[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 121 (Wednesday, June 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34472-34473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16740]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[WO-260-1030-2-24-1A]


Request for Approval of a New Information Collection

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces its intention to seek 
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to collect 
certain information from visitors to the Wild Horse and Burro Internet 
Adoption Site. The information, which will be supplied on a voluntary 
basis, will be used to improve the website and the overall management 
of the wild horse and burro program.

DATES: Comments on the proposed information collection must be received 
by August 24, 1998 to be considered.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to: Regulatory Affairs Group, Bureau 
of Land Management, 1849 C St., NW, Mail Stop 401 LS, Washington, DC 
20240. Comments may be sent via Internet to: WOC[email protected]. 
Please include ``Attn.: 1004-NEW'' and your name and address in your 
Internet message.

    Comments may be hand-delivered to the Bureau of Land Management 
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L St., NW, Washington, DC.
    Comments will be available for public review and inspection at the 
L Street address during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 
p.m.), Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Harry Moritz, (703) 440-1677, e-mail address: [email protected].


[[Page 34473]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, BLM is required to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal 
Register concerning a collection of information to solicit comments on: 
(a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the agency, including whether the information 
will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate 
of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 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. BLM will analyze 
any comments sent in response to this notice and include them with its 
request for approval from OMB under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

    On December 5, 1971, the Wild, Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, 
commonly referred to as the Wild Horse and Burro Act, became a Federal 
law. In 1998, the twenty-seventh anniversary of the Act, the public 
plays a major role in preserving wild horses and burros as a cultural 
icon. Since 1973, over 140,000 wild horses and burros have been adopted 
throughout the United States. Each year as many as 9,000 wild horses 
and burros are adopted. More than half of these animals are placed 
through the efforts of BLM's Eastern States Office.
    The Act requires the protection, management, and control of wild, 
free-roaming horses and burros on public lands at population levels 
that assure a thriving ecological balance and multiple-use 
relationship. BLM developed a Strategic Plan for the Management of Wild 
Horses and Burros on Public Lands that established long-term goals and 
objectives for the wild horse and burro program. The plan, approved in 
1992, is a product of BLM's commitment to manage wild horses and burros 
as part of the natural ecosystem and recognizes the biological, social, 
and cultural attributes that these animals possess.
    To address management goals and requirements, BLM's Eastern States 
Office conceived and implemented the Internet Wild Horse and Burro 
Adoption Pilot Project. Through the Pilot Project, BLM hopes to reach 
out and contact new potential adopters--people who have and use home 
computers and often have children living at home. These additions to 
our adopter base could potentially increase BLM's ability to place 
additional animals in safe, secure, and happy adoptive homes.
    The Internet adoption site will contain a series of questions 
designed to solicit customer comments, feedback, and information. BLM 
will use these responses to determine whether or not to continue the 
pilot program, and, if the program is continued, what improvements to 
make.
    The questions asked are: What state are you from? What city? How 
did you learn about this site? Will you be participating in the 
Internet adoption? What more could we do to make you want to adopt 
using the Internet? Have you adopted any BLM wild horses or burros 
before? Would you be more willing to adopt if you could pick up the 
horses closer to your home? How could we improve this site? Any other 
comments or suggestions? To respond to these questions, participants 
would use ``Yes'' or ``No'' radio buttons, drop down selection menus, 
or blank screens, depending upon the question.
    The Wild Horse and Burro Internet Adoption Program could 
potentially be implemented with a general request for comments and 
suggestions, but a specific set of questions is more likely to generate 
responses useful to BLM's Eastern States Office in improving the 
website and the overall management of the adoption program.
    BLM estimates that it will take an average of 3 minutes for each 
electronic response, and that the number of respondents will be 600 
annually. The estimated annual burden hours is 30. Each response is 
voluntary. The respondents are potential adopters of wild horses and 
burros.
    Anyone interested in the HTML code for the questions and format may 
obtain a copy from the individual named in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section.
    BLM will summarize all responses to this notice and include them in 
the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: June 15, 1998.
Carole J. Smith,
Bureau of Land Management Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-16740 Filed 6-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M