[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 123 (Friday, June 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34913-34915]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16980]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Information Collection Renewal 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.

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SUMMARY: The collection of information described below has been 
submitted to OMB for renewal 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 Service Information Collection Clearance officer at the 
address and/or phone numbers listed below.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received on or 
before July 27, 1998.


[[Page 34914]]


ADDRESSES: Comments and suggestions on specific requirements should be 
sent to the Service 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 clearance 
requirements to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal 
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 on the previous notice were received as of 
March 10, 1998. Emergency approval for this information collection 
requirement was cleared on January 29, 1998 under OMB control number 
1018-0096. 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.
    Because individuals of designated experimental populations for 
species listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA are 
categorically protected, documentation of human-related 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 this experimental population.
    The following nonessential experimental population rule for the 
Mexican wolf is described under Title 50 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations and contains information collection requirements:

[[Page 34915]]



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                                        Species                         
         50 CFR section            (scientific name)   Type of reporting
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17.84(k) (63 FR1752)............  Mexican wolf        Take in defense of
                                   (Canis lupus        human life,      
                                   baileyi).           incidental take, 
                                                       take related to  
                                                       livestock        
                                                       depredation.     
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    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     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Average               
                                    Number of       time                
          Type of report             reports      required      Burden  
                                     annually    per report     hours   
                                                 (minutes)              
------------------------------------------------------------------------
General take or removal <SUP>a........            2           15        \1/2\
Depredation related take <SUP>b.......            8           15            2
Specimen collection <SUP>c............            2           15       \1/2\ 
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<SUP>a General 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.                                                           
<SUP>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.                                           
<SUP>c Specimen 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]
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