[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 15 (Monday, January 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 3710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1540]



[[Page 3710]]

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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: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing in 1999 and 2000 
to conduct social science research related to (1) advancing the Money 
Generation Model, (2) developing and advancing social carrying capacity 
methodologies, (3) developing and advancing the Visitor Experience and 
Resource (VERP) Protection Framework, (4) developing and conducting an 
NPS national survey of the American Public, and (5) evaluating the 
effect of the NPS Fee Demonstration Program on backcountry users in 
selected national parks. Each research project will require a specific 
combination of mail, phone, and/or on-site surveys of visitors and/or 
the general public to identify characteristics, use patterns, 
expectations, preferences and perceptions that are relevant to the 
individual research projects.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                Estimated number of
                                         -------------------------------
                                             Responses     Burden hours
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Advancing the Money Generation Model
 Survey.................................             500              85
2. Development and Advancement of Social
 Carrying Capacity Methodologies........             500             170
3. Development and Advancement of the
 Visitor Experience and Resource
 Protection (VERP) Framework............             500             170
4. NPS National Survey of the American
 Public.................................            1400             470
5. Effect of NPS Fee Demonstration
 Program on Selected National Parks.....             600             100
                                         -------------------------------
    Total...............................            3500             995
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 CFR 
Part 1320, Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements, the National Park 
Service is soliciting comments on the need for gathering the 
information in the proposed surveys. The NPS also is 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 use of automated 
information collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    The NPS goals in conducting surveys associated with these research 
projects are to incorporate survey information into the development of 
state-of-the-art social science tools to be used by NPS managers 
(Projects 1-3), into the development of NPS policies (Project 4), and 
into evaluating the impacts of increased and additional fees on 
national park visitors.

dates: Public comments will be accepted on or before March 26, 1999.
    Send comments to: Jean McKendry, Ph.D., NPS Social Science Program, 
1849 C Street, NW (3127) Washington, DC 20240.

for further information contact: Jean McKendry. Voice: 202-219-8894, 
Email: <[email protected]>.

supplementary information:
    Titles: 1. Advancing the Money Generation Model.
    2. Development and Advancement of Social Carrying Capacity 
Methodologies.
    3. Development and Advancement of the Visitor Experience and 
Resource Protection (VERP) Framework.
    4. NPS National Survey of the American Public.
    5. Effect of Fee Demonstration Program on Backcountry Users in 
Selected National Parks.
    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 to 
incorporate into the development of state-of-the-art social science 
tools to be used by NPS managers (Projects 1-3), into the development 
of NPS policies (Project 4), and into evaluating the impacts of 
increased and additional fees on national park visitors (Project 5).
    Automated data collection: At the present time, there is no 
automated way to gather this information, since it includes asking 
visitors and/or the general public to identify characteristics, use 
patterns, expectations, preferences and perceptions that are relevant 
to the individual research projects.
    Description of respondents: A sample of individuals who visit 
various units of the National Park System and individuals who do not 
visit units of the National Park System.
    Estimated average number of respondents: 500 (Money Generation 
Model); 500 (Social Carrying Capacity); 500 (VERP); 1400 (Survey of 
American Public); 600 (Fees Demo Project and Backcountry Users).
    Estimated average number of responses: Each respondent will respond 
only one time, so the number of respondents will be the same as the 
number of respondents.
    Estimated average burden hours per response: 10 minutes (Money 
General Model); 20 minutes (Social Carrying Capacity); 20 minutes 
(VERP); 20 minutes (Survey of American Public); 10 minutes (Fees Demo 
Project and Backcountry Users).
    Frequency of Response: 1 time per respondent.
    Estimated annual reporting burden: 85 hours (Money Generation 
Model); 17 hours (Social Carrying Capacity); 170 hours (VERP); 470 
hours (Survey of American Public); 100 hours (Fees Demo Project and 
Backcountry Users).
Diane M. Cooke,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, WASO Administrative Program 
Center, National Park Service.
[FR Doc 99-1540 Filed 1-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M