[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 179 (Monday, September 16, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48632-48634]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19911]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-LE-2019-N099; FF09L00200-FX-LE18110900000; OMB Control Number 
1018-0092]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Federal Fish 
and Wildlife Permit Applications and Reports--Law Enforcement

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, are proposing to renew an 
information collection with revisions.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
October 16, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on this information collection request 
to the Office of Management and Budget's Desk Officer for the 
Department of the Interior by email at [email protected]; or 
via facsimile to (202) 395-5806. Please provide a copy of your comments 
to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/PERMA (JAO/1N), 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls 
Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or by email to [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 1018-0092 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. You may also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

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.
    On April 30, 2019, we published a Federal Register notice with a 
60-day public comment period soliciting comments on this collection of 
information (84 FR 18309). In that notice, we solicited comments for 60 
days, ending on July 1, 2019. We received one comment which did not 
address the information collection requirements.
    We are again soliciting comments on the information collection 
request (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. Before including your address, phone number, email 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you 
should be aware that your 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: The Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) 
makes it unlawful to import or export wildlife or wildlife products for 
commercial purposes without first obtaining an import/export license 
(see 16 U.S.C. 1538(d)). The ESA also requires that fish or wildlife be 
imported into or exported from the United States only at a designated 
port, or at a nondesignated port under certain limited circumstances 
(see 16 U.S.C. 1538(f)). This information collection includes the 
following permit/license application forms:

FWS Form 3-200-2, ``Designated Port Exception Permit''

    Under 50 CFR 14.11, it is unlawful to import or export wildlife or 
wildlife products at ports other than those designated in 50 CFR 14.12, 
unless you qualify for an exception. The following exceptions allow 
qualified individuals, businesses, or scientific organizations to 
import or export wildlife or wildlife products at a nondesignated port:
    (a) To export the wildlife or wildlife products for scientific 
purposes;

[[Page 48633]]

    (b) To minimize deterioration or loss; or
    (c) To relieve economic hardship.
    To request authorization to import or export of wildlife or 
wildlife products at nondesignated ports, applicants must complete FWS 
Form 3-200-2. Designated port exception permits can be valid for up to 
2 years. We may require a permittee to file a report on activities 
conducted under authority of the permit.

FWS Form 3-200-3a, ``Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit Application Form: 
Import/Export License--U.S. Entities,'' and 3-200-3b, ``Federal Fish 
and Wildlife Permit Application Form: Import/Export License--Foreign 
Entities''

    It is unlawful to import or export wildlife or wildlife products 
for commercial purposes without first obtaining an import/export 
license (50 CFR 14.91). Applicants located in the United States must 
complete FWS Form 3-200-3a to request this license. Foreign applicants 
that reside or are located outside the United States must complete FWS 
Form 3-200-3b to request this license.
    We use the information collected on FWS Forms 3-200-3a/3b as an 
enforcement tool and management aid to (a) monitor the international 
wildlife market and (b) detect trends and changes in the commercial 
trade of wildlife and wildlife products. Import/export licenses are 
valid for up to 1 year. We may require a licensee to file a report on 
activities conducted under authority of the import/export license.

Recordkeeping Requirements

    Permittees and licensees must maintain records that accurately 
describe each importation or exportation of wildlife or wildlife 
products made under the license, and any additional sale or transfer of 
the wildlife or wildlife products. In addition, licensees must make 
these records and the corresponding inventory of wildlife or wildlife 
products available for our inspection at reasonable times, subject to 
applicable limitations of law. We believe the burden associated with 
these recordkeeping requirements is minimal because the records already 
exist. Importers and exporters must complete FWS Form 3-177 
(Declaration for Importation or Exportation of Fish or Wildlife) for 
all imports or exports of wildlife or wildlife products. This form 
provides an accurate description of the imports and exports. OMB has 
approved the information collection for FWS Form 3-177 and assigned OMB 
Control Number 1018-0012. Normal business practices should produce 
records (e.g., invoices or bills of sale) needed to document subsequent 
sales or transfers of the wildlife or wildlife products.

Proposed Revision

    With this submission, we propose a revision to the previously 
approved collection of information. The Service will request OMB 
approval to transfer the below-listed forms currently approved under 
OMB Control No. 1018-0093, ``Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit 
Applications and Reports--Management Authority; 50 CFR 12, 13, 14, 15, 
16, 17, 18, 21, 23,'' into this information collection (OMB Control No. 
1018-0092):
     FWS Form 3-200-44, ``Permit Application Form: Registration 
of an Agent/Tannery under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA),'' 
and
     FWS Form 3-200-44a, ``Registered Agent/Tannery Bi-Annual 
Inventory Report.''
    The Service's Alaska region manages marine mammals that inhabit 
Alaskan waters, as well as the Alaska Native hunters and handicrafters. 
Both the registration of an Agent/Tannery form and the Registered 
Agent/Tannery bi-annual inventory report form are issued and reviewed 
by the Office of Law Enforcement in the Alaska Region. As such, it is 
more appropriate that these forms be transferred to, and approved by 
OMB, under OMB Control No. 1018-0092, ``Federal Fish and Wildlife 
Applications and Reports--Law Enforcement; 50 CFR 13 and 14.''
    We use the information collected on FWS Form 3-200-44 for only the 
registration of qualified agents and tanneries for polar bear (Ursus 
maritimus), walrus (Odobenus rosmarus), and Alaskan sea otter (Enhydra 
lutris kenyoni) under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. This 
registration facilitates the transfer of marine mammal specimens taken 
by Alaskan Natives for the purposes of subsistence or creation of 
authentic Native handicraft articles and clothing.
    Biannually (twice a year) on or before the 10th day of January and 
July, we require that the permittee submit to the Service FWS Form 3-
200-44a, containing detailed activities of each registered agent or 
registered tannery for each transaction related to Polar bear, Walrus, 
and Alaskan sea otter. If no transactions occurred, the permittee must 
submit a negative report.
    The associated estimated annual burden of Forms 3-200-44/44a is 45 
responses and 42 burden hours. If OMB approves this revision request, 
we will initiate a revision to OMB Control No. 1018-0093 to remove 
those two forms to avoid duplication of burden.
    Title of Collection: Federal Fish and Wildlife Applications and 
Reports--Law Enforcement; 50 CFR 13 and 14.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0092.
    Form Number: FWS Forms 3-200-2, 3-200-3, 3-200-3a, 3-200-44, and 3-
200-44a.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals, private sector, and 
State/local/Tribal entities.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: One time for applications, an average of 
once every 9 days per respondent for fulfillment reports, and 
biannually (January and July) for agents/tanneries.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $1,188,100. There is a 
$100 fee associated with applications (Forms 3-200-2 and 3-200-3) 
received from individuals and private sector. There is no fee for 
applications from government agencies or for processing reports.

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                                                     Estimated       Estimated      Completion
                                                     number of       number of       time per        Estimated
              Activity/requirement                    annual          annual         response      total annual
                                                    respondents      responses        (hours)     burden hours *
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FWS Form 3-200-2, ``Designated Port Exception
 Permit'' (50 CFR 13 and 14):
    Individuals.................................             577             577            1.25             721
    Private Sector..............................             722             722            1.25             903
    Government..................................              13              13            1.25              16
Designated Port Exception Permit Report/
 Recordkeeping (50 CFR 13 and 14):
    Private Sector..............................               5               5               1               5

[[Page 48634]]

 
Import/Export License Report/Recordkeeping (50
 CFR 13 and 14):
    Private Sector..............................              10              10               1              10
FWS Form 3-200-3a, ``Federal Fish and Wildlife
 Permit Application Form: Import/Export License--
 U.S. Entities'' (50 CFR 13 and 14):
    Private Sector..............................          10,197          10,197            1.25          12,746
FWS Form 3-200-3b, ``Federal Fish and Wildlife
 Permit Application Form: Import/Export License--
 Foreign Entities'' (50 CFR 13 and 14):
    Private Sector..............................             380             380            1.25             475
FWS Forms 3-200-44, ``Permit Application Form:
 Registration of an Agent/Tannery under the
 Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)'':
    Private Sector..............................               5               5              .3               2
FWS Form 3-200-44a, ``Registered Agent/Tannery
 Bi-Annual Inventory Report'':
    Private Sector..............................              20              40               1              40
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
        Total:..................................          11,929          11,949  ..............          14,918
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* Rounded.

    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.).

    Dated: September 10, 2019.
Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-19911 Filed 9-13-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P