[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13015-13017]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05623]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[15XL1109AF LLWO260000 L10600000.PC0000 LXSINASR0000]


Proposed Collection of Information on Wild Horses and Burros; 
Request for Comments

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: 60-day notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Bureau of 
Land Management (BLM) will ask the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below, and 
invites public comments on the proposed IC.

DATES: Please submit comments on the proposed information collection by 
May 11, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by mail, fax, or electronic mail. 
Mail: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, 1849 
C Street NW., Room 2134LM, Attention: Jean Sonneman, Washington, DC 
20240. Fax: to Jean Sonneman at 202-245-0050. Electronic mail: 
[email protected]. Please indicate ``Attn: 1004-NEW'' regardless of 
the form of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Bohl at (202) 912-7263. Persons 
who use a telecommunication device for the deaf may call the Federal

[[Page 13016]]

Information Relay Service on 1-800-877-8339, to contact Ms. Bohl. You 
may contact Ms. Bohl to obtain a copy, at no cost, of the draft 
discussion guides for the focus groups and in-depth interviews 
described in this 60-day notice. You may also contact Ms. Bohl to 
obtain a copy, at no cost, of the regulations that authorize this 
collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Proposed Information Collection

    Title: Knowledge and Values Study Regarding the Management of Wild 
Horses and Burros.
    OMB Control Number: 1004-NEW.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondents' obligation: Voluntary.
    Abstract: The BLM protects and manages wild horses and burros that 
roam Western public rangelands, under the authority of the Wild Free-
Roaming Horses and Burros Act (Act), 16 U.S.C. 1331-1340. The Act 
requires that wild horses and burros be managed in a manner that is 
designed to achieve and maintain a thriving natural ecological balance 
on the public lands. 16 U.S.C. 1333(a). Stakeholders and the general 
public hold a variety of views on how wild horses and burros should be 
managed. The BLM has determined that conducting focus groups, in-depth 
interviews, and a national survey will lead to a better understanding 
of public perceptions, values, and preferences regarding the management 
of wild horses and burros on public rangelands.
    After reviewing public comments and making appropriate revisions, 
the BLM will include the discussion guides in a request for OMB 
approval. Upon receiving OMB approval, the BLM will conduct the focus 
groups and in-depth interviews. The results of focus groups and in-
depth interviews will be used to help design a national survey, which 
will be the second and final phase of the research.
    The BLM will prepare a draft of the national survey and publish a 
second 60-day notice and invite public comments on the draft national 
survey. After reviewing public comments and making appropriate 
revisions, the BLM will include the national survey in a request for 
OMB approval. Upon receiving OMB approval, the BLM will conduct the 
national survey.
    Need and Proposed Use: The proposed research was recommended by the 
National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences in a 2013 
report, Using Science to Improve the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program: 
A Way Forward. Conducting the focus groups and in-depth interviews will 
enable the researchers to characterize the range of preferences that 
exist for wild horse and burro management. The national survey will 
then assess the distribution of these preferences across the larger 
population. The research results will assist the BLM to more 
effectively manage wild horses and burros by providing information to:
     Help evaluate the benefits and costs of competing 
rangeland uses and various management options;
     Help identify areas of common ground and opportunities for 
collaboration with stakeholder groups; and
     Communicate more effectively with the public and with 
stakeholder groups.
    Description of Respondents: The BLM intends to survey a variety of 
respondents for this project by conducting focus groups, in-depth 
interviews, and a nationally representative survey. For the focus 
groups and in-depth interviews, the primary respondents will be 
individuals belonging to a variety of organizations that have 
previously lobbied, commented on program policy or activities, or have 
otherwise sought influence with the BLM in regard to its wild horse and 
burro program. Representatives of wild horse and burro advocacy groups, 
domestic horse owners, wild horse adopters, the Western livestock 
grazing community, environmental conservationists, hunters, and public 
land managers will be included. Nine focus groups across three 
locations around the country and up to 12 in-depth interviews will be 
conducted with individuals from these groups. Focus group participants 
will be recruited by BLM's research contractor through a variety of 
approaches tailored to the communities participating in the 
discussions. In addition, four focus groups (spread across two 
locations) will be conducted with the general public to explore public 
understanding of various terms and issues involved in wild horse and 
burro management so that the questionnaire for the national survey can 
effectively communicate the relevant topics.

II. Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden

    The estimated reporting burden for this collection is 142 responses 
and 272 hours. There will be no non-hour burdens. The following table 
details the individual components and estimated hour burdens of this 
collection.

 
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                                                           Estimated
                                   Estimated number of     number of    Completion time per
             Activity                   respondents      responses per        response        Total burden hours
                                                          respondent
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Focus Groups.....................  130 (13 groups)....               1  120 mins...........  15,600 mins/260
                                                                                              hrs.
In-depth Interviews..............  12.................               1  60 mins............  720 mins/12 hrs.
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    Totals.......................  142................  ..............  ...................  272 hrs.
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III. Request for Comments

    OMB regulations at 5 CFR 1320, which implement provisions of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), require that interested 
members of the public and affected agencies be provided an opportunity 
to comment on information collection and recordkeeping activities (see 
5 CFR 1320.8(d) and 1320.12(a)). The BLM will request that the OMB 
approve this information collection activity for a 3-year term.
    Comments are invited on: (1) The need for the collection of 
information for the performance of the functions of the agency; (2) the 
accuracy of the agency's burden estimates; (3) ways to enhance the 
quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) 
ways to minimize the information collection burden on respondents, such 
as use of automated means of collection of the information. A summary 
of the public comments will accompany the BLM's submission of the 
information collection requests to OMB.
    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

[[Page 13017]]

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.

Jean Sonneman,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. 2015-05623 Filed 3-11-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-84-P