[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 145 (Thursday, July 29, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45341-45342]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17227]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Information Collection Renewal to be Submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval Under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act; Experimental Populations; Endangered and Threatened Species

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The collection of information described below will be 
submitted to OMB for approval under the provisions of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. Copies of specific information collection 
requirements, related forms and explanatory material may be obtained by 
contacting the Information Collection Clearance Officer of the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service at the address and/or phone numbers listed 
below.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received on or 
before September 27, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection requirement 
via mail to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Mail Stop 222-ARLSQ, 
Arlington, Virginia 22203; or via fax at (703) 358-2269; or via e-mail 
at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the proposed 
information collection requirement, related forms, or explanatory 
material, contact Hope Grey by telephone at (703) 358-2482 or by e-mail 
at [email protected]. You may also contact Elena Babij, Endangered 
Species Program, by telephone at (703) 358-2061 or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
regulations at 5 CFR 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)). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) 
plans to submit a request to OMB to renew its existing approval of the 
collection of information for Experimental Populations, Endangered and 
Threatened Species, which expires on October 31, 2004. 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 OMB control number for this 
collection of information is 1018-0095.
    Comments are invited on: (1) whether the collection of information 
is 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 burden, including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information on those who are to respond, 
including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond. The information 
collections in this program will not be part of a system of records 
covered by the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552(a)).
    Experimental populations established under section 10(j) of the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), require information 
collection and reporting to the Service. Section 9 of the ESA describes 
prohibited acts involving threatened or endangered species (16 U.S.C. 
section 1538 (a)(1)(B)). There are three major categories of 
information collected under the already issued experimental population 
rules. To date, these categories have encompassed information relating 
to: (1) The general taking or removal of individuals of an experimental 
population, (2) the authorized taking of individuals related to reports 
of depredation on livestock or pets caused by individuals that are part 
of an experimental population, and (3) the collection of specimens or 
the recovery of dead animals that are part of an experimental 
population. These three categories have adequately described the types 
of information needed to evaluate the efficacy of the program and are 
expected to continue to accurately describe activities under the 
program.
    Because individuals of designated experimental populations for 
species listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA are 
categorically protected, documentation of human-related mortalities, 
recovery of dead specimens and other types of take related to the 
status of experimental populations is important to the Service in order 
to monitor the success of reintroduction efforts, and recovery efforts 
in general. In order to minimize potential conflict with humans which 
could undermine recovery efforts, livestock depredations connected with 
experimental populations of listed species require prompt attention for 
purposes of determining the location, timing, and nature of the 
predatory behavior involved, accurate determination of the species 
responsible for a livestock kill, and the timely application of 
necessary control measures. The Service, in cooperation with the United 
States Department of Agriculture/Animal Plant Health

[[Page 45342]]

Inspection Service Division of Wildlife Services or other cooperating 
State or Federal agencies, relies on prompt public reporting of 
depredation in order to resolve livestock-related problems. Therefore, 
a time sensitive requirement for reporting problems (generally within 
24 hours) to the appropriate Service office is necessary.
    Information collection is achieved primarily by means of telephone 
calls by members of the public to Service offices specified in the 
individual rules (some may choose to use facsimile or electronic mail). 
Information required is limited to the identity of the caller, species 
involved, time and place of an incident, the type of incident, and 
circumstances related to the incident described. The vast majority of 
the information supplied to the Service as a result of experimental 
population regulations is provided by cooperating State and Federal 
agencies under cooperative agreement. However, some of the information 
collected by the Service under the experimental population rules is 
provided by the public.
    The collected information can be separated into three categories: 
general take or removal, depredation-related take, and specimen 
collection. General take or removal information refers to human-related 
mortality including unintentional taking incidental to otherwise lawful 
activities (e.g. highway mortalities), take in defense of human life, 
take related to defense of property (if authorized), or take in the 
form of authorized harassment. Most contacts related to this type of 
information collection are in regard to sightings of experimental 
animals, or the inadvertent discovery of an injured or dead individual. 
Depredation-related take refers to the reporting of take for management 
purposes, where livestock depredation has been documented or may 
include authorized harassment or lethal take of experimental animals in 
the act of attacking livestock. The information collection required by 
the rules for this type of take include the necessary follow-up reports 
after the Service has authorized harassment or lethal take of 
experimental animals in relation to confirmed instances of livestock 
depredation or in defense of human life. Specimen collection is for the 
purpose of documenting incidental or authorized scientific collection. 
Most of the information collection requirement for this take pertains 
primarily to the reporting of sightings of experimental population 
animals or the inadvertent discovery of an injured or dead individual. 
Information collection is required for necessary follow-up reports when 
the Service has authorized take of experimental animals for specimen 
collection.
    The standard information collection includes the name, address, and 
phone number of the reporting party, location and time of the reported 
incident, species of experimental population involved. Reporting 
parties include, but are not limited to, individuals or households, 
farms, businesses, and other non-profit organizations. The reporting of 
specimen collections, recovery, or even the reporting of dead 
individuals from experimental populations is important to the Service's 
efforts in monitoring these individuals and for other scientific 
purposes.
    Because the number of reports generated annually by the general 
public (rather than cooperating agencies or separately permitted 
individuals) under these rules is extremely small (far less than one 
report per year, per rule) and to assure thorough documentation of 
results, the Service is estimating the number of expected reports to 
assume a maximum number per year based on allowance for increased 
population size and public awareness of experimental populations.
    The several existing experimental populations described under Title 
50 of the Code of Federal Regulations at part 17.84 contain information 
collection requirements. This information collection would also apply 
to any future experimental populations that become established that 
require the same types of reports as listed above to streamline the 
process.
    Title of Collection: Endangered and Threatened Wildlife, 50 CFR 
17.84, Experimental populations.
    Description of respondents: Private individuals and households, 
businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and farms.
    Bureau form number: N/A.
    Frequency of collection: On occasion.
    Burden Estimates for Reporting Requirements for Experimental 
Populations--Endangered and Threatened Species:

 
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                                                                                  Average time
                                                                    Number of     required per     Total annual
                         Type of report                            respondents       report       burden (hours)
                                                                                    (minutes)
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General take or removal \a\....................................              20              15              5
Depredation-related take \b\...................................              22              15              5.5
Specimen collection \c\........................................              20              15             5
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\a\ General take or removal includes human-related mortality including unintentional taking incidental to
  otherwise lawful activities (e.g. highway mortalities), take in defense of human life, take related to defense
  of property (if authorized) or take in the form of authorized harassment.
\b\ Depredation-related take is take for management purposes where livestock depredation has been documented and
  may include authorized harassment or authorized lethal take of experimental animals in the act of attacking
  livestock.
\c\ Specimen collection, recovery, or reporting of dead individuals from experimental populations for
  documentation purposes or authorized scientific collection purposes.


    Dated: July 21, 2004.
Anissa Craghead,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 04-17227 Filed 7-28-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P