[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 191 (Monday, October 3, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68029-68031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23769]



[[Page 68029]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-ES-2016-N169; FF09E00000 167 FXES11130900000]


Proposed Information Collection; Federal Fish and Wildlife 
Permits, Applications, and Reports--Native Endangered and Threatened 
Species

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 January 31, 2017. 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 December 2, 2016.

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 ``1018-0094'' in the 
subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this IC, contact Tina Campbell at [email protected] (email) 
or 703-358-2676 (telephone). You may review the currently approved IC 
requirements at www.reginfo.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    We use the information we collect on permit applications to 
determine the eligibility of applicants for permits requested in 
accordance with various Federal wildlife conservation laws, including:
     Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
     Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.).
     Lacey Act (16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.).
     Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 668).
     Marine Mammal Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1374).
    Service regulations implementing these statutes and treaties are in 
chapter I, subchapter B of title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations. 
These regulations stipulate general and specific requirements that when 
met allow us to issue permits to authorize activities that are 
otherwise prohibited. This IC includes the following permit application 
forms and the reporting requirements:

Applications

     FWS Form 3-200-54 (Enhancement of Survival Permits 
Associated with Safe Harbor Agreements and Candidate Conservation 
Agreements with Assurances).
     FWS Form 3-200-55 (Scientific Purposes, Enhancement of 
Propagation or Survival Permits (i.e., Recovery Permits), and 
Interstate Commerce Permits).
     FWS Form 3-200-56 (Incidental Take Permits Associated with 
a Habitat Conservation Plan).

Agreement Plans

    We are seeking OMB approval for reporting associated with the 
following agreements/plans:
     Habitat Conservation Plan (application form 3-200-56). A 
habitat conservation plan (HCP) is a planning document that is required 
as part of an application for an incidental take permit. It describes 
the anticipated effects of the proposed taking, how those impacts will 
be minimized or mitigated, and how the HCP is to be funded. Section 10 
of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and its implementing regulations 
define the contents of HCPs. During development of an HCP, the Service 
may request that the applicant provide information such as the 
following: Contact information, project description, site maps, GIS 
data, photographs, species and habitat survey results, training 
requirements, analysis of the potential project impacts to listed 
species, and annual reporting requirements outlined in the permit or 
HCP.
     Safe Harbor Agreement (application form 3-200-54). A safe 
harbor agreement (SHA) is a voluntary agreement involving private or 
other non-Federal property owners whose actions contribute to the 
recovery of species listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA. 
The agreement is between cooperating non-Federal property owners and 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, which is responsible for most listed marine 
and anadromous fish species. In exchange for actions that contribute to 
the recovery of listed species on non-Federal lands, participating 
property owners receive formal assurances from the Service that if they 
fulfill the conditions of the SHA, the Service will not require any 
additional or different management activities by the participants 
without their consent. In addition, at the end of the agreement period, 
participants may return the enrolled property to the baseline 
conditions that existed at the beginning of the SHA. If an SHA is 
feasible, the landowner and the Service will:
    (1) Work together to compile information about the land, including 
a map, the current management, and the management needs of the species 
and/or habitat.
    (2) Determine the baseline condition of the property for the 
species--the number and location of individuals, a habitat assessment, 
or a combination of the two.
    (3) Identify voluntary actions that would provide a net 
conservation benefit for the species. They also determine the duration 
of the SHA, allowing enough time to achieve the desired benefit.
    (4) Develop a draft SHA that specifies management actions that will 
provide a net conservation benefit to the species. The draft plan 
should describe the current and anticipated management of the property 
(farming, ranching, timber management, etc.). It should also address 
the monitoring needed to determine if the prescribed management 
actually benefits the species and/or its habitat.
     Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances 
(application form 3-200-54). A candidate conservation agreement with 
assurances (CCAA) encourages conservation actions for species that are 
candidates for listing as threatened or endangered, or are likely to 
become candidates. The CCAA standard is to provide a net conservation 
benefit to the covered species and the enrolled property. Non-Federal 
property owners receive assurances that if they fulfill the conditions 
of the CCAA, the Service will not require any additional or different 
land management activities by the participants without their consent.

Permit Conditions

    When reviewing materials for the renewal of OMB Control No. 1018-
0094, we discovered that some of our permit conditions contain 
information collection requirements that need OMB approval. We will 
request that OMB approve the following additional requirements such as:

[[Page 68030]]

     Notification of injury or mortality. If an incidental 
injury or mortality occurs to a listed species not authorized under 
permits issued in accordance with section 10 of the ESA, the permittee 
must immediately cease authorized activities in the project area where 
the species/activities are occurring and notify the appropriate project 
leader.
     Field Data Forms. If applicable, permittees must provide 
the appropriate project leader with copies of all field data forms with 
positive or negative survey results, including, if applicable, copies 
of quadrangle maps and copies of any aerial photos used in surveying or 
reconnaissance. Photos and maps must clearly delineate all areas 
covered during each survey.
     Approval for Activities. Permittees may be required to 
request approval from the appropriate Service Field Supervisor for the 
State in which an activity is proposed prior to conducting any 
activities. The request must be in writing and include full 
descriptions of proposed project, survey sites, purpose and need of 
proposed project, and a copy of any contract that the work will 
fulfill. When performing surveys, a copy of the concurrence letter must 
be carried while conducting authorized activities. The permit is not 
valid without applicable concurrence letter(s) for activities along 
with any required State permits.
     Report of Incidental Take. If actions result in incidental 
take of ESA-listed species or other species (e.g., bald eagles, 
migratory birds) not covered by the permit, the permittee must report 
this take to the Service.
    As described in section 10 of the ESA, permits issued under this 
section ``shall contain such terms and conditions as the Secretary [of 
the Department of the Interior] deems necessary or appropriate 
including but not limited to reporting requirements as the Secretary 
deems necessary for determining whether such terms and conditions are 
being complied with.'' In order to simplify reporting and review of 
reporting, the Service has developed new standardized report forms.

New Report Forms

    We are seeking OMB approval for reporting associated with the 
following report forms:
    Use of these new forms is not mandatory, but the same information 
must be submitted either electronically or by a paper copy. We will use 
the information collected via reports to track activities conducted 
that affect endangered or threatened species. These reports provide 
data to support recovery and to help revise recovery priorities of 
listed species.
     FWS Form 3-202-5b (ESA Recovery Permits: Region 3 Bat 
Reporting Spreadsheet).
     FWS Form 3-202-55c (ESA Recovery Permits: Region 4 Bat 
Reporting Spreadsheet).
     FWS Form 3-202-55d (ESA Recovery Permits: Region 5 Bat 
Reporting Spreadsheet).
     FWS Form 3-202-55e (ESA Recovery Permits: Region 6 Bat 
Reporting Spreadsheet).
     FWS Form 3-202-55f (Non-Releasable Sea Turtle Annual 
Report).
     FWS Form 3-202-55g (Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Quarterly 
Report Form).
    The Service may request that the permittee provide information such 
as:
     Permittee contact information.
     Species data (species; where and when activity occurred; 
critical habitat unit name, if applicable; life stage; sex; age; 
activity; whether take is intentional or incidental; project/report 
reference number; and recovery action number).
     Narrative responses: (1) Explaining reasons and objectives 
for taking the species; (2) addressing data collection methods and 
analysis procedures; (3) summarizing results of the data collected; and 
(4) specifically providing, at a minimum, application of the results to 
the recovery of the species.
     For sea turtles, the quarterly reports are to inform the 
Service's Sea Turtle Coordinator of the releasable status of the sea 
turtle(s) currently undergoing rehabilitation at that facility. The 
non-release form is primarily to inform the Service's Sea Turtle 
Coordinator of the disposition (alive and healthy or dead and 
necropsied) of the non-releasable sea turtle(s) being held at that 
facility.
     For bats, information collected also includes habitat 
condition and equipment used.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1018-0094.
    Title: Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit Applications and Reports--
Native Endangered and Threatened Species, 50 CFR 13 and 17.
    Service Form Numbers: 3-200-54, 3-200-55, 3-200-56, 3-202-55b, 3-
202-55c, 3-202-55d, 3-202-55e, 3-202-55f, and 3-202-55g.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals/households, businesses, State and 
local agencies, private organizations, and scientific and research 
institutions.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,913.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion for application forms and 
notifications; annually or quarterly for reports.

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                                                                                    Completion
                                                                   Total annual      time per      Total annual
                           Requirement                               responses       response      burden hours
                                                                                      (hours)
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                                                    SHA/CCAA
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Application (3-200-54)..........................................              37               3             111
Safe Harbor Agreement...........................................              17              30             510
Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances................              20              30             600
Amendments......................................................               2               2               4
Annual report...................................................              64               8             512
Notifications (incidental take, change in landowner, and dead,                 2               1               2
 sick, or injured member of covered species)....................
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                                          RECOVERY/INTERSTATE COMMERCE
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Application (3-200-55)..........................................             400               2             800
Amendments......................................................             170               1             170
Request to Revise List of Authorized Individuals................              30              .5              15
Annual Report...................................................           1,300               2           2,600
Annual Report--FWS Form 3-202-55b (Region 3 Bat Reporting                    100               2             200
 Spreadsheet)...................................................
Annual Report--FWS Form 3-202-55c (Region 4 Bat Reporting                     10               2              20
 Spreadsheet)...................................................

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Annual Report--FWS Form 3-202-55d (Region 5 Bat Reporting                     10               2              20
 Spreadsheet)...................................................
Annual Report--FWS Form 3-202-55e (Region 6 Bat Reporting                     10               2              20
 Spreadsheet)...................................................
Annual Report--FWS Form 3-202-55f--Non-Releasable Sea Turtle                  20              .5              10
 Annual Report..................................................
Quarterly Report--FWS Form 3-202-55g--Sea Turtle Rehabilitation               20              .5              10
 Quarterly Report Form..........................................
Notifications (Escape of wildlife, injury or mortality of                      1               1               1
 covered species)...............................................
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                                                       HCP
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Application (3-200-56)..........................................              50               8             400
Annual report...................................................             600              10           6,000
Habitat Conservation Plan.......................................              50           2,080         104,000
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................            2913  ..............         116,005
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    Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $45,250 for fees associated 
with permit applications and amendments.

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.

Tina A. Campbell,
Chief, Division of Policy, Performance, and Management Programs, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-23769 Filed 9-30-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P