[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 223 (Wednesday, November 19, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65312-65313]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28843]


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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: Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Yellowstone 
National Park.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Yellowstone National Park Wolf Economic Study will provide 
park managers and others with important, accurate information about the 
Yellowstone National Park visitor population in general as well as 
visitor and trip characteristics of those who specifically view wolves 
in the park. The importance of visitation specifically tied to wolves 
in the park will be examined. The mail-back questionnaire is designed 
to systematically collect data from visitors in several different topic 
areas: Individual characteristics, trip/visit characteristics, 
individual activities and individual opinions on park and wildlife 
management.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Estimated numbers of
                                               -------------------------
                                                                Burden
                                                 Responses      hours
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yellowstone National Park Wolf Economic Study.        5,000        1,917
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 CFR 
part 1320, Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements, the National Park 
Service is soliciting comments on the need for gathering the 
information in the proposed surveys. The NPS also is asking for 
comments on the practical utility of the information being gathered; 
the accuracy of the burden hour estimate; ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to 
minimize the burden to respondents, including use of automated 
information collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    The NPS goal in conducting this survey is to develop statistically 
valid estimates of Yellowstone National Park visitation and to evaluate 
the economic effects of wolf restoration in the context of an accurate 
regional economic model that measures the role of Yellowstone National 
Park in the overall regional economy. The broader information on 
visitation, visitor demographics, and the regional economy will have 
application to other park planning efforts where reliable visitation 
and economic data is needed for evaluation of project proposals and 
other management issues.

DATES: Public comments will be accepted on or before 60 days from the 
date of publication in the Federal Register.
    Send Comments to: Dr. John Duffield, University of Montana, 
Department of Economics, Missoula, MT 59812.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. John Duffield. Voice: 406-721-
2265, Email: <[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Titles: Yellowstone National Park Wolf Economic Study.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    OMB Number: To be requested.
    Expiration Date: To be requested.
    Type of request: Request for new clearance.
    Description of need: Wolf restoration in Yellowstone is an 
internationally important wildlife conservation success story. The 
visibility and public interest in wolves, wolf viewing, and wolf-based 
education programs has far exceeded initial expectations. A major 
public issue with wolf restoration was the cost to implement, in tax 
dollars, versus

[[Page 65313]]

economic benefits. Proponents thought it a boon; opponents predicted 
negative regional economic impacts. Economic studies done prior to 
restoration predicted large positive economic benefits. The wolf 
recovery program has now matured; this proposal would quantify the 
economic and social effects due to wolf restoration as well as provide 
critical baseline information for other planning and analyses.
    Wolf recovery generates positive economic impacts on the Greater 
Yellowstone Area (GYA) regional economy in several ways. The most 
significant impacts arise from visitors traveling from outside the 
region who choose to come to Yellowstone because wolves are present or 
who extend their stay because of wolves. Other impacts include wolf-
program related expenditures. Economic impacts depend on visitor 
numbers and expenditures, which are best measured through visitor 
surveys. Understanding the contribution of wolf recovery requires 
development of a model of the actual aggregate role of Yellowstone 
National Park in the regional economy.
    Automated data collection: At the present time, there is no 
automated way to gather this information because it includes directly 
contacting visitors to Yellowstone National Park.
    Description of respondents: Visitors to Yellowstone National Park.
    Estimated average number of respondents: 5,000.
    Estimated average number of responses: Each respondent will respond 
only one time, so the number of responses will be the same as the 
number of respondents.
    Estimated average burden hours per response: 23 minutes.
    Frequency of Response: 1 time per respondent.
    Estimated annual reporting burden: 1,917 hours.

    Dated: November 4, 2003.
Leonard E. Stowe,
Acting National Park Service Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-28843 Filed 11-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P