[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 26 (Monday, February 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6580-6581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3127]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


60-day Notice of Intention To Request Clearance of Collection of 
Information--Opportunity for Public Comment

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and 5 Units 
of the National Park System.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The University of Vermont is proposing to conduct four 
projects at up to five parks during FY 98:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Estimated                  
                NPS unit                     number of       Estimated  
                                             responses     burden hours 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Yosemite National Park..............            1200             600
(2) Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island                                      
 National Monuments.....................             800             400
(3) Golden Gate National Recreation                                     
 Area:                                                                  
    (A) Alcatraz Island.................             500             250
    (B) Muir Woods......................             500             250
                                         -------------------------------
        Totals..........................            3000            1500
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 CFR 
Part 1320, Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements, the National Park 
Service (NPS) is soliciting comments on the need for gathering the 
information in the proposed visitor studies listed above. The NPS is 
also asking for comments on the practical utility of the information 
being gathered; the accuracy of the burden hour estimate; ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and ways to minimize the burden to respondents, including 
the use of automated information collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.

[[Page 6581]]

    The NPS goal in conducting these surveys is to identify 
characteristics, use patterns, perceptions, preferences, and opinions 
of visitors about management and services in these parks. In addition, 
each project will identify indicators and standards of quality for the 
visitor experience.
    Results of all of the surveys will be used by NPS managers in their 
ongoing planning and management activities to improve visitor services, 
protect park resources, and better serve the park's current and 
potential future visitors.

DATES: Public comments will be accepted on or before April 10, 1998.

SEND COMMENTS TO: Dr. Robert E. Manning, Professor, School of Natural 
Resources, 356 Aiken Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 
05405. Phone (802) 656-2684.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Robert E. Manning. Voice (802) 
656-2684; Fax (802) 656-2623; Email;[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    OMB Number: To be requested.
    Expiration Date: To be requested.
    Type of Request: Request for new clearance.
    Description of Need: The National Park Service needs information 
concerning visitor demographics and visitor opinions about the service 
that the National Park Service provides. The NPS also needs information 
about indicators and standards of quality for the visitor experience. 
The proposed information to be collected from visitors in these parks 
is not available from other existing records, sources, or observations.
    Automated Data Collection: AT the present time, there is no 
automated way to gather this information, since it includes asking 
visitors to reach to management and services to park. The intrusion on 
visitors is minimized by contacting them only once during their visit 
to the park.
    Description of Respondents: A sample of visitors to each park or 
park unit.
    Estimated Average Number of respondents: 1200 visitors to Yosemite 
National Park, 800 visitors to Statute of Liberty/Ellis Island National 
Monuments, and 500 visitors to each of two units of the Golden Gate 
National Recreation Area.
    Estimated Average Number of Responses: Each respondent will respond 
only one time, so the number of responses will be the same as the 
number of respondents.
    Estimated Average Burden Hours Per Respondent: 30 minutes.
    Frequency of Response: 1 time per respondent.
    Estimated Annual Reporting Burden: 600 Burden hours at Yosemite 
National Park, 400 burden hours at Statute of Liberty/Ellis Island 
National Monuments Visitor Surveys, and 500 burden hours total for the 
two units of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Diane M. Cooke,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, WASO Administrative Program 
Center, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 98-3127 Filed 2-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M