[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 166 (Wednesday, August 26, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52631-52632]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18727]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R7-NWRS-2020-N083; FF07R08000F-XRS-1263-0700000-201; OMB Control 
Number 1018-0141]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Alaska Guide Service 
Evaluation

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 26, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on this information collection request 
(ICR) by mail to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB (JAO/3W), 5275 Leesburg Pike, 
Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or by email to [email protected]. 
Please reference OMB Control Number 1018-0141 in the subject line of 
your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, by email at [email protected], or by 
telephone at (703) 358-2503. Individuals who are hearing or speech 
impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY 
assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and its implementing 
regulations at 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require 
approval under the PRA. 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.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies 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.
    We are especially interested in public comment addressing the 
following:
    (1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of response.
    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: We collect information via FWS Form 3-2349 (Alaska Guide 
Service Evaluation) to help us evaluate commercial guide services on 
our national wildlife refuges in the State of Alaska (State). The 
National Wildlife Refuge Administration Act of 1966, as amended (16 
U.S.C. 668dd-ee), authorizes us to permit uses, including commercial 
visitor services, on national wildlife refuges when we find the 
activity to be compatible with the purposes for which the refuge was 
established. With the objective of making available a variety of 
quality visitor services for wildlife-dependent recreation on National 
Wildlife Refuge System lands, we issue permits for commercial guide 
services, including big game hunting, sport fishing, wildlife viewing, 
river trips, and other guided activities. We use FWS Form 3-2349 as a 
method to:
     Monitor the quality of services provided by commercial 
guides.
     Gauge client satisfaction with the services.
     Assess the impacts of the activity on refuge resources.
    The client is the best source of information on the quality of 
commercial guiding services. We collect:
     Client name.
     Guide name(s).
     Type of guided activity.
     Dates and location of guided activity.
     Information on the services received, such as the client's 
expectations, safety, environmental impacts, and client's overall 
satisfaction.
    We encourage respondents to provide any additional comments that 
they wish regarding the guide service or refuge experience, and ask 
whether or not they wish to be contacted for additional information.

[[Page 52632]]

    The above information, in combination with State-required guide 
activity reports and contacts with guides and clients in the field, 
provides a comprehensive method for monitoring permitted commercial 
guide activities. A regular program of client evaluation helps refuge 
managers detect potential problems with guide services so that we can 
take corrective actions promptly. In addition, we use this information 
during the competitive selection process for big game and sport fishing 
guide permits to evaluate an applicant's ability to provide a quality 
guiding service.
    The Service plans to review the current evaluation form to identify 
ways to improve the information collected to:
     Provide more quantifiable and defensible data;
     Provide statistical data for each completed and submitted 
form;
     Provide more quantifiable rather than qualitative 
information;
     Translate the client responses into useful information in 
order for refuge management to make informed decisions.
    The Service plans to submit the updated evaluation form to OMB for 
approval to pre-test under the Department of the Interior Programmatic 
Clearance (OMB Control No. 1040-0001). After conclusion of the pre-
testing during the calendar year 2020 Alaska guide season, the final 
evaluation form will be submitted to OMB for approval under this 
collection for full deployment prior to the calendar year 2021 Alaska 
guide season.
    Title of Collection: Alaska Guide Service Evaluation.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0141.
    Form Number: FWS Form 3-2349.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Clients of permitted commercial guide 
service providers.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 264.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 264.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 20 minutes.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 88.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: One time, following use of commercial 
guide services.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
    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: August 21, 2020.
Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-18727 Filed 8-25-20; 8:45 am]
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