[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 194 (Tuesday, October 10, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47021-47023]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21733]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-ES-2017-N096; FXHC11220900000-167-FF09E33000; OMB Control 
Number 1018-0148]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Land-Based Wind Energy 
Guidelines

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) are proposing to renew an 
information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
December 11, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request 
(ICR) by mail to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls 
Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or by email to [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 1018-0148 in the subject line of your 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, by email at [email protected], or by 
telephone at (703) 358-2503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, we provide the general public and other Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and 
continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact 
of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's 
reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information 
collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired 
format.

[[Page 47022]]

    We are soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described 
below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the 
following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper 
functions of the Service; (2) will this information be processed and 
used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) 
how might the Service enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (5) how might the Service minimize the 
burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use 
of information technology.
    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 ICR. 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.
    Abstract: As wind energy production increased, both developers and 
wildlife agencies recognize the need for a system to evaluate and 
address the potential negative impacts of wind energy projects on 
species of concern. As a result, the Service worked with the wind 
energy industry, conservation non-governmental organizations, federal 
and state agencies, Tribes, and academia to develop the voluntary Land-
Based Wind Energy Guidelines (Guidelines; http://www.fws.gov/windenergy) to provide a structured, scientific process for addressing 
wildlife conservation concerns at all stages of land-based wind energy 
development. Released in 2012, the Guidelines promote effective 
communication among wind energy developers and Federal, State, tribal, 
and local conservation agencies. When used in concert with appropriate 
regulatory tools, the Guidelines are the best practical approach for 
conserving species of concern.
    The Guidelines discuss various risks to species of concern from 
wind energy projects, including collisions with wind turbines and 
associated infrastructure; loss and degradation of habitat from 
turbines and infrastructure; fragmentation of large habitat blocks into 
smaller segments that may not support sensitive species; displacement 
and behavioral changes; and indirect effects such as increased predator 
populations or introduction of invasive plants. The Guidelines assist 
developers in identifying species of concern that may potentially be 
affected by proposed projects, including, but not limited to:
     Migratory birds;
     Bats;
     Bald and golden eagles, and other birds of prey;
     Prairie chickens and sage grouse; and
     Listed, proposed, or candidate endangered and threatened 
species.
    The Guidelines follow a tiered approach. The wind energy developer 
begins at Tier 1 or Tier 2, which entails gathering of existing data to 
help identify any potential risks to wildlife and their habitats at 
proposed wind energy project sites. The developer then proceeds through 
subsequent tiers, as appropriate, to collect information in increasing 
detail until the level of risk is adequately ascertained and a decision 
on whether or not to develop the site can be made. Many projects may 
not proceed beyond Tier 1 or 2, when developers become aware of 
potential barriers, including high risks to wildlife. Developers would 
only have an interest in adhering to the Guidelines for those projects 
that proceed beyond Tier 1 or 2.
    At each tier, wind energy developers and operators should retain 
documentation to provide to the Service. Such documentation may include 
copies of correspondence with the Service, results of pre- and post-
construction studies conducted at project sites, bird and bat 
conservation strategies, or any other record that supports a 
developer's adherence to the Guidelines. The extent of the 
documentation will depend on the conditions of the site being 
developed. Sites with greater risk of impacts to wildlife and habitats 
will likely involve more extensive communication with the Service and 
longer durations of pre- and post-construction studies than sites with 
little risk.
    Distributed or community-scale wind energy projects are unlikely to 
have significant adverse impacts to wildlife and their habitats. The 
Guidelines recommend that developers of these small-scale projects 
conduct the desktop analysis described in Tier 1 or Tier 2 using 
publicly available information to determine whether they should 
communicate with the Service. Since such project designs usually 
include a single turbine associated with existing development, 
conducting a Tier 1 or Tier 2 analysis for distributed or community-
scale wind energy projects should incur limited non-hour burden costs. 
For such projects, if there is no potential risk identified, a 
developer will have no need to communicate with the Service regarding 
the project or to conduct studies described in Tiers 3, 4, and 5.
    Adherence to the Guidelines is voluntary. Following the Guidelines 
does not relieve any individual, company, or agency of the 
responsibility to comply with applicable laws and regulations. 
Developers of wind energy projects have a responsibility to comply with 
the law; for example, they must obtain incidental take authorization 
for species protected by the Endangered Species Act and/or Bald and 
Golden Eagle Protection Act.
    Title of Collection: Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0148.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Developers and operators of wind 
energy facilities.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $7,187,265. Costs will 
depend on the size and complexity of issues associated with each 
project. These expenses may include, but are not limited to: Travel 
expenses for site visits, studies conducted, and meetings with the 
Service and other Federal and State agencies; training in survey 
methodologies; data management; special transportation, such as all-
terrain vehicles or helicopters; equipment needed for acoustic, 
telemetry, or radar monitoring, and carcass storage.

[[Page 47023]]



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                                       Total                           Total         Estimated         Total
                                     estimated                       estimated      completion       estimated
           Requirement               number of       Number of       number of       time per        number of
                                      annual      responses each      annual         response      annual burden
                                    respondents                      responses        (hours)          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            Tier 1 (Desktop Analysis)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporting.......................              40               1              40              80           3,200
Recordkeeping...................  ..............  ..............  ..............               1              40
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Tier 2 (Site Characterization)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporting.......................              35               1              35             366          12,810
Recordkeeping...................  ..............  ..............  ..............               3             105
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                                        Tier 3 (Pre-construction studies)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporting.......................              30               1              30          14,690         440,700
Recordkeeping...................  ..............  ..............  ..............               5             150
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                       Tier 4 (Post-construction fatality monitoring and habitat studies)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporting.......................              45               1              45           4,018         180,810
Recordkeeping...................  ..............  ..............  ..............               5             225
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                                    Tier 5 (Other post-construction studies)
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Reporting.......................              10               1              10           6,934          69,340
Recordkeeping...................  ..............  ..............  ..............               5              50
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    Totals......................             160  ..............             160  ..............         707,430
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    An agency 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.
    The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq).

Madonna L. Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-21733 Filed 10-6-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P