[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 120 (Tuesday, June 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35969-35970]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15329]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-R-2015-N125; FXRS1263040000-156-FF04R08000]


Proposed Information Collection; National Wildlife Refuge Visitor 
Check-In Permit and Use Report

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We (U.S. 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, 2015. 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: To ensure that we are able to consider your comments on this IC, 
we must receive them by August 24, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the IC to the Information Collection 
Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS BPHC, 5275 
Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or [email protected] 
(email). Please include ``1018-0153'' in the subject line of your 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this IC, contact Hope Grey at [email protected] (email) or 703-
358-2482 (telephone).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    I. Abstract. The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act 
of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), as amended by the National Wildlife 
Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and the Refuge Recreation Act of 
1962 (16 U.S.C. 460k-460k-4) govern the administration and uses of 
national wildlife refuges and wetland management districts. We are

[[Page 35970]]

authorized to allow public uses on lands of the National Wildlife 
Refuge System, including hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, 
wildlife photography, and environmental education and interpretation, 
and other visitor uses, when we find that the activities are compatible 
and appropriate with the purpose or purposes for which the refuges were 
established.
    We collect information on hunters and anglers and other visitors to 
help us protect refuge resources and administer and evaluate the 
success of visitor programs. Because of high demand and limited 
resources, we often provide visitor opportunities by permit, based on 
dates, locations, or type of public use. We may not allow all 
opportunities on all refuges, and harvest information differs for each 
refuge. We use FWS Form 3-2405 (Self-Clearing Check-In Permit) to 
collect this information. Not all refuges will use the form, and some 
refuges may collect the information in a nonform format. We collect:
     Information on the visitor (name, address, and contact 
information). We use this information to identify the visitor or 
driver/passengers of a vehicle while on the refuge. Having this 
information readily available is critical in a search and rescue 
situation. We do not maintain or record this information.
     Information on whether or not hunters/anglers were 
successful (number and type of harvest/caught).
     Purpose of visit (hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, 
wildlife photography, auto touring, birding, hiking, boating/canoeing, 
visitor center, special event, environmental education class, 
volunteering, other recreation).
     Date of visit.
    The above information is a vital tool in meeting refuge objectives 
and maintaining quality visitor experiences. It will help us:
     Administer and monitor visitor programs and facilities on 
refuges.
     Distribute visitor permits to ensure safety of visitors.
     Ensure a quality visitor experience.
     Minimize resource disturbance, manage healthy game 
populations, and ensure the protection of fish and wildlife species.
     Assist in Statewide wildlife management and enforcement 
and develop reliable estimates of the number of all game fish and 
wildlife.
     Determine facility and program needs and budgets.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1018-0153.
    Title: National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Check-In Permit and Use 
Report.
    Service Form Number: 3-2405.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals who visit national wildlife 
refuges.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 650,000.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 650,000.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 54,167.

III. Comments

    We 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. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this IC. 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 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 17, 2015.
Tina A. Campbell,
Chief, Division of Policy, Performance, and Management Programs, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-15329 Filed 6-22-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-55-P