Proposed Information Collection; Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts When Making Listing Decisions (PECE), 35391-35392 [2015-15035]

Agencies

• Fish and Wildlife Service
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 118 (Friday, June 19, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35391-35392]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15035]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FW-HQ-ES-2015-N120; 4500030113]


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 August 31, 2015. 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 August 18, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the IC to the Information Collection 
Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS BPHC, 5275 
Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or hope_grey@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 hope_grey@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 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, March 28, 2003) encourages the 
development of conservation agreements/plans and provides certainty 
about the standard that an individual conservation effort must meet in 
order 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. To assist us in evaluating 
a formalized conservation effort under PECE, we collect information 
such as conservation plans, monitoring results, or progress reports. 
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. The PECE policy is 
posted on our Candidate Conservation Web site at https://www.fws.gov/endangered/esa-library/pdf/PECE-final.pdf.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1018-0119.
    Title: Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts When Making 
Listing Decisions (PECE).
    Service Form Number: None.
    Type of Request: Extension of a 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
                    Activity                         Number of       Number of       time per      Total annual
                                                    respondents      responses       response      burden hours
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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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    Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

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;

[[Page 35392]]

     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: June 15, 2015.
Tina A. Campbell,
Chief, Division of Policy, Performance, and Management Programs, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-15035 Filed 6-18-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-55-P