[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 142 (Monday, July 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40335-40336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-18948]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 142 / Monday, July 26, 1999 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Request for Comments; Recreation Fee 
Permit Envelope

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service announces its intention to reinstate an information 
collection. This information collection will help the Forest Service 
ensure that visitors to National Forest System recreational sites 
comply with Forest Service policies and regulations and pay user fees, 
when required. The data also will help the agency evaluate how well it 
meets the recreational needs of its visitors.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before September 24, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Developed Sites Program Manager, 
Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness Resources Staff, Mail Stop 1125, 
Forest Service, USDA, PO Box 96090, Washington, DC 20090-6090 or FAX to 
(202) 205-1145 or email: phernand/[email protected].
    The public may inspect comments in the Office of the Director, 
Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness Resources Staff, 201 14th Street, 
SW, Washington, DC. Visitors are encouraged to call (202) 205-1706 to 
facilitate entrance into the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy Hernandez, Developed Sites 
Program Manager, Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness Resources Staff, 
at (202) 205-1169.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Annually, millions of people visit National Forest System 
recreational sites. The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965, 
section 4(b), and Forest Service regulations at Title 36, Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR), section 291.2 authorize some of the National 
Forest and Grassland recreational sites to collect fees from visitors. 
The Forest Service uses the Recreation Fee Permit Envelope to collect 
these fees.

Description of Information Collection

    The following describes the information collection to be 
reinstated:
    Title: FS-2300-26, Recreation Fee Permit Envelope.
    OMB Number: 0596-0106.
    Expiration Date of Approval: August 31, 1998.
    Type of Request: This is a request for reinstatement of an 
information collection that was previously approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget.
    Abstract: The agency will analyze the collected data to evaluate 
visitor use of recreational sites to determine the law enforcement, 
cleaning, maintenance, inspection personnel, and other staffing needs 
at these recreational sites. The Forest Service also will use the 
collected information to track demographic data (such as a visitor's 
length of stay at a specific recreational site, a visitor's 
recreational activities of choice, or the recreational sites most 
frequented) and to ensure that visitors on National Forest System 
recreational sites comply with the agency's fee payment policies and 
regulations at 36 CFR, 261.15.
    Visitors pick up self-service fee envelopes at recreational sites 
that charge fees, such as campgrounds or other facilities. The visitors 
complete the blocks of information requested and place the money in the 
envelope, which they deposit in a secure collection box or fee tube, 
generally located at the entrance to the site. As part of the fee 
collection process, the Forest Service asks visitors to provide the 
following information: the amount of money enclosed, the number of days 
for which they paid, the date and time period for which they paid, 
their vehicle license plate number, the State in which they live, their 
camp unit number, the number of people in their party, and their 
planned date of departure. The envelope also asks for comments on how 
the Forest Service can improve the facilities or services at the site. 
The agency will use the collected data to evaluate accessibility for 
all visitors based on actual reported need rather than agency personnel 
assumptions. For example, visitors could report that they were unable 
to get a wheelchair to a picnic table or restroom or that signs weren't 
available in braille.
    To determine the estimate of burden, six Forest Service employees 
were requested to pick up fee envelopes at a Forest Service campground, 
read the directions, complete the form, place the fee in the envelope, 
deposit the envelope in a fee tube, and place the stubs on their 
dashboards. The estimate of burden is based on the average time it took 
the six employees to complete the fee-payment process.
    Data collected in this information collection is not available from 
other sources.
    Estimate of Burden: 3 minutes.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals and groups using National Forests 
and Grasslands recreational sites at which fees are collected.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 400,000. This estimate is based on 
the number of fee envelopes that are printed and placed in recreational 
sites annually (500,000).
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 20,000 hours.

Comment Is Invited

    The agency invites comments on the following: (a) Whether the 
proposed 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; (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 respondents, including 
the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Use of Comment

    All comments received in response to this notice, including name 
and address

[[Page 40336]]

when provided, will become a matter of public record. Comments also 
will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management 
and Budget approval.

    Dated: June 21, 1999.
Janette S. Kaiser,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, NFS.
[FR Doc. 99-18948 Filed 7-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P