[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 95 (Tuesday, May 17, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29872-29874]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-10538]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-MB-2022-0056; FF09M21200-223-FXMB1231099BPP0; OMB Control 
Number 1018-0022]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Federal Fish and 
Wildlife Permit Applications and Reports--Migratory Birds

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, we, the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to renew an existing 
information collection with revisions.

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

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request 
(ICR) by one of the following methods (please reference OMB Control 
Number ``1018-0022'' in the subject line of your comment):
     Internet (preferred): https://www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2022-
0056.
     Email: [email protected].
     U.S. mail: Service Information Collection Clearance 
Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2022-
0056, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: PRB (JAO/3W), Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803.

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 in the United States who are 
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 
711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay 
services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay 
services offered within their country to make international calls to 
the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA; 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and its implementing 
regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 5 CFR 1320, 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.
    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

[[Page 29873]]

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 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's regional migratory 
bird permit offices use information that we collect on permit 
applications to determine the eligibility of applicants for permits 
requested in accordance with the criteria in various Federal wildlife 
conservation laws and international treaties, including:
    (1) Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.).
    (2) Lacey Act (18 U.S.C. 42; 16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.).
    (3) Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 668 et seq.).
    Service regulations implementing these statutes and treaties are in 
chapter I, subchapter B of title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), parts 10, 13, 20, and 21. These regulations stipulate general 
and specific requirements that, when met, allow us to issue permits to 
authorize activities that are otherwise prohibited.
    Generally, with the exception of forms 3-186 and 3-186a, all 
Service migratory bird permit application and report forms are in the 
3-200 and 3-202 series of forms, each tailored to a specific activity 
based on the requirements for specific types of permits. We collect 
standard identifier information for all permits. The information that 
we collect on applications and reports is the minimum necessary for us 
to determine if the applicant meets/continues to meet issuance 
requirements for the particular activity.
    In accordance with Federal regulations at 50 CFR 13.12, we collect 
standard identifier information for all permit applications, such as:
     Applicant's full name and address (street address, city, 
county, State, and zip code; and mailing address if different from 
street address); home and work telephone numbers; and a fax number and 
email address (if available), and

--If the applicant resides or is located outside the United States, an 
address in the United States, and, if the applicant is applying for 
permission to conduct commercial activities, the name and address of 
his or her agent that is located in the United States; and
--If the applicant is an individual, the date of birth, occupation, and 
any business, agency, organizational, or institutional affiliation 
associated with the wildlife or plants to be covered by the license or 
permit; or
--If the applicant is a business, corporation, public agency, or 
institution, the tax identification number; description of the business 
type, corporation, agency, or institution; and the name and title of 
the person responsible for the permit (such as president, principal 
officer, or director);

     Location where the requested permitted activity is to 
occur or be conducted;
     Certification containing the following language:

--``I hereby certify that I have read and am familiar with the 
regulations contained in title 50, part 13, of the Code of Federal 
Regulations and the other applicable parts in subchapter B of chapter I 
of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, and I further certify that 
the information submitted in this application for a permit is complete 
and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief. I understand that 
any false statement herein may subject me to suspension or revocation 
of this permit and to the criminal penalties of 18 U.S.C. 1001.''

     Requested effective date of permit (except where issuance 
date is fixed by the part under which the permit is issued);
     Current date;
     Signature of the applicant;
     Such other information as the Director determines relevant 
to the processing of the application, including but not limited to

--Information on the environmental effects of the activity consistent 
with 40 CFR 1506.5 and Departmental procedures at 516 DM 6, appendix 
1.3A; and
--Additional information required on applications for other types of 
permits may be found by referring to Table 1 to Paragraph (b) in 50 CFR 
13.12.

    Standardization of general information common to the application 
forms makes the filing of applications easier for the public, as well 
as expediting our review of applications. The information that we 
collect on applications and reports is the minimum necessary for us to 
determine if the applicant meets/continues to meet issuance 
requirements for the particular activity.

Proposed Revisions to This Information Collection

    With this submission, we are proposing the following revisions to 
the existing information collection:

Revisions to Section E in Permit Applications

    In 2020, the Service implemented a new automated permit application 
called ePermits. The ePermits system allowed the Service to move 
towards a streamlined permitting process to reduce the information 
collection burden on the public, particularly small businesses. Public 
burden reduction is a priority for the Service; the Assistant Secretary 
for Fish and Wildlife and Parks; and senior leadership at the 
Department of the Interior. The intent of the ePermits system is to 
fully automate the permitting process to improve the customer 
experience and to reduce time burden on respondents. This system 
enhances the user experience by allowing users to enter data from any 
device that has internet access, including personal computers, tablets, 
and smartphones. It also links the permit applicant to the Pay.gov 
system for payment of the associated permit application fee.
    Users of the ePermits system register for and use an account which 
will then automatically populate the forms they complete with the 
required identification information. The system eliminates the need for 
applicants to enter their information multiple times when they apply 
for separate permits and reducing burden on the applicant. The account 
registration process will also provide private sector users an 
opportunity to self-identify as a small business which will enable the 
Service to more accurately report burden associated with information 
collection requirements placed on them.
    At this time, the ePermits system is unable to fully automate 
Section E of the permit application process. Section E of each permit 
application is customized based on the permit type. We anticipate being 
able to begin digitizing Section E on our forms in calendar year 2022. 
As a result of challenges with the development of forms within the 
ePermits system, we do not have a timeline for full automation of 
Section E. We anticipate beginning the digitization of the report forms 
contained in this collection by 2023 and believe the digitization of 
Section E on application forms should be finalized by fiscal year 2024, 
as funding and resources become available.
    We do not anticipate changes to the questions within Section E of 
each

[[Page 29874]]

application form. We also do not plan to make changes to the annual 
report forms contained in this collection. However, we do anticipate 
proposing the following changes to certain permit application forms 
contained in this collection, to include:
     Applicants will be able to select the type of business 
they manage (for-profit, small business, farm, not-for-profit, or 
government entity).
     Requesting businesses using ePermits provide email 
addresses for both the principal officer and the business.
     The signature block will be replaced by with electronic 
submission of the online applications.
     The ePermits system will also:

--Allow users to apply on behalf of another individual or business as a 
new way to identify if a consultant is applying for a client.
--Ask for the name of the authorized individual to include on the 
permit and will allow a business to nickname their applications.
--Ask the applicant to identify the location where the majority of the 
authorized activities will occur.
--Ask the applicant to identify the physical address of the preparer of 
application.
--Ask the applicants to identify if they are tax exempt.
--Prompt applicants to provide their preferred contact method.
--Prompt the applicant to describe changes associated with amendments 
or renewals (with changes) of their permit.
--Prompt applicants to opt in or out to release their information for 
all applications except migratory bird rehabilitation permits 
(businesses are automatically opted in).
--Prompt the applicant to provide a parent permit number, which allows 
the ePermits System to direct the user to the correct version of their 
permit for renewals or amendments to a permit.

Falconry Program

    We propose to modify FWS Form 3-186A to update the field ``USFWS 
Band Number'' to say ``USFWS/State/Tribe/Territory band number'' and 
''USFWS Permit Number'' to ``USFWS/State/Tribe/Territory permit 
number.''

Migratory Bird Permit Program Service Manual Chapters

    With this submission, we will seek OMB approval of the Migratory 
Bird Permit Program Handbook and associated Service Manual chapters at 
724 FW 1 (``Migratory Bird Permits'') and 724 FW 2 (``Migratory Bird 
Management''), all of which contain information collections. The 
Handbook provides detailed procedures and other operational information 
to implement the Service Manual chapters in part 724 and more generally 
in part 720.
    New and existing information collections contained in the Handbook 
requiring OMB approval include the following:
     Renewal procedures associated with the reauthorization of 
an existing permit (with or without changes to the conditions);
     Reinstatement procedures associated with the 
reauthorization of an existing permit (with or without changes to the 
conditions);
     Discontinuance procedures at the permittee's request to 
discontinue a valid permit;
     Solicitation of appropriate documentation from entities 
authorized to act on behalf of State, local, Tribal, and Federal 
government agencies to verify their exempt status for fee exemption 
purposes;
     Fee waiver request process as outlined in 50 CFR 
13.11(d)(3)(iii);
     Requests for reconsideration of a denial, partial denial, 
suspension, or revocation of a permit (requiring submission of a 
written request with the required information in 50 CFR 13.29(b) within 
45 days after the permit decision); and
     Appeals of reconsideration request decisions (requiring 
the permittee submit a written request to the Regional Director (see 50 
CFR 13.29(e)) within 45 days of the reconsideration decision).
    The public may request copies of any form or document contained in 
this information collection by sending a request to the Service 
Information Collection Clearance Officer in ADDRESSES, above.
    Title of Collection: Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit Applications 
and Reports--Migratory Birds; 50 CFR 10, 13, 20, and 21.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0022.
    Form Numbers: FWS Forms 3-186, 3-186A, 3-200-6 through 3-200-9, 3-
200-10a through 3-200-10c, 3-200-10e, 3-200-10f, 3-200-12 through 3-
200-13, 3-200-67, 3-200-79, 3-200-81, 3-202-1 through 3-202-10, 3-202-
12, and 3-202-17.
    Type of Review: Revision of an existing information collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals; private sector (including 
zoological parks, museums, universities, scientists, taxidermists, 
businesses, and utilities); and State, local, Tribal, and Federal 
governments.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 27,980.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 53,510.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 15 minutes to 
260 hours, depending on activity.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 394,967.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion for applications; annually or 
on occasion for reports.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $491,050 (primarily 
associated with application processing fees).
    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. 2022-10538 Filed 5-16-22; 8:45 am]
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