[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 203 (Monday, October 21, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84109-84110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-24215]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
appearing in this section.

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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 203 / Monday, October 21, 2024 / 
Notices

[[Page 84109]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2024-0053]


Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; A 
Survey of Livestock Producer Perceptions of Predators and Predator 
Damage Management Methods

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: New information collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to request approval of a new information collection 
associated with a study to understand livestock producers' perceptions 
of predator damage management methods and their willingness to continue 
using such methods.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
December 20, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2024-0053 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, 
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
    <bullet> Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2024-0053, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 2C-10.16, 4700 River Road, Unit 25, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at regulations.gov or in our reading room, which is located 
in Room 1620 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence 
Avenue SW, Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is 
there to help you, please call (202) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on this predator 
damage management study, contact Dr. Megan Cross, Social Scientist, 
National Wildlife Research Center, WS, APHIS, 4101 La Porte Ave., Fort 
Collins, CO 80521; (970) 266-6366; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6b260e0c0a054528190418182b1e180f0a450c041d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c489a1a3a5aaea87b6abb7b784b1b7a0a5eaa3abb2">[email protected]</span></a>. For 
more information on the information collection process, contact Mr. 
Joseph Moxey, APHIS' Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator; (301) 851-
2533; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7b1114081e0b13551614031e023b0e081f1a551c140d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="80eaeff3e5f0e8aeedeff8e5f9c0f5f3e4e1aee7eff6">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: A Survey of Livestock Producer Perceptions of Predators and 
Predator Damage Management Methods.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-XXXX.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    Abstract: Under the Act of March 2, 1931 (7 U.S.C. 8351), the 
Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to conduct a program of wildlife 
services with respect to injurious animal species and take any action 
the Secretary considers necessary in conducting the program. 
Additionally, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to conduct 
activities to control nuisance mammals and birds (except for urban 
rodent control) and those mammals and bird species that are reservoirs 
for zoonotic disease. This authority has been delegated to the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services (WS). Two 
responsibilities of the Deputy Administrator of Wildlife Services are 
to assist Federal, State, local, and foreign agencies and individuals 
regarding wildlife damage and control and conduct research to develop 
wildlife damage management methods (7 CFR 371.6).
    Depredation of livestock by large predators, such as wolves, bears, 
and mountain lions, is a significant source of human-wildlife conflict 
and economic losses in the United States. Protecting livestock from 
predators is a complex and challenging endeavor, with each situation 
requiring an evaluation of relevant legal, social, economic, 
biological, and technical aspects. While no single management technique 
is appropriate in every situation, various stakeholder groups are 
increasingly calling for the use of nonlethal predator damage 
management techniques. Congress has appropriated funding to Wildlife 
Services since 2020 to support the use of nonlethal predator damage 
management methods. Wildlife Services is using the money to test 
several nonlethal predator damage management methods on livestock 
operations in 12 States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, 
Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, 
Wisconsin, and Wyoming).
    Through the APHIS WS National Wildlife Research Center, a Federal 
institution devoted to resolving human-wildlife conflict, APHIS would 
like to conduct a survey of livestock producers who: (1) Experienced 
livestock loss from predators; (2) worked with Wildlife Services to try 
and mitigate losses; and (3) allowed WS State Directors to share their 
contact information within APHIS. The information collected from these 
livestock producers is critical to improving WS Nonlethal Initiative 
programs, identifying any barriers to the continued use of nonlethal 
predator damage management methods, and determining whether livestock 
producers' attitudes towards predators and nonlethal predator damage 
management have changed. APHIS anticipates that, among other things, 
results of the study may inform whether nonlethal predator damage 
management methods are a viable and acceptable alternative to the use 
of methods that result in the death of large predators from the 
perspective of livestock producers.
    The information collection activity associated with this study 
consists of a multi-item questionnaire administered to livestock 
producers who have received predator damage management services from WS 
Nonlethal Initiative programs and are located in one of the 12 States 
(Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, 
New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, or Wyoming).
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of this information collection activity for 3 years.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our

[[Page 84110]]

information collection. These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate 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) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, 
electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: The public burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.164 hours per response.
    Respondents: Livestock producers who have received predator damage 
management services from WS Nonlethal Initiative programs and are 
located in one of the 12 States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, 
Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, 
Wisconsin, or Wyoming).
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 200.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 8.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 1,608.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 265 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per 
response.)
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of October 2024.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-24215 Filed 10-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P


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