[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43882-43884]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21070]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


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

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Information collection; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The collection of information described below has been 
submitted to OMB for approval under the provisions of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.

[[Page 43883]]

Copies of specific information collection requirements, related forms 
and explanatory material may be obtained by contacting the Information 
Collection Clearance Officer of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 
the address and/or phone numbers listed below.

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove information 
collection but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, to ensure maximum 
consideration, you must submit comments on or before September 20, 
2001.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments and suggestions on specific requirements 
to the Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Department of the 
Interior Desk Officer, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington DC 20503, and to 
Rebecca Mullin, Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, MS-222-ARLSQ; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ren Lohoefener, Chief, Division of 
Consultation, Recovery, Habitat Conservation Plans, and State Grants, 
703/358-2171

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) 
has submitted the following information collection requirements to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. A previous 60 day 
notice on this information collection requirement was published in the 
Federal Register on May 1, 2001 (66 FR 21774-21776) inviting public 
comment. No comments were received as a result of this notice. Pursuant 
to this renewal, 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 estimate of burden, including 
the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. The information collections in 
this program will not be part of a system of records covered by the 
Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552(a)).
    Experimental populations established under section 10(j) of the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended, require information 
collection and reporting to the Service. Section 9 of the ESA describes 
prohibited acts involving threatened or endangered species (16 U.S.C. 
section 1538 (a)(1)(B)). There are three major categories of 
information collected under the already issued experimental population 
rules. To date these categories have encompassed information relating 
to: (1) The general taking or removal of individuals of an experimental 
population, and (2) the authorized taking of individuals related to 
reports of depredation on livestock or pets caused by individuals that 
are part of an experimental population and (3) the collection of 
specimens or the recovery of dead animals that are part of an 
experimental population. These three categories have adequately 
described the types of information needed to evaluate the efficacy of 
the program and are expected to continue to accurately describe 
activities under the program.
    Because individuals of designated experimental populations for 
species listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA are 
categorically protected, documentation of human-related mortalities, 
recovery of dead specimens and other types of take related to the 
status of experimental populations is important to the Service in order 
to monitor the success of reintroduction efforts, and recovery efforts 
in general. In order to minimize potential conflict with humans which 
could undermine recovery efforts, livestock depredations connected with 
experimental populations of listed species require prompt attention for 
purposes of determining the location, timing, and nature of the 
predatory behavior involved, accurate determination of the species 
responsible for a livestock kill, and the timely application of 
necessary control measures. The Service, in cooperation with the United 
States Department of Agriculture/Animal Plant Health Inspection Service 
Division of Wildlife Services or other cooperating State or Federal 
agencies, relies on prompt public reporting of depredation in order to 
resolve livestock related problems, and, therefore, a time sensitive 
requirement for reporting problems (generally within 24 hours) to the 
appropriate Service office is necessary. Information collection is 
achieved primarily by means of telephone calls by members of the public 
to Service offices specified in the individual rules (some may choose 
to use facsimile or electronic mail). Information required is limited 
to the identity of the caller, species involved, time and place of an 
incident, the type of incident, and circumstances related to the 
incident described. The vast majority of the information supplied to 
the Service as a result of experimental population regulations, is 
provided by cooperating State and Federal agencies under cooperative 
agreement. However, some of the information collected by the Service 
under the experimental population rules is provided by the public.
    The collected information can be separated into three categories; 
general take or removal, depredation related take, and specimen 
collection. General take or removal information refers to human-related 
mortality including unintentional taking incidental to otherwise lawful 
activities (e.g. highway mortalities), take in defense of human life, 
take related to defense of property (if authorized), or take in the 
form of authorized harassment. Most contacts related to this type of 
information collection are in regard to sightings of experimental 
animals, or the inadvertent discovery of an injured or dead individual. 
Depredation related take refers to the reporting of take for management 
purposes, where livestock depredation has been documented or may 
include authorized harassment or lethal take of experimental animals in 
the act of attacking livestock. The information collection required by 
the rules for this type of take include the necessary follow-up reports 
after the Service has authorized harassment or lethal take of 
experimental animals in relation to confirmed instances of livestock 
depredation or in defense of human life. Specimen collection is for the 
purpose of documenting incidental or authorized scientific collection. 
Most of the information collection requirement for this take pertains 
primarily to the reporting of sightings of experimental population 
animals or the inadvertent discovery of an injured or dead individual. 
Information collection is required for necessary follow-up reports when 
the Service has authorized take of experimental animals for specimen 
collection.
    The standard information collection includes the name, address, and 
phone number of the reporting party, location and time of the reported 
incident, species of experimental population involved. Reporting 
parties include, but are not limited to, individuals or households, 
farms, businesses, and other non-profit organizations. The reporting of 
specimen collections, recovery, or even the reporting of dead 
individuals from experimental populations is important to the Service's 
efforts in monitoring these individuals and for other scientific 
purposes. Federal agencies may not conduct or

[[Page 43884]]

sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. 
The control numbers for this collection are 1018-0095 and 1018-0096.
    Because the number of reports generated annually by the general 
public (rather than cooperating agencies or separately permitted 
individuals) under these rules is extremely small (far less than one 
report per year, per rule) and to assure thorough documentation of 
results, the Service is estimating the number of expected reports to 
assume a maximum number per year based on allowance for increased 
population size and public awareness of experimental populations.
    The following existing experimental populations described under 
Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations contain information 
collection requirements:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               Species (scientific
        50CFR section                 name)           Type of reporting
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17.84(c)....................  Red Wolf (Canis       Take in defense of
                               rufus).               human life,
                                                     incidental take,
                                                     take related to
                                                     livestock
                                                     depredation.
17.84(g)....................  Black footed ferret   Incidental take,
                               (Mustela nigripes).   specimen collection/
                                                     reporting.
17.84(h)....................  Whooping crane (Grus  Specimen collection/
                               americana).           reporting.
17.84(i)....................  Gray wolf (Canis      Take in defense of
                               lupus).               human life,
                                                     incidental take
                                                     take related to
                                                     livestock
                                                     depredation.
17.84(j)....................  California condors    Specimen collection/
                               (Gymnogyps            reporting,
                               californianus).       incidental take.
17.84(k)....................  Mexican gray wolf     Take in defense of
                               (Canus lupus          human life,
                               baileyi).             incidental take,
                                                     take related to
                                                     livestock
                                                     depredation.
17.84(l)....................  Grizzly bear (Ursus   Take in defense of
                               horribilis).          human life,
                                                     incidental take
                                                     take related to
                                                     livestock
                                                     depredation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Future experimental populations that are established will require 
the same types of reports as listed above. This proposed information 
collection notice would also apply to future experimental populations 
that encompass the same information requirements outlined above to 
streamline the process.
    Title: Endangered and Threatened Wildlife, 50 CFR 17.84, 
Experimental populations.
    Burden Estimates for Reporting Requirements for Experimental 
Populations--Endangered Species:

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                                           Number of     Average time required per
            Type of report                respondents              report                Total Annual burden
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General take or removal a.............              20  15 minutes.................  5 hours.
Depredation related take b............              22  15 minutes.................  5.5 hours.
Specimen collection c.................              20  15 minutes.................  5 hours.
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(a) General take or removal includes human related mortality including unintentional taking incidental to
  otherwise lawful activities (e.g. highway mortalities), take in defense of human life, take related to defense
  of property (if authorized) or take in the form of authorized harassment.
(b) Depredation-related take is take for management purposes where livestock depredation has been documented and
  may include authorized harassment or authorized lethal take of experimental animals in the act of attacking
  livestock.
(c) Specimen collection, recovery, or reporting of dead individuals from experimental populations for
  documentation purposes or authorized scientific collection purposes.

    Description of Respondents: Private individuals and households, 
businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and farms.
    Number of Respondents: 62.
    Frequency of Collection: On Occasion.
    Total Annual Burden hours: 16.
    Total Annual Responses: 62.
    Total Annual Non-hour Cost Burden: 0.
    Bureau form number: N/A.

    Date: August 13, 2001.
Rebecca A. Mullin,
Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-21070 Filed 8-20-01; 8:45 am]
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