[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 143 (Thursday, July 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43254-43255]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-16900]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R9-MB-2008-N0175] [91200-1231-00AP-M4]


Proposed Information Collection; OMB Control Number 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) 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 December 31, 2008. We may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not 
required to

[[Page 43255]]

respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

DATES: You must send comments on or before September 22, 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), or 
[email protected] (e-mail).

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
I. Abstract
    The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703-712) and Fish and 
Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742a - 754j-2) designate the Department 
of the Interior as the primary 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.
II. Data
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0019.
    Title: North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey.
    Service Form Number(s): 3-156.
    Type of Request: Extension of currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: State, Provincial, local, and tribal employees.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 750.
    Estimated 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.
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: June 26, 2008
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
FR Doc. E8-16900 Filed 7-23-08; 8:45 am
Billing Code 4310-55-S