

will write the survey, conduct the

interviews, and analyze the survey

results, under the contract supervision

of the Bighorn National Forest. The

interviewers will randomly select

visitors using the Scenic Byways on the

Bighorn National Forest. This is a

voluntary survey, and the first question

asked will be whether or not the visitor

wishes to participate. The survey is a

20-minute interview, with the

interviewer recording the visitor’s

responses on the survey instrument. The

interviewers will station themselves at

areas along the Scenic Byways

extensively used by visitors, such as

parking areas, visitor centers, and

campgrounds.

The interviewers will ask visitors,

who choose to participate in the survey,

to evaluate the current status of, and

suggest possible improvements to, the

recreational facilities along the Scenic

Byways. These recreational facilities

include rest areas, parking areas, visitor

information centers, camping and

picnicking facilities, and lodging and

restaurant facilities operating under the

authorization of and with special use

permits issued by the Forest Service.

Interviewers will ask visitors their

expectations concerning the highway

infrastructure and if maintaining the

highway infrastructure or maintaining

scenic beauty is more important to

them.

Interviewers also will show visitors a

series of photographs of the Scenic

Byways and will ask their perceptions

and preferences of various landscapes

and their visual sensitivity to various

multiple uses depicted in the

photographs. Visitors also will be asked

to point out the areas they find

particularly attractive, so that those

areas can be managed to protect their

scenic importance.

Additionally, EDAW, Inc. will

develop a profile of Bighorn National

Forest Scenic Byways visitors by asking

participants their State of residence; the

number of times per year they visit the

Bighorn National Forest Scenic Byways;

the seasons of use; and the types of

recreational activities they enjoy along

the Scenic Byways.

Data gathered in this information

collection is not available from other

sources.

Estimate of Burden: 20 minutes.

Type of Respondents: Individual users

of the Scenic Byways on the Bighorn

National Forest and small businesses

located along the byways, such as the

lodges and restaurants.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

300.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 1.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 100 hours.

The agency invites comments on: (a)

Whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

agency, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

(b) the accuracy of this agency’s
6756 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 30 / Thursday, February 13, 1997 / Notices

estimate of the burden of the proposed

collection of information; (c) ways to

enhance the quality, utility, and clarity

of the information to be collected; and

(d) ways to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on

respondents, including the use of

automated collection, electronic,

mechanical, or other technological

collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

Use of Comments

All comments received in response to

this notice will be summarized and

included in the request for OMB

approval. All comments will also

become a matter of public record.

Dated: February 10, 1997.

David G. Unger,

Associate Chief.

[FR Doc. 97–3626 Filed 2–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

Blue Mountains Natural Resources

Institute, Board of Directors, Pacific

Northwest Research Station, Oregon

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: The Blue Mountains Natural

Resources Institute (BMNRI) Board of

Directors will meet on March 11, 1997,

at Oregon Department of Transportation

Conference Room, 3012 Island Avenue,

La Grande, Oregon. The meeting will

begin at 9:00 a.m. and continue until

4:00 p.m. Agenda items to be covered

will include: (1) Program status; (2)

research results of specific projects; (3)

outreach activities; (4) identification of

issues of interest; (5) budget and plan of

work; (6) report on Initiatives; (7)

presentation on Oregon Initiatives in

natural resources; (8) public comments.

All BMNRI Board Meetings are open to

the public. Interested citizens are

encouraged to attend. Members of the

public who wish to make a brief oral

presentation at the meeting should

contact Larry Hartmann, BMNRI, 1401

Gekeler Lane, La Grande, Oregon 97850,

541–962–6537, no later than March 7,

1997, to have time reserved on the

agenda.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Direct questions regarding this meeting

to Larry Hartmann, Manager, BMNRI,

1401 Gekeler Lane, La Grande, Oregon

97850, 541–962–6537.

Dated: February 3, 1997.

Larry Hartmann,

Manager.

[FR Doc. 97–3590 Filed 2–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Inviting Preapplications for Technical

Assistance for Rural Transportation

Systems

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative

Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Rural BusinessCooperative Service (RBS), an Agency

within the Rural Development mission

area, announces the availability of

$500,000 in competing Rural Business

Enterprise Grant (RBEG) funds for fiscal

year (FY) 1997 specifically for technical

assistance for rural transportation

systems. The funds are designed to

assist private nonprofit corporations

serving rural areas in providing

technical assistance, for planning and

developing transportation systems, and

for training for rural communities

needing improved passenger

transportation systems or facilities in

order to promote economic

development through a link between

transportation and economic

development initiatives. The RBEG

program is administered on behalf of

RBS at the State level by the Rural

Development State Offices.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of a

preapplication in the Rural

Development State Office is May 1,

1997. Preapplications received after that

date will not be considered for FY 1997

funding.

ADDRESSES: Entities wishing to apply for

assistance should contact the Rural

Development State Offices to receive

further information and copies of the

preapplication package. A list of State

Offices follows:

State Director, Rural Development,

Sterling Center Suite 601, 4121

Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL

36106–3683, (332) 279–3400

State Director, Rural Development, 800

West Evergreen, Suite 201, Palmer,

AK 99645, (907) 745–2176

State Director, Rural Development, 3003

North Central Avenue, Suite 900,

Phoenix, AZ 85012, (602) 280–8700

State Director, Rural Development, 700

West Capitol, P. O. Box 2778, Little

Rock, AR 72203, (501) 324–6281

State Director, Rural Development, 194

West Main Street, Suite F, Woodland,

CA 95695–2915, (916) 668–2000

State Director, Rural Development, 655

Parfet Street, Room E 100, Lakewood,

CO 80215, (303) 236–2801

State Director, Rural Development,

(Delaware and Maryland), 5201 South

Dupont Highway, P. O. Box 400,

Camden, DE 19934–9998, (302) 697–

4300

State Director, Rural Development, 4440

NW 25th Place, P. O. Box 147010,

Gainesville, FL 32614–7010, (352)

338–3400

State Director, Rural Development,

Stephens Federal Building, 355 E

Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 30601,

(706) 546–2162

State Director, Rural Development,

Federal Building, Room 311, 154

Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720,

(808) 933–3000

State Director, Rural Development, 3232

Elder Street, Boise, ID 83705, (208)

378–5600

State Director, Rural Development, Illini

Plaza, Suite 103, 1817 South Neil

Street, Champaign, IL 61820, (217)

398–5235

State Director, Rural Development, 5975

Lakeside Blvd, Indianapolis, IN

46278, (317) 290–3100

State Director, Rural Development,

Federal Building, Rm 873, 210 Walnut

Street, Des Moines, IA 50309, (515)

284–4663

State Director, Rural Development, 1200

SW Executive Drive, P.O. Box 4653,

Topeka, KS 66604, (913) 271–2700

State Director, Rural Development, 771

Corporate Drive, Suite 200, Lexington,

KY 40503, (606) 224–7300

State Director, Rural Development, 3727

Government Street, Alexandria, LA

71302, (318) 473–7920

State Director, Rural Development, 444

Stillwater Avenue, Suite 2, P.O. Box

405, Bangor, ME 04402–0405, (207)

990–9106

State Director, Rural Development,

(Massachusetts, Rhode Island,

Connecticut), 451 West Street,

Amherst, MA 01002, (413) 253–4300

State Director, Rural Development, 3001

Coolidge Road, Suite 200, East

Lansing, MI 48823, (517) 337–6635

State Director, Rural Development, 410

Agri Bank Building, 375 Jackson

Street, St Paul, MN 55101, (612) 290–

3842

State Director, Rural Development,

Federal Building, Suite 831, 100 W

Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269,

(601) 965–4316

State Director, Rural Development, 601

Business Loop 70 West, Parkade

Center, Suite 235, Columbia, MO

65203, (573) 876–0976

State Director, Rural Development, 900

Technology Blvd., Unit 1, Suite B,

P.O. Box 850, Bozeman, MT 59715,

(406) 585–2580

State Director, Rural Development,

Federal Building, Room 308, 100

Centennial Mall N, Lincoln, NE

68508, (402) 437–5551

State Director, Rural Development, 1390

South Curry Street, Carson City, NV

89703–5405, (702) 887–1222