[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51443-51444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25234]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


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

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service. Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We will submit the collection of information listed below to 
OMB for approval under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act. 
We have included a copy of the information collection requirement in 
this notice. If you wish to obtain copies of the proposed information 
collection requirement and explanatory material, contact the Service 
Information Collection Officer at the address listed below.

DATES: You must submit comments on or before January 7, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the requirement to the Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Room 222 
ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20204.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the information 
collection request, explanatory information, contact Rebecca A. Mullin 
at (703) 358-2287 or electronically to [email protected] 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
regulation at 5 CFR part 1320, which implements provisions of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-13), require that 
interested members of the public and affected agencies have an 
opportunity to comment on information collection and recording keeping 
activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8(d). We plan to submit a request to OMB to 
renew approval of the collection of information for the Conservation 
Order for the Reduction of Mid Continent Light Goose populations. We 
are requesting a 3-year term of approval for this information 
collection activity.
    Federal agencies may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 
required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.
    The Mid-continent lesser snow goose and Ross' population has nearly 
quadrupled--goose populations are referred to as Mid-continent light 
geese (MCLG). Due to high population growth rates, a decline in adult 
mortality, and an increase in winter survival, MCLG are now seriously 
injurious to their habitat and habitat important to other migratory 
birds, which poses a serious threat to the short and long-term health 
and status of migratory bird populations. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (Service or ``we'') believes that MCG populations exceed long-
term sustainable levels for their arctic and sub-arctic breeding 
habitats and the populations must be reduced. 50 CFR part 21 provides 
authority for the management of overabundant MCG populations. Lesser 
snow and Ross' geese that primarily migrate through North Dakota, South 
Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri, and winter in Arkansas, 
Louisiana, Mississippi, and eastern, central, and southern Texas and 
other Gulf States are referred to as the Mid-continent population of 
light geese (M.P.). Lesser snow and Ross' geese that primarily migrate 
through Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado and winter in New Mexico, 
northwestern Texas, and Chihuahua, Mexico are referred to as Western 
Central Flyway population of light geese (WCFP). Ross' geese are often 
mistaken for lesser snow geese due to their similar appearance. Ross' 
geese occur in both M.P. and the WCFP and mix extensively with lesser 
snow geese on both the breeding and wintering grounds M.P. and WCFP 
lesser snow and Ross' geese are collectively referred to as Mid-
continent light geese (MCLG) because they breed, migrate, and winter in 
the Mid-continent or central portions of Northern America primarily in 
the Central and Mississippi Flyways. They are referred to as ``light'' 
geese due to their light coloration as opposed to ``dark'' geese such 
as the white-fronted or Canada Geese. In addition, we are now adding 
all Atlantic Flyway states to the conservation order to control greater 
snow geese (GSG). Similar to MCLG populations, GSG populations have 
increased exponentially, causing many of the same negative impacts 
previously outlined.
    This collection of information that is required of participating 
State agencies under the conservation order to control MCLG and GSG 
populations will be used by the Service to administer this program and, 
particularly, in monitoring the effectiveness of control strategies. 
The information requested will be required to participate, and to 
protect migratory birds. The criteria is a statement that indicates 
that the State will inform and brief all participants of the 
requirements of these regulations and conservation order conditions 
that apply to the implementation of MCLG and GSG control measures. Any 
participant must keep records of activities carried out under the 
authority of this conservation order, including the number of MCLG and 
GSG harvested, the method by which they were harvested, and the date on 
which they were harvested. The State must submit an annual report 
summarizing activities conducted, including the date, numbers of birds 
taken, and methods of take on or before August 1 of each year.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually
    Description of Respondents: States
    Total Annual Burden Hours: (see below)

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                                                                                   Avg. Time
                                                                  Number of       Required Per
                        Type of Report                             Reports           Report        Burden Hours
                                                                   Annually        (minutes)
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General take or Removal......................................              24              360              720
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    We invite comments concerning this submission on (1) whether the 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
our migratory bird management functions, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (2) The accuracy of our 
estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (3) Ways to

[[Page 51444]]

enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (4) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents. The information collections in this program 
are part of a system of record covered by the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 
(a))

    Dated: October 3, 2001.
Rebecca A. Mullin,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-25234 Filed 10-5-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P