[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 209 (Monday, October 31, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62320-62321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-21632]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Information Collection Renewal Sent to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for Approval Under the Paperwork Reduction Act; 1018-
0019; North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We (Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent a request to OMB to 
renew approval for our information collection associated with the North 
American woodcock singing ground survey. The current OMB control number 
for this information collection is 1018-0019, which expires October 31, 
2005. We have requested that OMB renew approval of this information 
collection for a 3-year term.

DATES: You must submit comments on or before November 30, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments and suggestions on this information 
collection renewal to the Desk Officer for the Department of the 
Interior at OMB-OIRA at (202) 395-6566 (fax) or [email protected] (e-mail). Please provide a copy of your comments to 
Hope Grey, Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife 
Service, MS 222-ARLSQ, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 
(mail); (703) 358-2269 (fax); or [email protected] (e-mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the information 
collection requirements, explanatory information, or related form, 
contact Hope Grey, Information Collection Clearance Officer, at the 
above addresses or by telephone at (703) 358-2482.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which 
implement the 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)). 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.
    On May 12, 2005, we published in the Federal Register (70 FR 25107) 
a 60-day notice of our intent to request renewal of this information 
collection authority from OMB. In that notice, we solicited public 
comments for 60 days ending July 11, 2005. We received one comment 
regarding this notice. The commenter expressed opposition to hunting, 
but did not address the collection requirements. We have not made any 
changes to the information collection as a result of this comment.
    The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703-711) and Fish and 
Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742d) designate the Department of the 
Interior as the key agency responsible for (1) wise management of 
migratory bird populations frequenting the United States and (2) 
setting hunting regulations that allow for the well-being of migratory 
bird populations. These responsibilities dictate that we gather 
accurate data on various characteristics of migratory bird populations.
    The North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey is an essential 
part of the migratory bird management program. State, Federal, 
Provincial, local, and tribal conservation agencies conduct the survey 
annually to provide the data necessary to determine the population 
status of the woodcock. In addition, the information is vital in 
assessing the relative changes in the geographic distribution of the 
woodcock. We use the information primarily to develop recommendations 
for hunting regulations. Without information on the population's 
status, we might promulgate hunting regulations that are not 
sufficiently restrictive, which could cause harm to the woodcock 
population, or too restrictive, which would unduly restrict 
recreational opportunities afforded by woodcock hunting. The Service, 
State conservation agencies, university associates, and other 
interested parties use the data for various research and management 
projects.
    Title of Collection: North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0019.
    Form Number: FWS Form 3-156.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.

[[Page 62321]]

    Description of Respondents: State, local, tribal, provincial, or 
Federal employees.
    Total Annual Responses: 750.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 571 hours. We believe 70 percent of the 
respondents (525 persons) will enter data electronically, with an 
average reporting burden of 0.8 hours per respondent. For all other 
respondents, we estimate the reporting burden to be 0.67 hours per 
respondent.
    We invite your comments concerning this information collection on: 
(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of our migratory bird management functions, 
including whether or not the information will have practical utility; 
(2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden, (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 those who are to respond. The information collections in 
this program are part of a system of records covered by the Privacy Act 
(5 U.S.C. 552a).

    Dated: October 4, 2005.
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 05-21632 Filed 10-26-05; 8:45 am]
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