[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 75 (Thursday, April 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20934-20936]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8137]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


30-Day Notice of Submission to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB); Opportunity for Public Comment

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 
CFR part 1320, Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, the National 
Park Service (NPS) invites public comments on a proposed new collection 
of information (OMB 1024-XXXX).

DATES: Public comments on this Information Collection Request (ICR) 
will be accepted on or before May 19, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments directly to the Desk Officer for the 
Department of the Interior (OMB 1024-XXXX), Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, by fax at 202-395-6566, or by 
electronic mail at [email protected]. Please also send a copy of 
your comments to Dr. Jane Swanson, Protected Areas Social Research 
Unit, College of Forest Resources, University of Washington, Seattle, 
WA 98195; or via phone at 206-685-9150; or via fax at 206-685-0790; or 
via e-mail at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. James Gramann, NPS Social Science 
Program, 1201 ``Eye'' St., Washington, DC 20005; or via phone 202-513-
7189; or via e-mail [email protected]. You are entitled to 
a copy of the entire ICR package free-of-charge. You may access this 
ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/.
    Comments Received on the 60-Day Federal Register Notice: The NPS 
published a 60-Day Notice to solicit public comments on this ICR 
entitled ``Research Assessing Current and Potential Impacts of Cruise 
Ships on Visitor Experiences in Glacier Bay National Park and 
Preserve'' in the Federal Register on November 5, 2007 (72 FR 62489-
62490). The comment period closed on January 4, 2007. After multiple 
notifications to stakeholders requesting comments, the NPS received 
four comments as a result of the publication of this 60-Day Federal 
Register Notice.
    We received four public comments on the proposed visitor study in 
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GLBA). All of these comments 
were based only on the information included in the 60-day notice. Two 
comments were from charter operators who have agreements with GLBA. The 
first of these indicated that interviewing of charter operators and 
other gatekeepers is critical in order to get a complete picture as 
many of their clients are unaware of actions the operators take to 
avoid cruise ships at critical points in the itinerary. She further 
stated she was not opposed to cruise ships, appreciated the balance the 
park was working to achieve, and appreciated the opportunity to have 
the operators' voice heard. The comment was addressed in a reply e-mail 
acknowledging her understanding of the gatekeeper interview component 
of the proposed research, attaching the

[[Page 20935]]

proposed interview guide, and offering to send the complete work plan 
and questionnaires if she desired.
    The second comment, received from another charter operator, 
indicated feeling overwhelmed by cruise ships not in GLBA, but 
everywhere else in Southeast Alaska. He believes the park does a good 
job managing vessels within park waters. His concern is with other 
areas of development in Hobart Bay and Tracy Arm and he sent a 
description of the development planned for Hobart Bay. The comment was 
addressed in a reply email thanking him for sharing his experience and 
concerns with cruise ships in Southeast Alaska, as it helps project 
staff understand the broader context of the proposed project. An offer 
to send the complete work plan and questionnaires was accepted, the 
information was sent, and no further comment has been received.
    The other two comments were on behalf of cruise ship companies. The 
first of these comments was sent from John Shively, Vice President--
Government and Community Relations, Holland America Line. The comment 
indicated a need for more information regarding the survey methods and 
a desire to review them and the survey instruments. Additionally the 
comment noted that the company was unaware that cruise ship size was an 
issue the National Park Service desired to study. The comment was 
addressed in a reply e-mail thanking him for his comments and interest 
in the project and included the complete work plan and survey 
instruments for review. A return e-mail indicated that he would review 
the documents upon his return from a 10-day trip.
    The second cruise ship company comment was from Charlie Bell, 
President, Princess Cruises, and primarily indicated concerns about 
survey methods because of the limited scope of the summary included in 
the 60-day notice. The comment was addressed by an email reply that 
thanked him for his comments and interest in the research and included 
the complete work plan and survey instruments. No further comment has 
been received.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Research Assessing Current and Potential Impacts of Cruise 
Ships on Visitor Experiences in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.
    Bureau Form Number(s): None.
    OMB Number: To be requested.
    Expiration Date: To be requested.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Description of Need: The proposed study would provide information 
to be used in deciding cruise ship use levels in Glacier Bay National 
Park. The purpose of this research is to provide Park managers with 
information about current impacts of cruise ships, if any, on the 
quality of visitor experience and to estimate potential impacts on the 
quality of visitor experience for cruise ship use levels specified in 
the Record of Decision (Record of Decision for Vessel Quotas and 
Operating Requirements in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, 
2003).
    The Final Environmental Impact Statement for Vessel Quotas and 
Operating Requirements, and the resulting Record of Decision signed 
November 21, 2003, currently guide vessel management in Glacier Bay 
National Park and Preserve (GLBA). The Record of Decision adopted an 
alternative that maintains the current daily maximum of two cruise 
ships in the park and sets seasonal use days for the June-August season 
at 139 ships. The Record of Decision also provides for possible 
increases in cruise ship use. Specifically, use in the June-August 
season could be increased to two ships per day, every day, for a 
seasonal use total of 184 ships. The Record of Decision provided the 
following direction for the role of research in the process of changing 
quotas for cruise ships:

    The determination of whether to increase seasonal-use day quotas 
for cruise ships will rely on criteria that define the environmental 
and social conditions to be met before any additional seasonal-use 
days are approved. These criteria will be based on the results of 
and guidance provided through studies that examine the effects of 
vessels on all park resources and visitor experience. (p. 18.)

    The Record of Decision also specified that the studies examining 
the effects of cruise ships would be identified with the assistance of 
a Glacier Bay Vessel Management Science Advisory Board (SAB). The SAB 
was established and a final report of its findings and recommendations 
was published in September 2005. The SAB recommended a comprehensive 
research program that was presented in general terms with no 
prioritization or cost estimates. Because the research program outlined 
in the SAB could not be performed within the time and budget 
limitations facing park managers, the SAB recommended (and park 
managers agreed to fund) a social research problem analysis. Upon 
review of the final Problem Analysis, park staff decided on a research 
program that would focus primarily on measuring impacts of cruise 
ships, if any, on the quality of visitor experience and secondarily on 
understanding the context in which cruise ship impacts occur and how 
these impacts arise. To accomplish these objectives, this proposed 
research includes the following components: (1) Assessment of cruise 
ship impacts, if any, on the quality of visitor experience, and (2) The 
role of experience gatekeepers in visitor encounters with cruise ships.

1. Assessing Impacts of Cruise Ships, if Any, on the Quality of Visitor 
Experiences in Glacier Bay Proper

    The purpose of the proposed study is to provide park managers with 
information about a variety of potential impacts of cruise ships on all 
visitor groups that have potential to encounter a cruise ship in 
Glacier Bay proper. Information about impacts of other mechanized 
transport, if any, on the quality of visitor experience will also be 
collected (1) to provide a context for understanding the role of cruise 
ships on the quality of visitor experience and (2) to examine aggregate 
effects of mechanized transport on the quality of visitor experience. 
This research, proposed for the 2008 summer season, will use on-site 
and mail questionnaires to gather data for estimating impact rates for 
different user groups. Additionally, in-depth interviews with visitors 
will provide additional information about how these impacts arise and 
visitors' opinions of the appropriateness of cruise ships in Glacier 
Bay proper.

2. The Role of Experience Gatekeepers in Visitor Encounters With Cruise 
Ships

    Discussions with experience providers indicate that these 
individuals may adjust itineraries in an effort to provide visitors 
with a particular experience. Often that experience is one where few 
other vessels are encountered. Understanding these practices and how 
the increase in 2-cruise-ship days may affect them are the primary 
objectives of this research component. This information will be 
integral when estimating population impacts under the 2-cruise-ships 
every day scenario. Gatekeepers identified include charter and tour 
boat captains, kayak guides, and VIS staff who issue permits and 
provide guidance to kayakers and captains of private vessels. 
Interviews, to be conducted during the summer 2008 use season, will 
rely on an open-ended, in-depth process. The obligation to respond is 
voluntary.
    Automated data collections: This information will be collected via 
in-person interviews and surveys and mail-back surveys. No automated 
data collection will take place.

[[Page 20936]]

    Description of respondents: Component 1--survey and interviews: 
Cruise ship passengers, tour boat passengers, charter boat passengers, 
people entering on private vessel permits, and people entering on 
backcountry permits who visit Glacier Bay proper between June 1, 2008, 
and August 31, 2008. Component 1--itinerary data: Charter and tour boat 
captains and kayak guides who serve visitors included in the survey 
component of the project. Component 2: Charter and tour boat captains, 
kayak guides, and VIS staff who serve visitors to Glacier Bay proper 
during the 2008 summer season.
    Estimated average number of respondents: Component 1: 2800 
respondents for on-site survey; 1960 respondents for mail survey; 100 
respondents for interviews; 24 respondents for itinerary data. 
Component 2: 27 interview respondents. Non-respondents: 1305 (component 
1: 460 on-site, 842 mail-back; component 2: 3 on-site)
    Estimated average number of responses: Component 1: 2800 responses 
for on-site survey, 1960 responses for mail survey; 100 responses for 
interview. Component 2: 27 interview responses. Non-responses: 1305 
(component 1: 460 on-site, 842 mail-back; component 2: 3 on-site).
    Estimated average burden hours per response: Component 1: 3 minutes 
for on-site survey respondents; 25 minutes for mail questionnaire; 30 
minutes for interview respondents. Component 2: 15 minutes. Non-
respondent: 1 minute for on-site; 3 minutes for mail-back.
    Frequency of Response: 1 time per respondent.
    Estimated total annual reporting burden: 1,064 hours.
    Comments are invited on: (1) The practical utility of the 
information being gathered; (2) the accuracy of the burden hour 
estimate; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information being gathered; and (4) ways to minimize the burden to 
respondents, including use of automated information collection 
techniques or other forms of information. Before including your 
address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying 
information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire 
comment--including your personal identifying information--may be made 
publicly available at any time. While you can ask OMB in your comment 
to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, 
we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

    Dated: April 9, 2008.
Leonard E. Stowe,
NPS, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
 [FR Doc. E8-8137 Filed 4-16-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-M