[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 141 (Monday, July 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 41758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-11677]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Request for Comment; Public Attitudes, 
Beliefs, and Values About National Forest System Land Management

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and 
organizations on the new information collection--Public Attitudes, 
Beliefs, and Values About National Forest System Land Management.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before September 22, 
2006 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to: Dr. 
Daniel W. McCollum, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 2150-A Centre 
Ave., Suite 350, Fort Collins, CO 80526.
    Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to (970) 295-5959 or 
by e-mail to: [email protected].
    The public may inspect comments received at Rocky Mountain Research 
Station, 2150-A Centre Ave., Suite 350, Fort Collins, CO 80526, Room 
347 during normal business hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead 
to (970) 295-5951 to facilitate entry to the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Daniel W. McCollum, Rocky Mountain 
Research Station, (970) 295-5962. Individuals who use TDD may call the 
Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a day, every 
day of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Public Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values About National Forest 
System Land Management.
    OMB Number: 0596-New.
    Type of Request: New.
    Abstract: Surveys have been developed for the purpose of providing 
natural forest land managers and planners with scientifically credible 
information from a broad and diverse representation of the public, as 
well as from specific stakeholder groups. The intent of this collection 
is to obtain information on public attitudes, beliefs, and values that 
people have for public land and public land use, how those values are 
affected by public land management, and acceptable tradeoffs in 
developing alternative management plans. This information is critical 
to planning and implementing public policy related to national forests 
in the Southwestern Region.
    Legal authority for information collection in support of the forest 
plan revision process in the Southwestern Region comes from several 
sources: The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the National 
Forest Management Act of 1976, and the 2005 NFMA Planning Rule.
    While social science and economic analyses are not explicitly 
mentioned in very many places, their use and relevance is implied in 
many places in natural resource management related legislation. Social 
science and economics can provide information about public values, 
preferences, and expectations that needs to be incorporated into the 
planning and decision making process. Further, social science and 
economics can provide qualitative and quantitative metrics with which 
management alternatives and agency performance can be evaluated.
    Data collected with these survey instruments will provide a 
baseline from which to monitor national forest use and management as 
affected by changes in social and economic conditions. In addition, a 
comparison between response rates to mail-based and web-based surveys 
will be studied.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: Mail or web-based survey--30 minutes 
(20,000 respondents); telephone survey of non-respondents to mail and 
web-based survey--8 minutes (200 respondents).
    Type of Respondents: General public in two different geographical 
areas. A region-wide survey (Regional Survey) will be administered to 
the general public within the administrative boundaries of the Forest 
Service, Region 3 (New Mexico, Arizona, and a few counties in Texas and 
Oklahoma). The second survey (Test Survey) will be administered to the 
general public in areas specifically adjacent to four national forests 
(two in New Mexico, two in Arizona).
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 20,200.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 10,027 burden hours 
annually.
    Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information 
is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the 
functions of the agency, including whether the information will have 
practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's 
estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (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, including the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of 
Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: July 17, 2006.
Frederick Norbury,
Associate Deputy Chief, NFS.
[FR Doc. E6-11677 Filed 7-21-06; 8:45 am]
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