[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 6 (Friday, January 9, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1600-1601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-409]


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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.

ACTION: Notice of intended submission to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(44 U.S.C. 3507 et seq.) and 5 CFR part 1320, the National Park Service 
(NPS) invites comments on its intention to request OMB to approve 
information collections associated with Land and Water Conservation 
Fund (L&WCF) Battlefield Acquisition Grants. These are existing 
collections in use without an OMB control number. Section 3 of the 
Civil War Battlefield Protection Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-359, 16 
U.S.C. 469k) mandated this grant program. The Act amended the American 
Battlefield Protection Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 496k) and directed that 
Congress appropriate funds for this grant program out of the Land and 
Water Conservation Fund (16 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.). The purpose of the 
L&WCF Battlefield Acquisition Grants program is to assist in the 
preservation of America's endangered Civil War battlefields. The grants 
are used for the fee simple acquisition of land (or for the acquisition 
of permanent, protective interests in land) at Civil War battlefields 
listed in the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission's 1993 Report on the 
Nation's Civil War Battlefields.

DATES: To assure that the NPS considers your comments on this notice, 
NPS must receive the comments on or before March 9, 2004.
    Send Comments to:
    John W. Renaud, Project Coordinator, State, Tribal and Local 
Programs, Heritage Preservation Services, National Center for Cultural 
Resources, National Park Service, 1849 C St., NW., Org. Code 2255, 
Washington, DC 20240-0001, via fax at (202) 371-1961, or via e-mail at 
[email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John W. Renaud, Project Coordinator, 
State, Tribal and Local Programs, Heritage Preservation Services, 
National Center for Cultural Resources, National Park Service, 1849 C 
St., NW., Org. Code 2255, Washington, DC 20240-0001, via fax at (202) 
371-1961, via e-mail at [email protected], or via telephone at (202) 
354-2066.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Land and Water Conservation Fund Battlefield Acquisition 
Grants.
    OMB Number: 1024-xxxx.
    Expiration Date of Approval: Being requested from OMB.
    Type of Request: Existing collection in use without an OMB control 
number.
    Abstract: This information collection has an impact on State or 
local governments that wish to apply for Land and Water Conservation 
Fund battlefield grants to preserve America's endangered Civil War 
battlefields. The NPS uses the information collections to ensure 
compliance with the requirements of Section 3 of the Civil War 
Battlefield Protection Act of 2002 (16 U.S.C. 469k). The NPS also uses 
the information collections to ensure compliance with the government-
wide grant requirements that OMB has issued and the Department of the 
Interior implements through 43 CFR part 12. This information collection 
also will produce performance data that NPS uses to assess its progress 
in meeting goals set in Departmental and NPS strategic plans created 
pursuant to the 1993 Government Performance and Results Act, as 
amended.
    Respondents: State and local governments.
    Estimate of Burden: NPS estimates that the public burden for the 
L&WCF Battlefield Acquisition Grant program collection of information 
will average 35 hours per grant proposal and 44 hours per grant for all 
of the grant-related collections. The combined total public burden for 
the L&WCF Battlefield Acquisition Grant program-related information 
collections would average 79 hours per successful applicant/grantee. 
These estimates of burden include time for reviewing instructions, 
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data 
needed, and reviewing the collection of information.
    Estimated Number of Respondents/Record Keepers: NPS estimates that 
there are 66 responses per year. This is the gross number of responses 
for all of the elements included in this information collection. The 
net numbers of applicants and grantees participating in this 
information collection annually are six applicants and six grantees. 
The frequency of response varies depending upon the activity. 
Applicants complete the grant proposal once. Successful applicants 
execute the grant agreement once and usually seek an amendment once 
during the one-year grant cycle. During the grant cycle, grantees seek 
NPS approval once for the land appraisal, the easement/covenant, and 
the final report. Grantees comply with government-wide record-keeping 
requirements throughout the duration of the grant. Grantees usually 
make requests for payment four time a year.
    Estimated average number of Applicant responses: 6 annually.
    Estimated average gross number of Grantee responses: 60 annually.
    Estimated average gross number of responses: 66 annually.

[[Page 1601]]

    Estimated average burden hours per Applicant response: 35 hours.
    Estimated average burden hours per Grantee response: 4.4 hours.
    Estimated average annual burden hours per Grantee for all 
responses: 44 hours.
    Estimated total annual average burden hours per respondent for all 
responses: 79 hours.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 474 years.
    NPS is soliciting comments regarding:
    (1) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of NPS, including whether the 
information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of the burden estimate including the validity of 
the method and assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected;
    (4) Ways to minimize the burden of collecting the information, 
including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other forms of information technology; or,
    (5) Any other aspect of this collection of information.
    NPS will summarize and include in the request for OMB approval all 
responses to this notice. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record. You can obtain copies of the information collection from 
John W. Renaud, Project Coordinator, State, Tribal and Local Programs, 
Heritage Preservation Services, National Center for Cultural Resources, 
National Park Service, 1849 C St., NW., Org. Code 2255, Washington, DC 
20240-0001.

    Dated: December 4, 2003.
Leonard E. Stowe,
Acting Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 
WAPC.
[FR Doc. 04-409 Filed 1-8-04; 8:45 am]
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