[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13818-13819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05783]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-IMR-YELL-20564; PPIMYELL1W, PROIESUC1.380000 (166)]


Proposed Information Collection; Reporting and Recordkeeping for 
Snowcoaches and Snowmobiles, Yellowstone National Park

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We (National Park Service, NPS) 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 October 31, 2016. 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 May 16, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Please send your comments on the ICR to Madonna L. Baucum, 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 12201 
Sunrise Valley Drive, Room 2C114, Mail Stop 242, Reston, VA 20192 
(mail); or [email protected] (email). Please include ``1024-0266'' 
in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this IC, contact Christina Mills, Outdoor Recreation Planner, 
Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service, P.O. Box 168, 
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190; (307) 344-2320 (phone); or 
[email protected]@nps.gov. Please reference ``1024-0266'' in your 
communication.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Yellowstone National Park Organic Act (16 U.S.C. 21 and 22), 
signed March 1, 1872, established Yellowstone National Park to 
``dedicate and set apart as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the 
benefit and enjoyment of the people'' and ``for the preservation, from 
injury or spoliation, of all timber, mineral deposits, natural 
curiosities, or wonders within said park, and their retention in their 
natural condition'' The Organic Act of 1916 (16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.) 
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to develop regulations for 
national park units under the Department's jurisdiction.
    We (NPS) provide opportunities for people to experience Yellowstone 
in the winter via oversnow vehicles (snowmobiles and snowcoaches, 
collectively OSVs). Access to most of the park in the winter is limited 
by distance and the harsh winter environment, which presents challenges 
to safety and park operations. The park does not provide wintertime OSV 
tours directly, but currently authorizes OSV tours through concessions 
contracts (for snowcoach tours) and commercial use authorizations (for 
snowmobile tours) with area businesses to provide transportation to 
visitors (Title IV, Section 403 of the National Parks Omnibus 
Management Act of 1998, Pub. L. 105-391). The park issued 10-year 
concession contracts for all OSVs starting in December 2014.
    OSV use is a form of off-road vehicle use governed by Executive 
Order 11644 (Use of Off-road Vehicles on Public Lands, as amended by 
Executive Order 11989). Implementing regulations are published at 36 
CFR 2.18, 36 CFR part 13, and 43 CFR part 36. Routes and areas may be 
designated for OSV use only by special regulation after it has first 
been determined through park planning to be an appropriate use that 
will meet the requirements of 36 CFR 2.18 and not otherwise result in 
unacceptable impacts.
    Information collection requirements in this renewal request 
include:
    (1) Emission and Sound Standards (Sec.  7.13(l)(4)(vii) and (5)). 
Only OSVs that meet NPS emission and sound standards may operate in the 
park. Before the start of each winter season:
    (a) Snowcoach manufacturers or commercial tour operators must 
demonstrate, by means acceptable to the Superintendent, that their 
snowcoaches meet the standards.
    (b) Snowmobile manufacturers must demonstrate, by means acceptable 
to the Superintendent, that their snowmobiles meet the standards.
    (2) Transportation Events (Sec.  7.13(l)(11)(i)-(iii)). So that we 
can monitor compliance with the required average and maximum size of 
transportation events, as of December 15, 2014, each commercial tour 
operator must:
    (a) Maintain accurate and complete records on the number of 
snowmobiles and snowcoaches he or she brings into the park on a daily 
basis. These records must be made available for inspection by the park 
upon request.
    (b) Provide a monthly use report on their activities. We will use a 
form, which will be available on the park Web site, to collect the 
following information for transportation events:
     Report Month/Year
     Contract Number
     Departure Date
     Duration of Trip (in days)
     Transportation event type (snowmobile or snowcoach)
     Number of snowmobiles or snowcoaches
     Air/noise emissions standard (New BAT or E-BAT)
     Number of visitors and guides
     Route and primary destination
     If the transportation event allocation was from another 
commercial tour operator
     Administrative or guest services trip
     Transportation event group size (previous month and season 
to-date)
    (3) Enhanced Emission Standards (Sec.  7.13(l)(11)(iv)). To qualify 
for the increased average size of snowmobile transportation events or 
increased maximum size of snowcoach transportation events, each 
commercial tour operator must:
    (a) Before the start of each winter season, demonstrate, by means

[[Page 13819]]

acceptable to the Superintendent, that his or her snowmobiles or 
snowcoaches meet the enhanced emission standards; and
    (b) Maintain separate records for snowmobiles and snowcoaches that 
meet enhanced emission standards and those that do not.
    We will use the information collected to:
     Ensure that OSVs meet NPS emission standards to operate in 
the park;
     (2) evaluate commercial tour operators' compliance with 
allocated transportation events and daily and seasonal OSV group size 
limits,
     ensure that established daily transportation event limits 
for the park are not exceeded,
     confirm that commercial tour operators do not run out of 
authorizations before the end of the season and create a gap when 
prospective visitors cannot be accommodated, and
     guarantee compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
    Responsible commercial tour operators are required to provide this 
information to minimize liabilities, maintain business records for tax 
and other purposes, obtain financial backing, and ensure a safe, 
efficient, and well-planned operation.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1024-0266.
    Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping for Snowcoaches and Snowmobiles, 
Yellowstone National Park, 36 CFR 7.13(l).
    Service Form Numbers: NPS Forms 10-650.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals desiring to operate 
snowcoaches and snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

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                                                                                    Completion
                                                                     Number of       time per      Total annual
                            Activity                                respondents      response      burden hours
                                                                                      (hours)
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Meet Emission/Sound Standards--Snowcoaches (7.13(l)(4)(vi)).....              12              .5               6
Meet Emission/Sound Standards--Snowmobiles (7.13(l)(5)).........               2              .5               1
Report and Recordkeeping (7.13(l)(11)(i)-(iii)).................              45               2              90
Meet Enhanced Emission Standards (7.13(l)(11)(iv))..............               5              .5               3
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................              64  ..............             100
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    Estimated Annual Nonhour Cost Burden: None.

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: March 9, 2016.
Madonna L. Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-05783 Filed 3-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-EH-P