[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
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 142 / Monday, July 26, 1999 /
Notices
[[Page 40335]]
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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]
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