[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55032-55035]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23251]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Information Collection To Be Submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval Under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (PRA)

ACTION: New information collection.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) plans to submit 
the collection of information requirement described below to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval under the provisions of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). You may obtain copies of the collection 
requirement and related forms and explanatory material by contacting 
the Service's Information Collection Clearance Officer at the phone 
number listed below. The Service is soliciting comment and suggestions 
on the requirement as described below.

DATES: Interested parties must submit comments on or before November 
13, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties should send comments and suggestions on 
the requirement to Rebecca A. Mullin, Information Collection Clearance 
Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, 
Suite 222, Arlington, VA 22203, (703) 358-2287 or 
[email protected] E-mail.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack Hicks, (703) 358-1851, fax (703) 
358-1837, or Jack_Hicks @fws.gov E-mail.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title of Form: NEPA COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST
    FWS Form Number: 3-2185
    OMB Approval Number: 1018-XXXX The Service will submit to OMB an 
approval request before collecting information.
    Description and Use: The Service administers several grant programs 
authorized by the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, the Federal 
Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, the Anadromous Fish Conservation 
Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Vessel Act, the Sportfishing 
and Boating Safety Act, North American Wetlands

[[Page 55033]]

Conservation Act, the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and 
Restoration Act, and through other Acts and authorities. The Service 
uses the information collected to make a determination as to National 
Environmental Policy Act compliance. The State or other grantee uses 
the checklist as a guide to general NEPA requirements and it becomes an 
administrative record to meet their assurances requirements for 
receiving a grant. Grant applicants provide the information requested 
in the NEPA Compliance Checklist in order to qualify to receive 
benefits in the form of grants for purposes outlined in the applicable 
law. This form is designed to cause the minimum impact in the form of 
hourly burden on grant applicants and still get all the required 
information. Only about 3 percent of the Service's applicants for 
either a new grant or for an amendment to an existing grant will meet 
the criteria, and need to complete the NEPA Compliance Checklist.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: The Service plans to submit the following 
information collection requirements to OMB for review and approval 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments 
are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of information is necessary 
for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy 
of the agency's estimates of burden of the collection of information; 
(3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and, (4) ways to minimize the burden of 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Frequency: Generally annually.
    Description of Respondents: State Government, territorial (the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and American 
Samoa), local governments, and others receiving grant funds.

                             Completion Time and Annual Response and Burden Estimate
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                                                                                           Annual       Annual
                  Form name                         Completion time per checklist         response      burden
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NEPA Compliance Checklist...................  \1/2\                                             160           80
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    Dated: September 5, 2000.
Rebecca A. Mullin,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-23251 Filed 9-11-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M