[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 120 (Wednesday, June 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38496-38497]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-15628]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Request for Comments; Annual Wildfire 
Summary Report

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 a previously 
approved information collection with a change. Two forms are authorized 
under OMB number 0596-0025: FS-3100-8, Annual Wildfire Summary Report, 
for which OMB authorization expired April 30, 1996, and FS-3200-6, 
Cooperative Forestry Accomplishment Report, for which authorization 
expired October 31, 1999. The agency requests reinstatement of FS-3100-
8 and will retire FS-3200-6.
    The information collected using FS-3100-8, Annual Wildfire Summary 
Report, will enable the Forest Service to provide timely, substantive 
information to Congress about the effectiveness of State and local fire 
fighting agencies, when the agency requests annual funding for the 
Forest Service State and Private Forestry Cooperative Fire Program. 
This Program supplements the funding of State and local fire fighting 
efforts.
    State fire marshals will use FS-3100-8 to collect information from 
their State and local fire agencies in response to a request for this 
information from the Forest Service.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before August 21, 
2000.

ADDRESSES: All comments should be addressed to Roger Condie, State and 
Private Forestry Deputy Area, Forest Service, USDA, P.O. Box 96090, 
Washington, D.C. 20090-6090.
    Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to (202) 205-1174 or 
by email to: [email protected].
    The public may inspect comments received at the Office of the 
Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry, Forest Service, USDA, 2nd 
Floor NW, Yates Building, 201 14th Street S.W., Washington D.C. 
Visitors are urged to call ahead to facilitate entrance into the 
building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Condie, State and Private 
Forestry, 202-205-1037.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101 
(note) Sec. 10) requires the Forest Service to collect information 
about wildfire suppression efforts by State and local fire fighting 
agencies in order to support specific congressional funding requests 
for the Forest Service State and Private Forestry Cooperative Fire 
Program. The Program provides supplemental funding for State and local 
fire fighting agencies. The Forest Service works cooperatively with 
State and local fire fighting agencies to support their fire 
suppression efforts.
    State and local fire agencies, such as the Volunteer Fire 
Assistance Program, are the first line of defense against fires that 
might spread to National Forest System lands.
    State fire marshals use FS-3100-8, Annual Wildfire Summary Report, 
to collect this information for the Forest Service. The Forest Service 
is requesting authorization to reinstate this form under OMB number 
0596-0025. This form expired April 30, 1996.
    A second form was authorized under OMB number 0596-0025; the form, 
FS-3200-6, Cooperative Forestry and Accomplishment Report, expired 
October 31, 1999. This form is no longer used and the Forest Service 
will retire FS-3200-6.
    The Forest Service would be unable to assess the effectiveness of 
the State and Private Forestry Cooperative Fire Program if the 
information using FS-3100-8 were not collected.

Description of Information Collection

    The following describes the information collection to be reinstated 
with change:
    Title: FS-3100-8, Annual Wildfire Summary Report.
    OMB Number: 0596-0025.
    Date of Expiration: April 30, 1996.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement of an information collection, with 
change, that was previously approved by the Office of Management and 
Budget.
    Abstract: Forest Service State and Private Forestry Cooperative 
Fire Program managers will evaluate the collected information to 
determine if the Cooperative Fire Program funds,

[[Page 38497]]

provided to the State and local fire fighting agencies by the Forest 
Service, have been used by State and local fire agencies to improve 
their fire suppression capabilities. The Forest Service will share the 
results of the data with Congress when requesting annual funding for 
the Program. The collected information also will enable the Forest 
Service to share with the public the importance and value of the State 
and Private Forestry Cooperative Fire Program.
    Forest Service employees will not collect the information directly, 
but will request the information from State fire marshals, who will 
collect the information through their own State fire fighting agencies, 
as well as from local fire fighting agencies, such as Volunteer Fire 
Departments. The information collected for the Annual Wildfire Summary 
Report will include the number of fires to which the State or local 
fire fighting agencies responded within the fiscal year; the types of 
fires, such as timber, structural, or grassland fires to which the fire 
fighters will have responded; the sizes of the fires in acres; the 
causes of the fires, such as lightening, campfire, or arson; and the 
costs associated with suppressing the fires.
    Data gathered in this information collection are not available from 
other sources.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: 30 minutes.
    Type of Respondents: State fire marshals.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 50.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 25 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: June 14, 2000.
Robin L. Thompson,
Associate Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry.
[FR Doc. 00-15628 Filed 6-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-U