[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 6, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66759-66760]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26518]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-MB-2013-N241; F09M29000-134-FXMB12320900000]


Information Collection Request Sent to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for Approval; Depredation Order for Blackbirds, 
Grackles, Cowbirds, Magpies, and Crows

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information 
Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. We summarize 
the ICR below and describe the nature of the collection and the 
estimated burden and cost. This information collection is scheduled to 
expire on November 30, 2013. 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 submit comments on or before December 6, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments and suggestions on this information 
collection to the Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior at 
OMB-OIRA at (202) 395-5806 (fax) or [email protected] 
(email). Please provide a copy of your comments to the Service 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, MS 2042-PDM, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 
(mail), or [email protected] (email). Please include ``1018-0146'' in 
the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Hope Grey at [email protected] (email) or 703-
358-2482 (telephone). You may review the ICR online at http://www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to review Department of the 
Interior collections under review by OMB.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0146.
    Title: Depredation Order for Blackbirds, Grackles, Cowbirds, 
Magpies, and Crows, 50 CFR 21.43.
    Service Form Number: 3-202-21-2143.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Description of Respondents: State and Federal wildlife damage 
management personnel; farmers; and individuals.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 30.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 30.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 2 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 60.
    Abstract: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA; 16 U.S.C. 703 et 
seq.) implements four treaties concerning migratory birds that the 
United States has signed with Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Russia. Under 
the treaties, we must preserve most species of birds in the United 
States, and activities involving migratory birds are prohibited except 
as authorized by regulation.
    This information collection is associated with our regulations that 
implement the MBTA. In the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 50 CFR 
21.43 is a depredation order that authorizes take of blackbirds, 
cowbirds, grackles, crows, and magpies ``when found committing or about 
to commit depredations upon ornamental or shade trees, agricultural 
crops, livestock, or

[[Page 66760]]

wildlife, or when concentrated in such numbers and manner as to 
constitute a health hazard or other nuisance.''
    All persons or entities acting under this depredation order must 
provide an annual report containing the following information for each 
species:
     Number of birds taken.
     Months and years in which the birds were taken.
     State(s) and county(ies) in which the birds were taken.
     General purpose for which the birds were taken (such as 
for protection of agriculture, human health and safety, property, or 
natural resources).
    We collect this information so that we will be able to determine 
how many birds of each species are taken each year and whether the 
control actions are likely to affect the populations of those species.
    Comments: On July 1, 2013, we published in the Federal Register (78 
FR 39309) a notice of our intent to request that OMB renew approval for 
this information collection. In that notice, we solicited comments for 
60 days, ending on August 30, 2013. We received two comments. One 
commenter objected to the killing of birds and funding for the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services. The other 
commenter stated that the State of Wyoming has no records for the 
species covered by the depredation order. The commenters did not 
address the information collection requirements, and we did not make 
any changes to our requirements.
    We again invite comments concerning this information collection on:
     Whether or not the collection of information is necessary, 
including whether or not the information will have practical utility;
     The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this 
collection of information;
     Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     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, email 
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: October 31, 2013.
Tina A. Campbell,
Chief, Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-26518 Filed 11-5-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P