[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 184 (Thursday, September 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65394-65395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22800]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

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


Information Collection Request Sent to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for Approval; 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) 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 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. 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 October 24, 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 (Mail Stop 242), Reston, VA 20192 (mail); or 
[email protected] (email). Please reference OMB Control Number 
1024-0266 in the subject line of your comments. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this IC, contact Christina Mills, Outdoor Recreation Planner, 
Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service, PO Box 168, 
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190; (307) 344-2320 (phone); or 
[email protected]@nps.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Yellowstone National Park Organic Act (54 U.S.C. 100301-
1000302), 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 (54 U.S.C. 100101 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. Form 10-650, 
``Concessioner Monthly Use Report'', available on the park Web site, is 
used to collect the following information for transportation events:

 Report Month/Year
 Concessioner/Sub Contractor Contract Number
 Departure Date
 Duration of Trip (in days)

[[Page 65395]]

 Transportation event type (snowmobile or snowcoach)
 Number of vehicles
 Best Available Technology (BAT) and Enhanced Best Available 
Technology (E BAT)
 Number of visitors and guides
 Route and primary destination
 Administrative or guest services trip
 If the transportation event allocation was from another 
commercial tour operator
 Miscellaneous comments
 Transportation event group size (number of guests/guides)

    (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 
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 Number: NPS Form 10-650.
    Type of Request: Extension without change 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)) Form 10-650,                  45               2              90
 ``Concessioner Monthly Use Report''............................
Meet Enhanced Emission Standards (7.13(l)(11)(iv))..............               5              .5               3
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................              64  ..............             100
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    Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

III. Request for Comments

    On March 15, 2016, we published in the Federal Register (81 FR 
13818) a notice of our intent to request that OMB renew approval for 
this information collection. In that notice, we solicited public 
comments for 60 days, ending on May 16, 2016. We did not receive any 
comments.
    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.
    Please note that the comments submitted 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 or us in your comment to withhold 
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that it will be done.

    Dated: September 16, 2016.
Madonna L. Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-22800 Filed 9-21-16; 8:45 am]
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