[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 16, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8866-8869]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03313]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-LE-2021-N214; FF09L00000/FX/LE18110900000/212; OMB Control 
Number 1018-0092]


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

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

[[Page 8867]]

(Service), are proposing to renew an information collection with 
revisions.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
March 18, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request 
(ICR) 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 1018-
0092 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 September 27, 2021, we published in the Federal Register (86 FR 
53337) a notice of our intent to request that OMB approve this 
information collection. In that notice, we solicited comments for 60 
days, ending on November 26, 2021. In an effort to increase public 
awareness of, and participation in, our public commenting processes 
associated with information collection requests, the Service also 
published the Federal Register notice on Regulations.gov (Docket FWS-
HQ-LE-2021-0109) to provide the public with an additional method to 
submit comments (in addition to the typical [email protected] email and 
U.S. mail submission methods). We received the following comments in 
response to that notice:
    Comment 1: Comment received electronically via Regulations.gov 
(Comment ID: FWS-HQ-LE-2021-0109-0002) from Jean Publieee on September 
26, 2021: The commenter suggested public scrutiny as part of the 
process to allow a person to trade in wildlife, and alleged that 
criminals were taking advantage of the wildlife and profiting from the 
process. The commentor referenced a 2017 case of illegal export.
    Agency Response to Comment 1: The commenter did not address the 
information collections, but rather addresses important aspects of the 
enforcement process. The public scrutiny of applications recommendation 
is not a feasible element of the permitting regulations process. This 
request is specific to the application process for permits to allow a 
person to trade in wildlife, while there is a separate process by the 
Office of Law Enforcement to document violations.
    Comment 2: Comment received electronically via Regulations.gov 
(Comment ID: FWS-HQ-LE-2021-0109-0003) from Jean Publieee on September 
26, 2021: Commenter did not support moving to a complete computer 
(automated) process, given the vulnerabilities of automated systems and 
the fact that not everyone has (access to) a computer.
    Agency Response to Comment 2: We note the comment and would like to 
advise the public that paper applications will still be available for 
manual, mail-in submissions. However, our efforts respond to the 
Service's need to move to a more efficient electronic process and 
reduce the burden on the public.
    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 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 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;
    (b) To minimize deterioration or loss; or
    (c) To relieve economic hardship.
    To request authorization to import or export 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.

[[Page 8868]]

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 and 3-200-3b 
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.

Proposed Revisions

Automation in eLicense System

    With this submission, we also seek OMB approval to automate FWS 
Forms 3-200-2, ``Designated Port Exception Permit'' (50 CFR parts 13 
and 14); Form 3-200-3a, ``Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit Application 
Form: Import/Export License-U.S. Entities'' (50 CFR parts 13 and 14); 
and Form 3-200-3b, ``Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit Application Form: 
Import/Export License-Foreign Entities'' (50 CFR parts 13 and 14) in a 
new eLicense system. This automation is expected to reduce the burden 
on the public. The eLicense system will also simplify the application 
process and give the applicant the ability to pay online through 
Pay.gov via credit card or direct bank payment. This will reduce the 
number of applicants requesting multiple licenses for the same business 
and will reduce the number of incorrect addresses and bounced checks 
that we receive. In addition, we removed the requirement to provide the 
dates of birth for U.S. agents on Forms 3-200-2 and 3-200-3b.

Automation in ePermits System

    With this submission, we propose a revision to the collection to 
obtain OMB approval to automate Form 3-200-44, ``Permit Application 
Form: Registration of an Agent/Tannery under the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act (MMPA),'' and Form 3-200-44a, ``Registered Agent/Tannery 
Bi-Annual Inventory Report,'' in the Service's ``ePermits'' system. The 
ePermits system is an automated permit application system that 
streamlines the permitting process to reduce public burden. Public 
burden reduction is a priority for the Service; the Assistant Secretary 
for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks; and senior leadership at the Department 
of the Interior. The ePermits system fully automates the permitting 
process to improve the customer experience and to reduce time burden on 
respondents. This system also enhances the user experience by allowing 
users to enter data from any device that has internet access, including 
PCs, tablets, and smartphones. Furthermore, the system links the permit 
applicant to the Pay.gov system for payment of any associated permit 
application fees.
    Until we have actual usage data from the eLicense and ePermits 
systems, we are splitting the previously approved public burden equally 
between hard copy and electronic submissions (see burden table below). 
After the forms are operational in the two systems for at least 12-18 
months, the Service will have more reliable burden data to submit to 
OMB in conjunction with the next renewal of this collection.
    Title of Collection: Federal Fish and Wildlife Applications and 
Reports-Law Enforcement; 50 CFR parts 13 and 14.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0092.
    Form Number: FWS Forms 3-200-2, 3-200-3a, 3-200-3b, 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: On occasion for Forms 3-200-2, 3-200-3a, 
3-200-3b, 3-200-44, and reporting requirements and biannually for Form 
3-200-44a.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $1,188,700. There is a 
$100 fee associated with applications (Forms 3-200-2, 3-200-3a and 3-
200-3b) and a $150 fee associated with application (Form 3-200-44) 
received from individuals and the private sector. There is no fee for 
applications from government agencies or for processing reports.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Estimated       Estimated         Total        Completion
                                     number of       number of       estimated       time per        Estimated
      Activity/requirement            annual          annual          annual         response      total annual
                                    respondents      responses       responses        (hours)     burden hours *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           FWS Form 3-200-2, ``Designated Port Exception Permit'' (50 CFR parts 13 and 14) (Hardcopy)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals.....................             289               1             289            1.25             361
Private Sector..................             361               1             361            1.25             451
Government......................               7               1               7            1.25               9
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           FWS Form 3-200-2, ``Designated Port Exception Permit'' (50 CFR parts 13 and 14) (eLicense)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals.....................             289               1             289               1             289
Private Sector..................             361               1             361               1             361
Government......................               7               1               7               1               7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  FWS Form 3-200-3a, ``Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit Application Form: Import/Export License-U.S. Entities''
                                       (50 CFR parts 13 and 14) (Hardcopy)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector..................           5,099               1           5,099            1.25           6,374
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  FWS Form 3-200-3a, ``Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit Application Form: Import/Export License-U.S. Entities''
                                       (50 CFR parts 13 and 14) (eLicense)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector..................           5,099               1           5,099               1           5,099
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 8869]]

 
FWS Form 3-200-3b, ``Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit Application Form: Import/Export License-Foreign Entities''
                                       (50 CFR parts 13 and 14) (Hardcopy)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector..................             190               1             190            1.25             238
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FWS Form 3-200-3b, ``Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit Application Form: Import/Export License-Foreign Entities''
                                       (50 CFR parts 13 and 14) (eLicense)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector..................             190               1             190               1             190
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Designated Port Exception Permit Report (50 CFR parts 13 and 14)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector..................               5               1               5               1               5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Import/Export License Report (50 CFR parts 13 and 14)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector..................              10               1              10               1              10
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     FWS Forms 3-200-44, ``Permit Application Form: Registration of an Agent/Tannery under the Marine Mammal
                                       Protection Act (MMPA)'' (Hardcopy)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector..................               3               1               3              .3               1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     FWS Forms 3-200-44, ``Permit Application Form: Registration of an Agent/Tannery under the Marine Mammal
                                       Protection Act (MMPA)'' (ePermits)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector..................               3               1               3             .25               1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             FWS Form 3-200-44a, ``Registered Agent/Tannery Bi-Annual Inventory Report'' (Hardcopy)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector..................              10               2              20               1              20
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             FWS Form 3-200-44a, ``Registered Agent/Tannery Bi-Annual Inventory Report'' (ePermits)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector..................              10               2              20             .75              15
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total:......................          11,933  ..............          11,953  ..............          13,431
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Rounded to Match ROCIS.

    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. 2022-03313 Filed 2-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P