[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 244 (Friday, December 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82504-82505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27889]



[[Page 82504]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-MB-2020-N152; FXMB123109WEBB0-201-FF09M26000; OMB Control 
Number 1018-0019]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; North American 
Woodcock Singing Ground Survey

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 
January 19, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Please provide a 
copy of your comments 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 1018-0019 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. You may also view the information collection request (ICR) 
at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), 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 August 3, 2020, we published in the Federal Register (85 FR 
46692) a notice of our intent to request that OMB approve this 
information collection. In that notice, we solicited comments for 60 
days, ending on October 2, 2020. We received the following comments in 
response to that notice:
    Comment 1: The Atlantic Flyway Council expressed its support for 
continuation of the survey. Continuation of the survey is critical for 
the responsible management of American woodcock, an important migratory 
game bird in the Atlantic Flyway and North America. The SURVEY provides 
the only long-term, range-wide monitoring program for American 
woodcock. The results of the SURVEY form the basis of the American 
woodcock harvest strategy used to set the annual hunting regulations 
for American woodcock in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central 
Flyways. The data collection and reporting estimates provided by the U. 
S. Fish and Wildlife Service are reasonable and accurate.
    Agency Response to Comment 1: No action was taken, since the 
support was positive and there were no recommendations for improvement.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other 
Federal agencies on the proposed information collection request (ICR) 
that is described below. 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. 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: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703-712) 
designates the Department of the Interior as the primary agency 
responsible for managing migratory bird populations frequenting the 
United States and setting hunting regulations that allow for the well-
being of migratory bird populations. These responsibilities dictate 
that we gather accurate data on various characteristics of migratory 
bird populations.
    The North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey is an essential 
part of the migratory bird management program. Federal, State, 
Provincial, Tribal, and local conservation agencies conduct the survey 
annually to provide the data necessary to determine the population 
status of the American woodcock. In addition, the information is vital 
in assessing the relative changes in the geographic distribution of the 
species. We use the information primarily to develop recommendations 
for hunting regulations. Without information on the population's 
status, we might promulgate hunting regulations that:
     Are not sufficiently restrictive, which could cause harm 
to the woodcock population, or
     Are too restrictive, which would unduly restrict 
recreational opportunities afforded by woodcock hunting.
    The Service, State, and Provincial conservation agencies, 
university associates, and other interested parties use the data for 
various research and management projects.
    Title of Collection: North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0019.
    Form Number: FWS Form 3-156.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: State, Provincial, local, and Tribal 
employees.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 808.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 808.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 1.75 hours to 
1.88 hours, depending on activity.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 1,515.

[[Page 82505]]

    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    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.).

Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-27889 Filed 12-17-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P