[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 4 (Monday, January 7, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 743-744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-294]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Information Collections for Approval Under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act for Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Program

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The collection of information described below has been 
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for emergency 
approval under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
and received OMB approval number 1018-0113 with an expiration date of 
6/30/2002. Copies of the specific information collection requirements, 
related forms and explanatory material may be obtained by contacting 
the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer at the address 
provided below.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received on or 
before March 8, 2002. OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove 
information collection but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, to 
ensure maximum consideration, OMB should receive public comments by the 
above referenced date.

ADDRESSES: Comments and suggestions on the requirement should be sent 
to Rebecca Mullin, Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ms 860--ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20240.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    The OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 1320, which implement provisions 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), require that 
interested members of the public and affected agencies have an 
opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping 
activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)). On December 19, 2001, the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service (Service) provided information to OMB for 
collection of information in order to begin a grants program conducted 
under the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (Public Law 106-
247). The assigned OMB information collection control number is 1018-
[to be assigned] , and temporary approval expires on [unknown]. The 
Service is requesting a three year term of approval for this 
information collection activity. An agency 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.
    Comments are invited on : (1) Whether the collection of information 
is

[[Page 744]]

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 the 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 the collection of information on respondents.
    Title: Information Collection In Support of Grant Programs 
Authorized by the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 2000.
    Approval Number: 1018-0113.
    Service Form Number(s): N/A.
    Description and Use: Congress passed Neotropical Migratory Bird 
Conservation Act (Act) in 2000, having the following purposes:
    (1) To perpetuate healthy populations of neotropical migratory 
birds;
    (2) to assist in the conservation of neotropical migratory birds by 
supporting conservation initiatives in the United States, Latin 
America, and the Caribbean; and
    (3) to provide financial resources and to foster international 
cooperation for those initiatives.
    The Act establishes ``* * * a program to provide financial 
assistance for projects to promote the conservation of neotropical 
birds.'' (Sec. 5(a)). Section 5(c) ``Project Proposals'' describes the 
information to be included in a project proposal.
    Proposals for funding will be submitted in response to the call for 
proposals posted on the Division of Bird Habitat Conservation website. 
These proposals will be reviewed for completeness and eligibility by 
staff of the Division, and then distributed to the Advisory Group 
referenced in Sec. 7(b) of the Act. The Advisory Group will then make a 
recommendation to the Secretary of the Interior regarding which of 
these proposals should be funded. The Secretary or her designee will 
make the final decision. All proposals will be kept on file at the 
Division. Information collected under this program will be used to 
respond to such needs as: GPRA reporting, SF 424s, grant agreements, 
budget reports and justification, public and private requests for 
information, data provided to other programs for databases on similar 
programs, Congressional inquiries and reports required by the Act. This 
is a new collection.
    In summary, information collection under these programs is required 
to obtain a benefit, i.e., a cash reimbursable grant that is given 
competitively to some applicants based on eligibility and relative 
scale of resource values involved in the projects. The information 
collection is subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act requirements for 
such activity, which includes soliciting comments from the general 
public regarding the nature and burden imposed by the collection.
    Frequency of Collection: Once per year.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals, businesses, not-for-profit 
institutions, Federal Government; and State, local and/or Tribal 
governments.
    Estimated Completion Time: The reporting burden, or time involved 
in writing a project proposal, is estimated to be 40 hours.
    Number of Respondents: It is estimated that 30 proposals will be 
submitted each year.

    Dated: January 2, 2002.
Rebecca A. Mullin,
Information Collection Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 02-294 Filed 1-4-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P