Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 123 / Friday, June 26, 1998 / Notices 34915

50 CFR sectionSpecies (scientific name)Type of reporting

17.84(k) (63

FR1752).

Mexican wolf

(Canis

lupus

baileyi).

Take in defense of

human life,

incidental

take, take

related to

livestock

depredation.

Title: Endangered and Threatened

Wildlife, 50 CFR 17.84, Experimental

populations.

Description of respondents: private

individuals and households, businesses,

not-for-profit organizations, and farms.

Bureau number: N/A.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

BURDEN ESTIMATES FOR REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NONESSENTIAL EXPERIMENTAL POPULATION OF THE

MEXICAN WOLF-ENDANGERED SPECIES

Type of report

Number of

reports annually

Average

time required per

report

(minutes)

Burden

hours

General take or removal a ......................................................................................................................... 2 15 1⁄2

Depredation related take b ........................................................................................................................ 8 15 2

Specimen collection c ................................................................................................................................ 2 15 1⁄2

aGeneral take or removal includes human related mortality including unintentional taking incidental to otherwise lawful activities (e.g. highway

mortalities), take in defense of human life, take related to defense of property (if authorized) or take in the form of authorized harassment. b Depredation related take is take for management purposes where livestock depredation has been documented and may include authorized

harassment or authorized lethal take of experimental animals in the act of attacking livestock. cSpecimen collection, recovery, or reporting of dead individuals from experimental populations for documentation purposes or authorized scientific collection purposes.

Dated: May 14, 1998.

Richard Hannan,

Acting Assistant Director—Ecological

Services.

[FR Doc. 98–16980 Filed 6–25–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–68–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Information Collection Renewal and

Revision To Be Submitted to the Office

of Management and Budget (OMB) for

Approval Under the Paperwork

Reduction Act

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Information collection; request

for comments.

SUMMARY: The collection of information

described below has been submitted to

OMB for approval under the provisions

of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Copies of specific information collection

requirements, related forms and

explanatory material may be obtained

by contacting the Information Collection

Clearance Officer of the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service at the address and/or

phone numbers listed below.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all

comments received on or before July 27,

1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments and suggestions

on specific requirements should be sent

to the Information Collection Clearance

Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

MS 222 ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, NW.,

Washington, DC 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: E.

LaVerne Smith, Chief, Division of

Endangered Species, 703/358–2171

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has

submitted the following information

collection requirements to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for

review and approval under the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub.

L. 104–13. A previous 60 day notice on

this information collection requirement

was published in the Federal Register

on January 6, 1998 (63 FR 1490–91)

inviting public comment. No comments

were received as a result of this notice.

Emergency approval for this information

collection requirement was cleared on

January 29, 1998 under OMB control

number 1018–0095. Pursuant to this

renewal, 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 burden, including

the validity of the methodology and

assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance

the quality, utility, and clarity of the

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. The

information collections in this program

will not be part of a system of records

covered by the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C.

552(a)).

Experimental populations established

under section 10(j) of the Endangered

Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended,

require information collection and

reporting to the Service. Section 9 of the

ESA describes prohibited acts involving

threatened or endangered species (16

U.S.C. section 1538 (a)(1)(B)). There are

three major categories of information

collected under the already issued

experimental population rules. To date

these categories have encompassed

information relating to: (1) The general

taking or removal of individuals of an

experimental population, and (2) the

authorized taking of individuals related

to reports of depredation on livestock or

pets caused by individuals that are part

of an experimental population and (3)

the collection of specimens or the

recovery of dead animals that are part of

an experimental population. These three

categories have adequately described

the types of information needed to

evaluate the efficacy of the program and

are expected to continue to accurately

describe activities under the program.
34916 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 123 / Friday, June 26, 1998 / Notices

Because individuals of designated

experimental populations for species

listed as threatened or endangered

under the ESA are categorically

protected, documentation of humanrelated mortalities, recovery of dead

specimens and other types of take

related to the status of experimental

populations is important to the Service

in order to monitor the success of

reintroduction efforts, and recovery

efforts in general. In order to minimize

potential conflict with humans which

could undermine recovery efforts,

livestock depredations connected with

experimental populations of listed

species require prompt attention for

purposes of determining the location,

timing, and nature of the predatory

behavior involved, accurate

determination of the species responsible

for a livestock kill, and the timely

application of necessary control

measures. The Service, in cooperation

with the USDA/APHIS Division of

Wildlife Services or other cooperating

State or Federal agencies, relies on

prompt public reporting of depredation

in order to resolve livestock related

problems, and therefore a time sensitive

requirement for reporting problems

(generally within 24 hours) to the

appropriate Service office is necessary.

Information collection is achieved

primarily by means of telephone calls

by members of the public to Service

offices specified in the individual rules

(some may choose to use facsimile or

electronic mail). Information required is

limited to the identity of the caller,

species involved, time and place of an

incident, the type of incident, and

circumstances related to the incident

described. The vast majority of the

information supplied to the Service as a

result of experimental population

regulations, is provided by cooperating

State and Federal agencies under

cooperative agreement. However, some

of the information collected by the

Service under the experimental

population rules is provided by the

public.

The collected information can be

separated into three categories; general

take or removal, depredation related

take, and specimen collection. General

take or removal information refers to

human related mortality including

unintentional taking incidental to

otherwise lawful activities (e.g. highway

mortalities), take in defense of human

life, take related to defense of property

(if authorized) or take in the form of

authorized harassment. Most contacts

related to this type of information

collection are in regard to sightings of

experimental animals, or the

inadvertent discovery of an injured or

dead individual. Depredation related

take refers to the reporting of take for

management purposes, where livestock

depredation has been documented or

may include authorized harassment or

lethal take of experimental animals in

the act of attacking livestock. The

information collection required by the

rules for this type of take include the

necessary follow-up reports after the

Service has authorized harassment or

lethal take of experimental animals in

relation to confirmed instances of

livestock depredation or in defense of

human life. Specimen collection is for

the purpose of documenting incidental

or authorized scientific collection. Most

of the information collection

requirement for this take pertains

primarily to the reporting of sightings of

experimental population animals or the

inadvertent discovery of an injured or

dead individual. Information collection

is required for necessary follow-up

reports when the Service has authorized

take of experimental animals for

specimen collection.

The standard information collection

includes the name, address, and phone

number of the reporting party, location

and time of the reported incident,

species of experimental population

involved. Reporting parties include, but

are not limited to, individuals or

households, farms, businesses, and

other non-profit organizations. The

reporting of specimen collections,

recovery, or even the reporting of dead

individuals from experimental

populations is important to the Service’s

efforts in monitoring these individuals

and for other scientific purposes.

Because the number of reports

generated annually by the general

public (rather than cooperating agencies

or separately permitted individuals)

under these rules is extremely small (far

less than one report per year, per rule)

and to assure thorough documentation

of results, the Service is estimating the

number of expected reports to assume a

maximum number per year based on

allowance for increased population size

and public awareness of experimental

populations.

The following experimental

populations described under Title 50 of

the Code of Federal Regulations contain

information collection requirements:

50 CFR section Species (scientific name) Type of reporting

17.84(c) ................................ Red Wolf (Canis rufus) ................................................... Take in defense of human life, incidental take.

Take related to livestock depredation.

17.84(g) ................................ Black footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) ............................. Incidental take, specimen collection/reporting.

17.84(h) ................................ Whooping crane (Grus americana) ................................ Specimen collection/reporting.

17.84(i) ................................. Gray wolf (Canis lupus) .................................................. Take in defense of human life, incidental take.

Take related to livestock depredation.

17.84(j) ................................. California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) ............... Specimen collection/reporting, incidental take.

Proposed rules:

17.84(l) (62 FR 35762) Grizzly bear (Ursus horribilis) ......................................... Take in defense of human life, incidental take.

Take related to livestock depredation.

Title: Endangered and threatened

Wildlife, 50 CFR 17.84, Experimental

populations.

Description of respondents: private

individuals and households, businesses,

not-for-profit organizations, and farms.

Bureau form number: N/A.

Frequency of collection: On occasion.
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 123 / Friday, June 26, 1998 / Notices 34917

BURDEN ESTIMATES FOR REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR EXPERIMENTAL POPULATIONS—ENDANGERED SPECIES

Type of report Number of

respondents

Average

time required per

report

(minutes)

Total Annual burden

(hours)

General take or removal a ......................................................................................................................... 16 15 4

Depredation related take b ........................................................................................................................ 12 15 3

Specimen collection c ................................................................................................................................ 16 15 4

aGeneral take or removal includes human related mortality including unintentional taking incidental to otherwise lawful activities (e.g. highway

mortalities), take in defense of human life, take related to defense of property (if authorized) or take in the form of authorized harassment. b Depredation related take is take for management purposes where livestock depredation has been documented and may include authorized

harassment or authorized lethal take of experimental animals in the act of attacking livestock. cSpecimen collection, recovery, or reporting of dead individuals from experimental populations for documentation purposes or authorized scientific collection purposes.

The number of expected reports and

thus total burden hours is being revised

to reflect expected increases due to the

growth of existing experimental

populations, and to accommodate

additional releases of black-footed

ferrets (under 50 CFR 17.84(g)) and

grizzly bears (under 50 CFR 17.84 (l))

when final rules are published in the

near future.

Dated: May 14, 1998.

Richard Hannan,

Acting Assistant Director, Ecological Services.

[FR Doc. 98–16983 Filed 6–25–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

Request for Public Comments on

Proposed Information Collection

Submitted to the Office of Management

and Budget for Review Under the

Paperwork Reduction Act

The proposed information collection

described below has been submitted to

the Office of Management and Budget

for approval under the provisions of the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

Chapter 35). Copies of the proposed

collection of information may be

obtained by contacting the Bureau’s

clearance officer at the phone number

listed below. OMB has up to 60 days to

approve or disapprove the information

collection but may respond after 30

days; therefore, public comments

should be submitted to OMB within 30

days in order to assure their maximum

consideration. Comments and

suggestions on the proposal should be

made directly to the Desk Officer for the

Interior Department, Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs,

Office of Management and Budget,

Washington, DC 20503 and to the

Bureau clearance officer, U.S.

Geological Survey, 807 National Center,

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston,

Virginia 20192, (703) 648–7313).

Specific public comments are

requested as to:

1. whether the collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions on the

bureaus, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

2. the accuracy of the bureau’s

estimate of the burden of the collection

of information, including the validity of

the methodology and assumptions used:

3. the quality, utility, and clarity of

the information to be collected; and

4. how to minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who

are to respond, including the use of

appropriate automated, electronic,

mechanical, or other forms of

information technology.

Title: Qualify of life in southwestern

Colorado and northwestern New

Mexico.

OMB Approval Number: New

Collection.

Abstract: This study is one part of an

integrated study of public knowledge of,

preferences for, and responses to

tourism and recreation development on

the Colorado Plateau. The correlated

information is designed to assist

Federal, state, and local land and

resource managers in their management

decisions by providing information

about the knowledge, needs, and desires

of the affected publics surrounding

public lands. Natural resource land

managers and county government

officials in seven counties, working as

partners in this research, ran adjust

management practices in response to

citizens’ knowledge and perceived

values. The intended effect is to better

inform managers and assist land

managers in developing citizen

involvement programs. This study is

being conducted in partnership with the

U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land

Management, National Park Service, and

as part of the Colorado Plateau

Ecosystem Partnership Program

(CPEPP). This study is part of a peerreviewed research study plan of the

Midcontinent Ecological Science Center

in Fort Collins, Colorado and is part of

the study plan of the CPEPP.

To build a picture of quality of life on

the Colorado Plateau, we will measure

the perceptions and preferences for the

environment held by diverse residents

at several locations in the region. Our

objectives are to describe what resident

populations perceive as the most salient

elements of the region’s natural

landscapes, ecosystems, and human

communities; what would have to be

maintained, protected, or restored to

attain conditions of community and

ecosystem quality that residents desire.

The first iteration of this research

approach has been conducted by Utah

State University for the Utah State

Travel Council in partnership with the

Canyon Country Partnership. The goal

of that study was to help achieve the

Travel Council’s specific directive to

relate tourism planning to local

residents’ quality of life. For this second

iteration, surveys will be administered

to a stratified random sample of citizens

living in two counties in Colorado

(Montezuma, an La Plata) and in San

Juan County, New Mexico. The

sampling design is being developed in

partnership with the combined U.S.

Fortes Service and Bureau of Land

Management office in Durango,

Colorado, and Fort Lewis College.

Respondents will be given 12

exposure, one-time use, 35mm cameras

and will be asked to photograph areas

of their community that either add to or

detract from their quality of life.

Respondents will receive complete sets

of their photographs, accompanied by a

short follow-up, mail survey instrument

for the purposes of collecting

demographic data and cross-checking

the quality of life factors reflected in the

photographs.

Bureau Form Number: None.

Frequency: One time.