[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 85 (Monday, May 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24180-24181]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-10008]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Information Collection To Be Submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval Under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act; OMB Control Number 1018-0022, Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit 
Applications and Reports, Migratory Birds and Eagles

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service.

ACTION: Notice, request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has submitted the 
collection of information described below to OMB for approval under the 
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. A description of the 
information collection requirement is included in this notice. If you 
wish to obtain copies of information collection requirements, related 
forms, or explanatory material, contact the Service Information 
Collection Clearance Officer at the address or telephone number 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 June 2, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments on this information collection renewal 
to the Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior at OMB-OIRA via 
facsimile using the following fax number: (202) 395-6566 (fax); or by 
electronic mail to [email protected]. Please provide a copy of 
your comments to the Fish and Wildlife Service's Information Collection 
Clearance Officer by mail, fax, or email: 4401 N. Fairfax Dr., MS 222 
ARLSQ, Arlington, VA 22203; (703) 358-2269 (fax); [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the information 
collection request, explanatory information, or related forms, contact

[[Page 24181]]

Anissa Craghead, Information Collection Clearance Officer, at 703-358-
2445 or electronically to [email protected], or Susan Lawrence 
at 703-358-2016 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
regulations at 5 CFR part 1320, which implement provisions of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), 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)). We have submitted a request to OMB to 
renew approval of a collection of information for the Service's permit 
application forms, and related report forms, for migratory bird and 
eagle permits.
    Our request to OMB asks for its approval of the collection of 
information for: (1) The Service's permit application form numbers 3-
200-6 through 3-200-18, and 3-200-67 through 3-200-70; report forms 3-
202-1 through 3-202-9; and forms 3-186 and 3-186A, which are all 
currently approved under OMB control number 1018-0022; (2) the addition 
of form 3-200-10b(sup.) and forms 3-202-10 through 3-202-12; and (3) 
the deletion of form 3-200-14b. We are requesting a 3-year term of 
approval for this information collection activity.
    A previous 60-day notice on this information collection requirement 
was published in the November 13, 2003, Federal Register (68 FR 64362) 
inviting public comment. In addition to publishing the Federal Register 
notice, we asked certain migratory bird or eagle permittees to review 
forms relating to the permits they hold and comment on the clarity and 
relevance of the information collection, the burden associated with the 
collection, and whether there is something the Service could do to 
minimize the burden. Comments were received on the Federal Register 
notice and from the permittees we contacted from a total of 14 
individuals and one organization, the Ornithological Council. As a 
result of the comments, numerous revisions were made to the 
applications, instructions, and report forms. In addition, several 
items of information previously collected or proposed for collection on 
annual reports were reassessed by the Service and eliminated. The 
Disposition information requirement was eliminated from the scientific 
collecting annual report (3-202-2) and certain information about 
programs given and attendees was eliminated from the special purpose 
possession annual report (3-202-5), which will reduce the burden on 
holders of these permits. As a result, the time burden was adjusted for 
several forms. Finally, in response to comments, the Service will not 
finalize the proposed Donation to Public Museum form.
    The Ornithological Council suggested that the number of 
applications be reduced to one for migratory birds and one for eagles, 
with a check-off list of the activities proposed to be conducted. The 
Service disagrees that this would benefit applicants. Many different 
types of permits are authorized under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 
(MBTA) (16 U.S.C. 704) and the Bald and Golden Eagle Act (BGEPA) (16 
U.S.C. 668) regulations (50 CFR parts 21 and 22, respectively), as well 
as other permit regulations, each with different application 
requirements and issuance criteria. The vast majority of permittees 
request a permit for a single type of activity, such as taxidermy, 
falconry, or scientific collecting. The Service has developed a variety 
of activity-specific application forms for the express purpose of 
reducing the paperwork burden on applicants and simplifying application 
requirements. Tailoring application forms to specific types of 
activities makes it easier for an applicant to understand the 
information required for the Service to issue a permit under any 
particular regulatory provision and to complete the application with 
minimal confusion. A single application form addressing all activities 
allowed under a given statute would be extremely confusing for 
applicants and result in a greater public burden. However, in response 
to this comment, we consolidated the eagle scientific research 
application (3-200-14b) into the migratory bird scientific collecting 
application (3-2007), and we also added to this application the ability 
to request authorization to import or export migratory bird specimens 
(except eagles) for scientific purposes. This will eliminate the need 
for scientific collecting applicants to refer to those applications to 
request this additional authorization. These revisions will streamline 
application requirements for scientists.
    This notice provides an additional 30 days in which to comment on 
the information collection.
    All of these forms are used by the Regional Migratory Bird Permit 
Offices. 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 OMB control number 
for this collection of information is 1018-0022.
    The information obtained from the applications and report forms 
will be used by the Service to determine eligibility of applicants for 
permits they are requesting according to criteria in various Federal 
wildlife conservation laws, international treaties, and regulations on 
the issuance, suspension, revocation, or denial of permits, to monitor 
permit compliance, and to track species taken from the wild.
    The information collection requirements in this submission 
implement the regulatory requirements of the Endangered Species Act (16 
U.S.C. 1539), the MBTA (16 U.S.C. 704), the Lacey Act (18 U.S.C. 42-
44), the BGEPA (16 U.S.C. 668), the Convention on International Trade 
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) (27 UST 108), and 
are contained in Service regulations in Chapter I, Subchapter B of 
Title 50 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Generic permit application 
and record keeping requirements shared by our permit-issuing offices 
have been consolidated in 50 CFR part 13.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0022.
    Title: Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit Applications and Report 
Forms, Migratory Birds and Eagles (50 CFR 13, 21, 22, 23).
    Service Form Numbers: 3-200-6 through 3-200-18, 3-200-67 through 3-
200-70, 3-202-1 through 3-202-12, 3-186, 3-186A.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals; zoological parks; museums; 
universities; scientists; wildlife rehabilitators, educators, 
taxidermists; businesses; and State, local, Tribal and Federal 
governments.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Total Annual Responses: 49,910.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 35,455.
    We invite comments concerning this information collection on: (1) 
Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of our 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 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. 
This information collection is part of a system of records covered by 
the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552(a)).

    Dated: March 23, 2004.
Anissa Craghead,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 04-10008 Filed 4-30-04; 8:45 am]
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