[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 38 (Friday, February 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10045-10046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-4436]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Request for Comments; Volunteer 
Application for Natural Resource Agencies

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service announces its intention to reinstate a previously 
approved information collection. The collected information will help 
the Forest Service match the skills of individuals, who are applying 
for volunteer work on National Forest System lands, with work that can 
be accomplished by volunteers. Information will be collected from 
potential volunteers of all ages. Those under age 18 must have written 
consent from their parent or guardian.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before April 25, 
2000.

ADDRESSES: All comments should be addressed to Director, Senior, Youth 
and Volunteer Programs Staff, (Mail Stop 1136), Forest Service, USDA, 
P.O. Box 96090, Washington, D.C. 20090-6090.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald T. Hansen, Program Manager, 
Senior, Youth and Volunteer Programs Staff, at (703) 605-4851.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Volunteer Act of 1972, as amended, authorizes the Forest 
Service to recruit and train volunteer workers to accomplish certain 
work, such as building and maintaining trails, constructing campground 
facilities, improving wildlife habitat, assisting with interpretive 
services, assisting visitors, or other activities to help the agency 
meet its mission. Volunteers can be any age, as long as they are 
capable of doing the work for which they volunteer.
    Persons interested in volunteering will have to write or call the 
Forest Service volunteer coordinator and request a copy of the form, 
the Volunteer Application for Natural Resource Agencies. Forest Service 
personnel developed this form for multi-agency use in cooperation with 
the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, the National 
Park Service, the Department of the Army-Corps of Engineers, and the 
Tennessee Valley Authority. Multi-agency use of the Volunteer 
Application for Natural Resource Agencies form will enhance cooperation 
between agencies. Information gleaned from the form will support the 
efforts to develop a multi-agency computer-assisted volunteer database 
referral system, which will enable agencies to tap into the vast 
resource of volunteers. Currently, each agency maintains its own 
volunteer resource database.

Description of Information Collection

    The following describes the information collection to be 
reinstated:
    Title: Volunteer Application for Natural Resource Agencies.
    OMB Number: 0596-0080.
    Expiration Date of Approval: January 31, 1998.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement, without change, of a previously 
approved information collection for which approval has expired.
    Abstract: Forest Service employees will evaluate the collected 
information to match the skills of volunteers with the work the agency 
needs to accomplish.
    Individuals interested in volunteering will have to write or call 
the agency volunteer and request a copy of the form, Volunteer 
Application for Natural Resource Agencies. The volunteer then will have 
to complete the form and return it to the agency volunteer coordinator, 
either in person or by mail.
    Potential volunteers will be asked to respond to questions that 
include their telephone number, their age, the work

[[Page 10046]]

categories in which they are most interested in volunteering, their 
past work experience, their educational background, the specific kind 
of volunteer work they would like to do, if they have volunteered 
before, if they would be interested in supervising others, any physical 
limitations that may limit the kind of volunteer work they can do, 
their reason for volunteering, the months they would be available to 
volunteer, if they require lodging, and if a volunteer assignment is 
not available for them, would they like to have their application 
forwarded to other agencies. The potential volunteer then returns the 
form to the agency in person or by mail.
    The agency volunteer coordinator, along with other agency 
personnel, will evaluate the completed form to determine if the 
person's skills and physical condition match agency volunteer 
opportunities.
    Data gathered in this information collection are not available from 
other sources.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: 15 minutes.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 58,100.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 14,525 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 Comments

    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will become a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of 
Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: February 18, 2000.
Clyde Thompson,
Deputy Chief for Business Operations.
[FR Doc. 00-4436 Filed 2-24-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P