[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 239 (Wednesday, December 12, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73975-73976]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-29928]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Information Collection: National Visitor Use Monitoring
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and
organizations on the extension of a currently approved information
[[Page 73976]]
collection, OMB 0596-0110, National Visitor Use Monitoring.
DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before February 11,
2013 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date
will be considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to Dr.
Donald B.K. English, Recreation, Heritage, and Volunteer Resources,
Mailstop 1125, USDA Forest Service, 1400 Independence Ave. SW.,
Washington, DC 20250-1125.
Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to 202-205-1145 or by
email to: [email protected].
The public may inspect comments received at Room 400, Rosslyn Plaza
Building C, 1601 North Kent Street, Arlington, VA 22209 during normal
business hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to 202-205-9595
to facilitate entry to the building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald B.K. English, Recreation,
Heritage, and Volunteer Resources staff, 202-205-9595.
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a
day, every day of the year, including holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: National Visitor Use Monitoring.
OMB Number: 0596-0110.
Expiration Date of Approval: 06/30/2013.
Type of Request: Extension with revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Abstract
The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 require Federal
agencies to establish measurable goals and monitor their success at
meeting those goals. Two of the items the Forest Service must measure
are: (1) The number of visits that occur on the National Forest System
lands for recreation and other purposes, and (2) the views and
satisfaction levels of recreational visitors to National Forest System
lands about the services, facilities, and settings. The Agency receives
requests for this kind of information from a variety of organizations,
including Congressional staffs, newspapers, magazines, and recreational
trade organizations.
The data from this collection provides vital information for
strategic planning efforts, decisions regarding allocation of
resources, and revisions of land and resource management plans for
national forests. It provides managers with reliable estimates of the
number of recreational visitors to a national forest, activities of
those visitors (including outdoor physical activities), customer
satisfaction, and visitor values. The knowledge gained from this effort
helps identify recreational markets as well as the economic impact
visitors have on an area. The information collected is also used by the
Office of Management and Budget as part of the Program Analysis
Reporting Tool measures for the Forest Service recreation program. For
the Forest Service, the collection is designed for a five-year cycle of
coverage across all national forests. Conducting the collection less
frequently puts information updates out of cycle with forest planning
and other data preparation activities.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Interior (USDOI) Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) anticipates partnering with the Forest Service,
pending funding availability, to conduct further field testing of the
National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) survey and estimation protocol
as a means for estimating the volume of visitation and describing key
visitor characteristics. BLM lands are often adjacent to Forest Service
lands, and patterns of visitor access are similar to those of the
Forest Service. As well, BLM's information and reporting needs closely
mirror those of the Forest Service.
At the recreation sites or access points, agency personnel or
contractors will conduct onsite interviews of visitors as they complete
their visit. Interviewers will ask about the purpose and length of the
visit, the trip origin, activities, annual visitation rates, trip-
related spending patterns, use of recreation facilities, satisfaction
with agency services and facilities, and the composition of the
visiting party. Primary analysis of the information for the Forest
Service and partnering agencies will be performed by Forest Service
staff in the Washington Office and by scientists in one or more of the
agency's research stations.
Estimate of Annual Burden: 9 minutes (average).
Type of Respondents: Visitors to lands managed by the U.S. Forest
Service and/or Bureau of Land Management.
Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 60,900.
Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: One.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 8,760 hours.
Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information
is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the
functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have
practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the Agency's
estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (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, including the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
All comments received in response to this notice, including names
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record.
Comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of
Management and Budget approval.
Dated: December 3, 2012.
James M. Pena
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2012-29928 Filed 12-11-12; 8:45 am]
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