[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 123 (Friday, June 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34915-34917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16983]
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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.
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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.
[[Page 34916]]
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 experimental populations.
The following experimental populations described under Title 50 of
the Code of Federal Regulations contain information collection
requirements:
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Species (scientific
50 CFR section name) Type of reporting
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17.84(c).................... Red Wolf (Canis Take in defense of
rufus). human life,
incidental take.
Take related to
livestock
depredation.
17.84(g).................... Black footed ferret Incidental take,
(Mustela nigripes). specimen collection/
reporting.
17.84(h).................... Whooping crane (Grus Specimen collection/
americana). reporting.
17.84(i).................... Gray wolf (Canis Take in defense of
lupus). human life,
incidental take.
Take related to
livestock
depredation.
17.84(j).................... California condors Specimen collection/
(Gymnogyps reporting,
californianus). incidental take.
Proposed rules:
17.84(l) (62 FR 35762).. Grizzly bear (Ursus Take in defense of
horribilis). human life,
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 form number: N/A.
Frequency of collection: On occasion.
[[Page 34917]]
Burden Estimates for Reporting Requirements for Experimental
Populations--Endangered Species
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Average
time Total
Type of report Number of required Annual
respondents per report burden
(minutes) (hours)
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General take or removal a........ 16 15 4
Depredation related take b....... 12 15 3
Specimen collection c............ 16 15 4
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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.
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.
c Specimen 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]
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