Proposed Information Collection; Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts When Making Listing Decisions (PECE), 70748-70749 [2011-29387]

Agencies

• Fish and Wildlife Service
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 220 (Tuesday, November 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70748-70749]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-29387]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R9-ES-2011-N236; FF09E50000-FXES11170900000-B3]


Proposed Information Collection; Policy for Evaluation of 
Conservation Efforts When Making Listing Decisions (PECE)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) will ask the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) 
described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 
as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take 
this opportunity to comment on this IC. This IC is scheduled to expire 
on May 31, 2012. We 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.

DATES: To ensure that we are able to consider your comments on this IC, 
we must receive them by January 17, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the IC to the Service Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 2042-PDM, 
4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 (mail); or 
INFOCOL@fws.gov (email). Please include ``1018-0119'' in the subject 
line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this IC, contact Hope Grey at INFOCOL@fws.gov (email) or (703) 
358-2482 (telephone).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.) specifies the process by which we can list species as threatened 
or endangered. When we consider whether or not to list a species, the 
ESA requires us to take into account the efforts being made by any 
State or any political subdivision of a State to protect such species. 
We also take into account the efforts being made by other entities. 
States or other entities often formalize conservation efforts in 
conservation agreements, conservation plans, management plans, or 
similar documents. The conservation efforts recommended or called for 
in such documents could prevent some species

[[Page 70749]]

from becoming so imperiled that they meet the definition of a 
threatened or endangered species under the ESA.
    The Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts When Making 
Listing Decisions (PECE) (68 FR 15100) encourages the development of 
conservation agreements/plans and provides certainty about the standard 
that an individual conservation effort must meet for us to consider 
whether it contributes to forming a basis for making a decision about 
the listing of a species. PECE applies to ``formalized conservation 
efforts'' that have not been implemented or have been implemented but 
have not yet demonstrated if they are effective at the time of a 
listing decision.
    Under PECE, formalized conservation efforts are defined as 
conservation efforts (specific actions, activities, or programs 
designed to eliminate or reduce threats or otherwise improve the status 
of a species) identified in a conservation agreement, conservation 
plan, management plan, or similar document. The development of such 
agreements/plans is voluntary. There is no requirement that the 
individual conservation efforts included in such documents be designed 
to meet the standard in PECE.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1018-0119.
    Title: Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts When Making 
Listing Decisions (PECE).
    Service Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Extension of currently approved collection.
    Description of Respondents: Primarily State, local, or tribal 
governments. However, individuals, businesses, and not-for-profit 
organizations could develop agreements/plans or may agree to implement 
certain conservation efforts identified in a State agreement/plan.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

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                                                                                    Completion
                                                     Number of       Number of       time per      Total annual
                    Activity                        respondents      responses       response      burden hours
                                                                                      (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original Agreement..............................               4               4           2,000           8,000
Monitoring......................................               7               7             600           4,200
Reporting.......................................               7               7             120             840
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................              18              18  ..............          13,040
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III. Comments

    We invite comments concerning this information collection on:
     Whether or not the collection of information is necessary, 
including whether or not the information will have practical utility;
     The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this 
collection of information;
     Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents.
    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 IC. 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.

    Dated: November 7, 2011.
Tina A. Campbell,
Chief, Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-29387 Filed 11-14-11; 8:45 am]
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