[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 21 (Thursday, January 31, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5895-5896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-1748]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 6087]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Land Border 
Crosser Survey (Passport Demand Study Phase II), OMB No.1405-0177, SV-
2007-0021

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments and submission to OMB of 
proposed information collection.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State has submitted the following 
information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.
     Title of Information Collection: Land Border Crosser 
Survey (Passport Demand Study Phase II)
     OMB Control Number: OMB No.1405-0177
     Type of Request: Extension of a Currently Approved 
Collection
     Originating Office: Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport 
Services Office: CA/PPT
     Form Number: SV-2007-0021
     Respondents: A nationally representative sample of the 
United States land border crosser population
     Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,000 respondents per 
survey
     Estimated Number of Responses: 8,000 responses per year.
     Average Hours Per Response: 10 minutes
     Total Estimated Burden: 1,334 hours annually
     Frequency: Passport will conduct the land border survey 
semi-annually (twice per year).
     Obligation to Respond: Voluntary.

DATES: Submit comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
up to March 3, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Direct comments and questions to Katherine Astrich, the

[[Page 5896]]

Department of State Desk Officer in the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), who 
may be reached on 202-395-4718. You may submit comments by any of the 
following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. You must include the DS form 
number, information collection title, and OMB control number in the 
subject line of your message.
     Mail (paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions): Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.
     Fax: 202-395-6974

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information regarding the collection listed in this notice, including 
requests for copies of the proposed information collection and 
supporting documents, to Alan J. Swygert, 2100 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
SA-29, Room 3002, Washington, DC 20520, who may be reached on 202-663-
2647 or at [email protected], or to Christine Grauer, 2100 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., SA-29, Room 3067, Washington, DC 20520, who may 
be reached on 202-663-2751 or at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are soliciting public comments to permit 
the Department to:
     Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper performance of our functions.
     Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used.
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
     Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
technology.
    Abstract of proposed collection:
    Section 7209 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention 
Act (IRTPA), enacted on December 17, 2004, requires the Secretary of 
Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Secretary of State, 
to develop expeditiously, and implement a plan to require U.S. citizens 
and certain other categories of individuals to present a passport or 
other sufficient documentation of identity and citizenship when 
entering the U.S. This law has had significant effect on travel to 
Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
    Land border crossings represent the largest number of U.S. Visitor 
and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (U.S. VISIT) Customs and 
Border Protection (CBP) inspections. Early data suggests that this 
population may have the greatest impact on passport demand. Given these 
new estimates for passport demand, CA/PPT is working to increase and 
manage its personnel and capital resources for the next several years. 
In support of these efforts, CA/PPT plans to conduct semi-annual Land 
Border Crosser Surveys. This additional gathering of data will provide 
the opportunity to refine volume and timing estimates of demand, and 
will help gauge public reaction to policy changes. Failure to prepare 
for this demand could result in delays in passport issuance and 
severely affect CA/PPT's ability to meet the public demand for 
passports.
    Methodology:
    Passport Services will conduct semi-annual National Land Border 
Crossers (LBC) Surveys. This will consist of repeat cross-sectional 
surveys that are nationally representative but focus specifically on 
land border crossers. Data collection will be conducted via RDD 
telephone interviews including 2,000 interviews to be completed for 
likely Canadian land border crossers and 2,000 interviews completed for 
likely Mexican land border crossers. These completed interviews will 
include residents of ``high density'' areas, or those within a close 
proximity to land border crossings, as well as some ``low density'' 
areas, captured by taking a much smaller sample.

    Dated: January 25, 2008.
Betsey Anderson,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, CA/PPT, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E8-1748 Filed 1-30-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-06-P