[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 10, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 75126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29140]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R9-MB-2008-N0325] [91200-1231-00AP-M4]


Information Collection Sent to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for Approval; 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) have sent an Information 
Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. The ICR, which 
is summarized below, describes the nature of the collection and the 
estimated burden and cost. This ICR is scheduled to expire on December 
31, 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. However, under OMB regulations, we may 
continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is 
pending at OMB.

DATES: You must send comments on or before January 9, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments and suggestions on this ICR to the Desk 
Officer for the Department of the Interior at OMB-OIRA at (202) 395-
6566 (fax) or [email protected] (e-mail). Please provide a copy 
of your comments 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 ICR, contact Hope Grey by mail or e-mail (see ADDRESSES) or 
by telephone at (703) 358-2482.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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: 680.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,206 hours. We believe 544 
persons (80 percent of the respondents) will enter data electronically, 
with an average reporting burden of 1.8 hours per respondent. For all 
other respondents, we estimate the reporting burden to be 1.67 hours 
per respondent.
    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 (1) are not 
sufficiently restrictive, which could cause harm to the woodcock 
population, or (2) are 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.
    Comments: On July 24, 2008, we published in the Federal Register 
(73 FR 43254) a notice of our intent to request that OMB renew this 
ICR. In that notice, we solicited comments for 60 days, ending on 
September 22, 2008. We received one comment. The commenter expressed 
opposition to hunting and to the Government, but did not address the 
information collection requirements. We did not make any changes to our 
information collection requirements.
    We again invite comments concerning this information collection 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. 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 it 
will be done.

    Dated: November 26, 2008
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
FR Doc. E8-29140 Filed 12-9-08; 8:45 am
BILLING CODE 4310-55-S