[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 131 (Friday, July 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44652-44654]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16208]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-BSD-CONC-20917; PPWOBSADC0, PPMVSCS1Y.Y00000(166)]


Information Collection Request Sent to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for Approval; Commercial Use Authorizations

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

[[Page 44653]]


ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We (National Park Service, NPS) 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 IC is scheduled to expire on August 31, 
2016. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond 
to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number.

DATES: You must submit comments on or before August 8, 2016.

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 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 ``1024-0268 
CUA'' in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Samantha Towery, National Park Service, 12795 
West Alameda Parkway, Lakewood, CO 80228; by fax at (303) 987-6901; or 
via email at [email protected]. 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: 

I. Abstract

    The purpose of this information collection is to assist the NPS in 
managing the Commercial Use Authorization Program. Conducting 
commercial operations in a unit of the National Park System without a 
contract, permit, commercial use authorization, or some other written 
agreement is prohibited. Section 418, Public Law 105-391 (54 U.S.C. 
101925) gives the Secretary of the Interior the authority to authorize 
a private person, corporation, or other entity to provide services to 
visitors in units of the National Park System through a Commercial Use 
Authorization (CUA). Such authorizations are not considered concession 
contracts. We authorize commercial operations that originate and 
operate entirely within a park (in-park); commercial operations that 
provide services originating and terminating outside of the park 
boundaries; organized children's camps, outdoor clubs, and nonprofit 
institutions; and other uses as the Secretary determines appropriate. 
The commercial operations include a range of services, such as mountain 
climbing guides, boat repair services, transportation services and 
tours, canoe livery operations, hunting guides, retail sales, equipment 
rentals, catering services, and dozens of other visitor services.
    Section 418 limits CUAs to:
     Commercial operations with annual gross receipts of not 
more than $25,000 resulting from services originating and provided 
solely within a unit of the National Park System;
     Incidental use of resources of the unit by commercial 
operations which provide services originating and terminating outside 
of the boundaries of the unit; or
     Uses by organized children's camps, outdoor clubs and 
nonprofit institutions (including back country use) and such other uses 
as the Secretary determines appropriate.
    The legislative mandate of the NPS, found at 54 U.S.C. 1100101, is 
to preserve America's natural wonders unimpaired for future 
generations, while also making them available for the enjoyment of 
visitors. Meeting this mandate requires the NPS to balance preservation 
with use. Maintaining a good balance requires both information and 
limits. The information requested will allow the unit manager to 
evaluate requests for a commercial use to determine impact on the 
resources and the appropriateness of the activity.
    We collect information on the CUA Application (Form 10-550), the 
CUA Annual Report (Form 10-660), and CUA Monthly Report (Form 10-660A). 
We use the information from these forms to:
     Manage the program and operations.
     Determine the qualifications and abilities of the 
commercial operators to provide a high quality, safe, and enjoyable 
experience for park visitors.
     Determine the impact on the parks natural and cultural 
resources.
     Manage the use and impact of multiple operators.
    The information requested will allow the NPS to evaluate requests 
for a commercial use authorization and determine the suitability of the 
applicants to safely and effectively provide an appropriate service to 
the visiting public. It will also enable the NPS to manage the activity 
in a manner that protects the natural and cultural resources and the 
park visitor. Management includes, but is not limited to, managing the 
number of permits issued, determining the location and time that the 
activity occurs, and requiring the appropriate visitor protections 
including insurance, equipment, training, and procedures.

Regulations Resulting in Information Collection Required for a 
Commercial Use Authorization

36 CFR 1.6--Permits
36 CFR 2--Resource Protection, Public Use and Recreation
36 CFR 5--Commercial and Private Operations.
36 CFR 7--Special Regulations,
36 CFR Sec. 13--National Park System Units in Alaska

II. Data

    OMB Number: 1024-0268.
    Title: Commercial Use Authorization.
    Form(s): 10-550, ``Commercial Use Authorization Application and 
Instructions'', 10-660, ``Commercial Use Authorization Annual Report 
and Instructions'', and 10-660A, ``Commercial Use Authorization Monthly 
Report and Instructions''.
    Type of Request: Revision to a Currently Approved Collection.
    Description of Respondents: Respondents will be businesses that 
wish to provide a commercial service to visitors in areas of the 
National Park System.
    Respondent Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain a Benefit.

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                                                                                   Average time
                                                      Annual       Total annual    per response    Total annual
                                                    respondents      responses        (hours)      burden hours
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                   Form 10-550, ``Commercial Use Authorization Application and Instructions''
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Private Sector..................................           5,900           5,900             2.5          14,750
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[[Page 44654]]

 
                  Form 10-660, ``Commercial Use Authorization Annual Report and Instructions''
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Private Sector..................................           5,900           5,900            1.25           7,375
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                 Form 10-660A, ``Commercial Use Authorization Monthly Report and Instructions''
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Private Sector..................................           5,900          53,100             .75          39,825
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    Totals......................................          17,700          64,900  ..............          61,950
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    Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $590,000 ($100 x 5,900 Forms 
10-550, ``Commercial Use Authorization Application and Instructions'' 
per year).

III. Comments

    On January 11, 2016, we published in the Federal Register (80 FR 
1202) a Notice requesting public comment on this information 
collection. The comment period ended on March 11, 2016. We received 
five comments in response to this Notice, all of which concerned the 
new requirement of form 10-660A, CUA Monthly Reporting at Katmai 
National Park. Commenters stated that the additional reporting 
requirement would create excess burden on CUA holders during a very 
busy and short operating season. They also expressed concern that the 
requirement to report visitation numbers would result in duplicate 
reporting since most park visitors utilized the services of more than 
one CUA holder.
    NPS Response/Action Taken: NPS must strictly manage some CUA 
activities by imposing restrictions such as daily visitor limits to 
protect sensitive natural and cultural resources. Parks may require the 
submission of the CUA Monthly Report to more closely track these CUA 
activities and associated visitor use to ensure that maximum daily 
limits and seasonal average limits are not exceeded. By closely 
monitoring this information, the parks can also ensure that commercial 
operators do not exceed the authorized use before the end of the season 
and create a gap when prospective visitors cannot be accommodated.
    Additionally, in Katmai National Park only, CUA holders that 
provide transportation are required to submit the CUA Monthly report in 
addition to the CUA Annual Report. The vast majority of visitors access 
the park by plane or boat operated by authorized commercial service 
providers and there are no entrance stations to track the number of 
visitors. The CUA Monthly reports provide the only means of securing an 
accurate visitor count and are used to influence short-term resource 
management decisions. By requiring only those authorized transportation 
providers to submit the CUA Monthly report, duplicate reporting is 
eliminated. The decision to limit the requirement of monthly reporting 
to only those CUA holders providing transportation was reached after 
public meetings held with current and prospective CUA holders. The NPS 
did not make any changes to our information collection based on these 
comments.
    We also received a comment from Jean Public. The commenter did not 
address the information collection requirements, but stated that the 
Government should charge CUA holders fees to operate on public lands. 
NPS is legally required to charge a fee for commercial operations 
[section 418, Pub. L. 105-391 (54 U.S.C. 101925)]. Parks, at a minimum, 
charge a fee to recover costs associated with the management and 
administration of CUAs. We did not make any changes to our information 
collection based on this comment.
    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: July 1, 2016.
Madonna L. Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-16208 Filed 7-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-EH-P