Information Collection Request Sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval; National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Check-In Permit and Use Report, 72984-72985 [2015-29769]

Agencies

• Fish and Wildlife Service
• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 225 (Monday, November 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72984-72985]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-29769]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-R-2015-N221; FXRS1263040000-156-FF04R08000]


Information Collection Request Sent to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for Approval; National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Check-
In Permit and Use Report

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information 
Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. We summarize 
the ICR below and describe the nature of the collection and the 
estimated burden and cost. This information collection is scheduled to 
expire on December 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. However, under OMB 
regulations, we may continue to conduct or sponsor this information 
collection while it is pending at OMB.

DATES: You must submit comments on or before December 23, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments and suggestions on this information 
collection to the Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior at 
OMB-OIRA at (202) 395-5806 (fax) or OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov 
(email). Please provide a copy of your comments to the Service 
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 ``1018-0153'' in 
the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Hope Grey at hope_grey@fws.gov (email) or 703-
358-2482 (telephone). You may review the ICR online at https://www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to review Department of the 
Interior collections under review by OMB.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Information Collection Request

    OMB Control Number: 1018-0153.
    Title: National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Check-In Permit and Use 
Report.
    Service Form Number: 3-2405.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals who visit national wildlife 
refuges.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 650,000.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 650,000.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 54,167.
    Abstract: The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 
1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), as amended by the National Wildlife 
Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and the Refuge Recreation Act of 
1962 (16 U.S.C. 460k-460k-4) govern the administration and uses of 
national wildlife refuges and wetland management districts. We are 
authorized to allow public uses on lands of the National Wildlife 
Refuge System, including hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, 
wildlife photography, and environmental education and interpretation, 
and other visitor uses, when we find that the activities are compatible 
and appropriate with the purpose or purposes for which the refuges were 
established.
    We collect information on hunters and anglers and other visitors to 
help us protect refuge resources and administer and evaluate the 
success of visitor programs. Because of high demand and limited 
resources, we often provide visitor opportunities by permit, based on 
dates, locations, or type of public use. We may not allow all 
opportunities on all refuges, and harvest information differs for each 
refuge. We use FWS Form 3-2405 (Self-Clearing Check-In Permit) to 
collect this information. Not all refuges will use the form, and some 
refuges may collect the information in a nonform format. We collect:
     Information on the visitor (name, address, and contact 
information). We use this information to identify the visitor or 
driver/passengers of a vehicle while on the refuge. Having this 
information readily available is critical in a search and rescue 
situation. We do not maintain or record this information.
     Information on whether or not hunters/anglers were 
successful (number and type of harvest/caught).

[[Page 72985]]

     Purpose of visit (hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, 
wildlife photography, auto touring, birding, hiking, boating/canoeing, 
visitor center, special event, environmental education class, 
volunteering, other recreation).
     Date of visit.
    The above information is a vital tool in meeting refuge objectives 
and maintaining quality visitor experiences. It will help us:
     Administer and monitor visitor programs and facilities on 
refuges.
     Distribute visitor permits to ensure safety of visitors.
     Ensure a quality visitor experience.
     Minimize resource disturbance, manage healthy game 
populations, and ensure the protection of fish and wildlife species.
     Assist in Statewide wildlife management and enforcement 
and develop reliable estimates of the number of all game fish and 
wildlife.
     Determine facility and program needs and budgets.

Comments Received and Our Responses

    On June 23, 2015, we published in the Federal Register (80 FR 
35969) a notice of our intent to request that OMB renew approval for 
this information collection. In that notice, we solicited comments for 
60 days, ending on August 24, 2015. We received one comment. The 
commenter objected to the requirement to sign in to enter a refuge and 
objected to the use of taxpayer dollars to collect this information. We 
use this information to identify the visitor or driver/passengers of a 
vehicle while on the refuge. Having this information readily available 
is critical in a search and rescue situation. We have not made any 
changes to our requirements, based on this comment.

Request for Public Comments

    We again 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. 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 OMB or us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that it 
will be done.

    Dated: November 18, 2015.
Tina A. Campbell,
Chief, Division of Policy, Performance, and Management Programs, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-29769 Filed 11-20-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P