[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 81 (Friday, April 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22429-22430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-9063]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Proposed Information Collection; OMB Control Number 1018-0103, 
Conservation Order for Control of Mid-Continent Light Geese

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: We (Fish and Wildlife Service) will ask the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) 
described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 
as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take 
this opportunity to comment on this IC. This IC is scheduled to expire 
on June 30, 2008. We 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.

DATES: You must submit comments on or before June 24, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the IC to Hope Grey, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 222-ARLSQ, 
4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 (mail); [email protected] (e-mail); or (703) 358-2269 (fax).

[[Page 22430]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this IC, contact Hope Grey by mail, fax, or e-mail (see 
ADDRESSES) or by telephone at (703) 358-2482.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
I. Abstract
    The number of light geese (lesser snow and Ross' geese) in the mid-
continent region has nearly quadrupled during the past several decades 
due to a decline in adult mortality and an increase in winter survival. 
Lesser snow and Ross' geese are referred to as light geese because of 
their light coloration as opposed to dark geese such as white-fronted 
or Canada Geese. Because of their feeding activity, light geese have 
become seriously injurious to their habitat as well as to habitat 
important to other migratory birds. This poses a serious threat to the 
short- and long-term health and status of some migratory bird 
populations. We believe that the number of light geese in the mid-
continent region has exceeded long-term sustainable levels for their 
arctic and subarctic breeding habitats and that the populations must be 
reduced. 50 CFR 21 provides authority for the management of 
overabundant mid-continent light geese.
    Light geese in the mid-continent region are separated into two 
different populations for management purposes. Lesser snow and Ross' 
geese that primarily migrate through North Dakota, South Dakota, 
Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri, and winter in Arkansas, 
Louisiana, Mississippi, and eastern, central, and southern Texas and 
other Gulf States are referred to as the mid-continent population of 
light geese. Lesser snow and Ross' geese that primarily migrate through 
Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado and winter in New Mexico, northwestern 
Texas, and Chihuahua, Mexico, are referred to as Western Central Flyway 
population of light geese.
    States that participate in the light geese conservation order must 
inform and brief all participants on the requirements in 50 CFR 21.60 
and conservation order conditions that apply to the implementation of 
light geese control measures. Participating States must collect 
information on the number of birds taken during control efforts, the 
methods by which they were taken, and the date on which they were 
taken. We use this information to administer the conservation order 
and, particularly, to monitor the effectiveness of control strategies 
and to protect migratory birds. Each participating State must submit an 
annual report summarizing the activities it conducted.
II. Data
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0103.
    Title: Conservation Order for Control of Mid-Continent Light Geese, 
50 CFR 21.60.
    Service Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: States participating in the conservation order.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 24.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 24.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 74 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,776.
III. Request for Comments
    We invite comments concerning this IC on:
    (1) whether or not the collection of information is necessary, 
including whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) the accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information;
    (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.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include and/or summarize each comment in our 
request to OMB to approve this IC. 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 us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

    Dated: February 13, 2008.
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E8-9063 Filed 4-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-S