[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 23, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7505-7506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-1877]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


60 Day Notice of Intention To Request Clearance of Collection of 
Information; Opportunity for Public Comment

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior, Fort Sumter 
National Monument.

ACTION:  Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: National Park Service (NPS) Fort Sumter tour boat service 
currently departs from two destinations in Charleston, SC. With the 
construction of a new NPS facility at Liberty Square, all tour boat 
operations to Fort Sumter will be consolidated to a single point of 
departure at the new location. The proposed survey would be used in 
conducting a study to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a water 
taxi system in Charleston Harbor. The water taxi system would chiefly 
act as a feeder network for tourists and local residents desiring 
access to the new NPS Ft. Sumter tour boat facility at Liberty Square, 
located adjacent to the South Carolina Aquarium. Several locations, 
situated primarily along the Cooper River, are being considered as 
potential landing sites. Creation of a waterborne network of this type 
would potentially reduce on-site parking demands, serve to mitigate 
related congestion on surrounding streets and have a variety of other 
quality of life and environmental benefits. The initial phase of the 
system is expected to largely focus on establishing a waterborne 
connection between Liberty Square and Patriots Point Naval Museum. The 
information gathered in the surveys will be used to support planning 
efforts in developing feasible water taxi alternatives, evaluating 
system viability and determining potential user demands. The data 
collected in the surveys will aid in identifying the specific market 
feasibility and possible operational plans for the proposed water taxi 
service. The data will also be used to forecast potential demand for 
travel between NPS sites and other visitor destinations, as well as 
land-based public transit connections. Information

[[Page 7506]]

will be gathered on potential visitor linkages (multiple destinations) 
between NPS sites and other popular tourist destinations to 
understanding how they might affect the use of water taxi service to 
reach the NPS Fort Sumter Tour Boat facility at Liberty Square. 
Information collected in this survey will not be used for any other 
purpose than this study:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Estimated numbers of
                                               -------------------------
                                                                Burden
                                                 Responses      hours
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charleston Harbor Water Taxi Study:
  Intercept Surveys--Residents................          800       133.33
  Intercept Surveys--Non-Residents............          200        33.33
                                               -------------------------
    Total.....................................        1,000       166.66
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 CFR 
Part 1320, Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements, the National Park 
Service (NPS) is soliciting comments on: (a) Whether the collection of 
information is necessary for such a reliable and valid market analyses 
and to support the proper performance of the functions of the GGNRA in 
evaluating the best alternative operations in the interest of the 
government and the general public, including whether the information 
will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the NPS estimate of 
the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used; (c) the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) how to minimize the 
burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, 
while maintaining an unbiased sample, including the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information 
technology.

DATES: Public comments will be accepted on or before March 26, 2001.
    Send Comments to: Mr. John N. Tucker, Superintendent, Fort Sumter 
Group Parks, National Park Service, 1214 Middle Street, Sullivan's 
Island, SC 29482.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John N. Tucker at Tel: (843) 727-
4740 ext. 14, Fax: (843) 883-3910 or e-mail [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Charleston Harbor Water Taxi Study.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    OMB Number: To be requested.
    Expiration Date of Approval: To be requested.
    Type of Request: Request for new clearance.
    Description of Need: The combination of different visitor sites 
around Charleston Harbor, their role as significant attractions, and 
the higher level of traffic congestion is unique and makes it difficult 
to apply data collected for other transportation systems at other parks 
to this particular study area. However, other public agencies and 
private enterprises that operate waterborne shuttle services are being 
contracted. Preliminary results from this search indicate that little 
research or data collection has been conducted to understand travel 
behavior related to alternate transportation services for visitor and 
tourist travel. Also, because of the uniqueness of each alternative 
access system, in terms of site-specific attractions, and 
opportunities/constraints associated with alternative access services, 
existing data generally would not be applicable to the particular 
conditions present in the Charleston Harbor area.
    Only individuals would be interviewed as part of the intercept 
surveys. Collection of this data will ensure that the NPS has data 
necessary to plan, evaluate and implement alternative transportation 
options that meet the needs of current and potential visitors to NPS 
sites and other attractions surrounding the Charleston Harbor area.
    Automated Data Collection: At the present time, there is no 
automated way to gather this information, since the on-site 
interviewing process involves asking visitors to identify 
characteristics, use patterns, expectations, preferences and 
perceptions that are relevant to a study of alternative access 
strategies and services. Computerized responses could not be controlled 
for basis in the same manner as can intercept surveys.
    Description of respondents: Intercept interviews will be conducted 
with a random sample of individuals who visit sites within the 
Charleston Harbor area that represent potential visitors for Fort 
Sumter via the new NPS Visitor Center and Fort Sumter Tour Boat 
Facility at Liberty Square. These sites include the South Carolina 
Aquarium, adjacent to the NPS Visitor Center at Liberty Square, which 
is currently under construction, as well as four non-NPS sites 
including the Charleston Visitor Center, Charleston City Market, 
Charleston Waterfront Park, and Patriots Point Naval Museum, across the 
Harbor in Mt. Pleasant.
    Estimated number of respondents: 1,000.
    Estimated average number of responses: Each respondent will respond 
only one time, so the number of respondents will be the same as the 
number of respondents.
    Estimated average burden hours per responses: Approx. 10 minutes.
    Frequency of Response: 1 time per respondent.
    Estimated annual reporting burden: 166.66 hours.

Leonard E. Stowe,
Acting Information Collection Clearance Officer, WASO Administrative 
Program Center, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 01-1877 Filed 1-22-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M