Agency Information Collection Activities; Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp) and Junior Duck Stamp Contests, 4671-4674 [2018-01968]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 22 / Thursday, February 1, 2018 / Notices
Collection Request should be forwarded
to DHS/NPPD/IP, ATTN: 1670–0013,
245 Murray Lane SW, Mail Stop 0380,
Arlington, VA 20598–0640.
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the words ‘‘Department of
Homeland Security’’ and the docket
number for this action. Comments
received will be posted without
alteration at https://www.regulations.gov,
including any personal information
provided.
Comments submitted in response to
this notice may be made available to the
public through relevant websites. For
this reason, please do not include in
your comments information of a
confidential nature, such as sensitive
personal information or proprietary
information. If you send an email
comment, your email address will be
automatically captured and included as
part of the comment that is placed in the
public docket and made available on the
internet. Please note that responses to
this public comment request containing
any routine notice about the
confidentiality of the communication
will be treated as public comments that
may be made available to the public
notwithstanding the inclusion of the
routine notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
specific questions related to collection
activities, please contact Quintin
Whitaker at 703–235–9485 or at PSCP@
HQ.DHS.GOV.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Partnerships between the U.S.
Government and the private sector at
times necessitate the sharing of
classified information. The PSCP and
Cyber Information Sharing and
Collaboration Program (CISCP) facilitate
this sharing by sponsoring security
clearances for certain members of each
sector based on either their membership
on a Sector Coordinating Council (SCC)/
association or their infrastructure
protection job-related duties. In order to
begin the process of approving a
nominee to participate in the clearance
program, DHS collects the nominee’s
employment information and Personally
Identifiable Information (PII). The
nominee’s association/SCC membership
or employment information is reviewed
for approval, and his or her PII is input
into the Electronic Questionnaires for
Investigations Processing (e-QIP)
system, the Office of Personnel
Management’s (OPM) secure portal for
investigation processing.
The U.S. Government is authorized to
ask for this information under Section
201 of the Homeland Security Act of
2002 (Pub. L. 107–296, 6 U.S.C. 121),
and Executive Orders 12968, 13526, and
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13549, which authorize the collection of
this information.
The PSCP is designed to facilitate
access to security clearances for private
sector officials involved in the
infrastructure protection mission. The
CISCP is designed to facilitate access to
security clearances for private sector
entities involved in cybersecurity
information sharing related to the
National Cybersecurity Communications
Integration Center (NCCIC) via CRADAs
and for individuals via the CCIPP.
CRADAs are agreements between the
U.S. government and private entities for
joint research and development efforts,
and can be used to create bi-directional
information sharing frameworks
between DHS and private sector entities.
The CCIPP, commonly referred to as the
‘‘Hybrid,’’ is a tool through which DHS
shares classified cybersecurity-related
information with critical infrastructure
partners. These partners are subject
matter experts within specific industries
and have specialized knowledge not
available within DHS. Private citizens
do not receive monetary compensation
for their time. DHS has created these
programs to sponsor clearances for these
individuals who are not employed by or
contracted with another Federal agency
(the traditional means of obtaining a
clearance) and must have clearances.
Program changes require a revision of
the existing collection. These changes
include: Updating the title of the
collection, the form being used by
CISCP, and updates to the form itself.
The form will be used by the CISCP in
the same manner as the PSCP to sponsor
private sector entities and individuals
for security clearances. The CISCP will
increase the burden totals by 360
responses, 60 burden hours, and $6,155
annual burden cost. For the PSCP, the
burden estimates have decreased by 200
responses, 33 burden hours and $706
annual burden cost based on actual
responses received. As a result, the total
burden estimates will increase overall
by 160 responses, 27 burden hours,
$5,448 annual burden costs.
The changes to the form itself include:
adding CRADA and CCIPP to the title;
adding drop down capabilities relevant
for the CRADA and the CCIPP, adding
justification guidance to the back of the
form, and updating the wording of the
field titles and instructions to improve
clarity. The changes to the form itself
will not change the burden estimates as
the only field being added is a menu to
distinguish the program type.
The annual government cost for the
collection has increased by $242,850
due to the addition of the CISCP and has
increased by $91,998 for the PSCP due
to updated wage rates. As a result, the
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4671
annual government cost has increased
by $334,848.
This is a revised information
collection.
OMB is particularly interested in
comments that:
1. Evaluate whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility;
2. Evaluate the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
3. Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
4. 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 submissions
of responses.
Title of Collection: Private Sector
Clearance Program, Cooperative
Research and Development Agreement,
and Classified Critical Infrastructure
Protection Program Request.
OMB Control Number: 1670–0013.
Frequency: Annually.
Affected Public: Private and Public
Sector.
Number of Respondents: 660.
Estimated Time per Respondent: 10
minutes.
Total Burden Hours: 110 hours.
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup):
$0.
Total Recordkeeping Burden: $0.
Total Burden Cost (operating/
maintaining): $0.
David Epperson,
Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018–02009 Filed 1–31–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110–9P–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–HQ–MB–2017–N168; FF09M13200/
189/FXMB12330900000; OMB Control
Number 1018–New]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Federal Migratory Bird
Hunting and Conservation Stamp
(Duck Stamp) and Junior Duck Stamp
Contests
AGENCY:
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 22 / Thursday, February 1, 2018 / Notices
Notice of information collection;
request for comment.
ACTION:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service, we) are proposing a new
information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before April 2,
2018.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the
information collection request (ICR) by
mail 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 by email to Info_Coll@
fws.gov. Please reference OMB Control
Number 1018–Duck Stamp in the
subject line of your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To
request additional information about
this ICR, contact Madonna L. Baucum,
Service Information Collection
Clearance Officer, by email at Info_
Coll@fws.gov, or by telephone at (703)
358–2503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, 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.
We are soliciting comments on the
proposed ICR that is described below.
We are especially interested in public
comment addressing the following
issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to
the proper functions of the Service; (2)
will this information be processed and
used in a timely manner; (3) is the
estimate of burden accurate; (4) how
might the Service enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and (5) how might the
Service minimize the burden of this
collection on the respondents, including
through the use of information
technology.
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 ICR. 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
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SUMMARY:
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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
History of the Federal Duck Stamp
On March 16, 1934, Congress passed,
and President Franklin D. Roosevelt
signed, the Migratory Bird Hunting
Stamp Act (16 U.S.C. 718–718k).
Popularly known as the Duck Stamp
Act, it required all waterfowl hunters 16
years or older to buy a stamp annually.
The revenue generated was originally
earmarked for the Department of
Agriculture, but 5 years later was
transferred to the Department of the
Interior and the Service.
In the years since its enactment, the
Federal Duck Stamp Program has
become one of the most popular and
successful conservation programs ever
initiated. Today, some 1.5 million
stamps are sold each year, and as of
2017, Federal Duck Stamps have
generated more than $1 billion for the
preservation of more than 6 million
acres of waterfowl habitat in the United
States. Numerous other birds, mammals,
fish, reptiles, and amphibians have
similarly prospered because of habitat
protection made possible by the
program. An estimated one-third of the
Nation’s endangered and threatened
species find food or shelter in refuges
preserved by Duck Stamp funds.
Moreover, the protected wetlands help
dissipate storms, purify water supplies,
store flood water, and nourish fish
hatchlings important for sport and
commercial fishermen.
History of the Duck Stamp Contest
Jay N. ‘‘Ding’’ Darling, a nationally
known political cartoonist for the Des
Moines Register and a noted hunter and
wildlife conservationist, designed the
first Federal Duck Stamp at President
Roosevelt’s request. In subsequent years,
noted wildlife artists submitted designs.
The first Federal Duck Stamp Contest
was opened in 1949 to any U.S. artist
who wished to enter, and 65 artists
submitted a total of 88 design entries.
Since then, the contest has been known
as the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting
and Conservation Stamp Art (Duck
Stamp) Contest and has attracted large
numbers of entrants.
The Duck Stamp Contest (50 CFR part
91) remains the only art competition of
its kind sponsored by the U.S.
Government. The Secretary of the
Interior appoints a panel of noted art,
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waterfowl, and philatelic authorities to
select each year’s winning design.
Winners receive no compensation for
the work, except a pane of their stamps,
but winners may sell prints of their
designs, which are sought by hunters,
conservationists, and art collectors.
The Service selects five or fewer
species of waterfowl each year; each
entry must employ one of the Servicedesignated species as the dominant
feature (defined as being in the
foreground and clearly the focus of
attention). Designs may also include
hunting dogs, hunting scenes, waterfowl
decoys, national wildlife refuges as the
background of habitat scenes, noneligible species, or other scenes that
depict uses of the stamp for sporting,
conservation, and collecting purposes.
Entries may be in any media EXCEPT
photography or computer-generated art.
Designs must be the contestants’
original hand-drawn creation and may
not be copied or duplicated from
previously published art, including
photographs, or from images in any
format published on the internet.
History of the Junior Duck Stamp
Contest
The Federal Junior Duck Stamp
Conservation and Design Program
(Junior Duck Stamp Program) began in
1989 as an extension of the Migratory
Bird Conservation and Hunting Stamp.
The national Junior Duck Stamp art
contest started in 1993, and the first
stamp design was selected from entries
from eight participating states. The
program was recognized by Congress
with the 1994 enactment of the Junior
Duck Stamp Conservation and Design
Program Act (16 U.S.C. 719). All 50
states, Washington, DC, and 2 of the
U.S. Territories currently participate in
the annual contest.
The Junior Duck Stamp Program
introduces wetland and waterfowl
conservation to students in kindergarten
through high school. It crosses cultural,
ethnic, social, and geographic
boundaries to teach greater awareness
and guide students in exploring our
nation’s natural resources. It is the
Service’s premier conservation
education initiative.
The Junior Duck Stamp Program
includes a dynamic art- and sciencebased curriculum. This non-traditional
pairing of subjects brings new interest to
both the sciences and the arts. The
program teaches students across the
nation conservation through the arts,
using scientific and wildlife observation
principles to encourage visual
communication about what they learn.
Four curriculum guides, with activities
and resources, were developed for use
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 22 / Thursday, February 1, 2018 / Notices
as a year-round study plan to assist
students in exploring science in real-life
situations.
Modeled after the Federal Duck
Stamp Contest, the annual Junior Duck
Stamp Art and Conservation Message
Contest (Junior Duck Stamp Contest)
was developed as a visual assessment of
a student’s learning and progression.
The Junior Duck Stamp Contest
encourages partnerships among Federal
and State government agencies,
nongovernment organizations,
businesses, and volunteers to help
recognize and honor thousands of
teachers and students throughout the
United States for their participation in
conservation-related activities. Since
2000, the contest has received more
than 478,000 entries.
The winning artwork from the
national art contest serves as the design
for the Junior Duck Stamp, which the
Service produces annually. This $5
stamp has become a much sought after
collector’s item. One hundred percent of
the revenue from the sale of Junior Duck
stamps goes to support recognition and
environmental education activities for
students who participate in the
program. More than $1.25 million in
Junior Duck Stamp proceeds have been
used to provide recognition, incentives,
and scholarships to participating
students, teachers, and schools. The
Program continues to educate youth
about land stewardship and the
importance of connecting to their
natural worlds. Several students who
have participated in the Junior Duck
Stamp Program have gone on to become
full-time wildlife artists and
conservation professionals; many
attribute their interest and success to
their early exposure to the Junior Duck
Stamp Program.
Who Can Enter the Federal Duck Stamp
and Junior Duck Stamp Contests
The Duck Stamp Contest is open to all
U.S. citizens, nationals, and resident
aliens who are at least 18 years of age
by June 1. Individuals enrolled in
kindergarten through grade 12 may
participate in the Junior Duck Stamp
Contest. All eligible students are
encouraged to participate in the Junior
Duck Stamp Conservation and Design
Program annual art and conservation
message contest as part of the program
curriculum through public, private, and
homeschools, as well as through
nonformal educational experiences such
as those found in scouting, art studios,
and nature centers.
Entry Requirements
Each entry in the Duck Stamp Contest
requires a completed entry form and an
entry fee. Information required on the
entry form includes:
• ‘‘Display, Participation &
Reproduction Rights Agreement’’
certification form;
• Basic contact information (name,
address, phone numbers, and email
address);
• Date of birth (to verify eligibility);
• Species portrayed and medium
used; and
• Name of hometown newspaper (for
press coverage).
Each entry in the Junior Duck Stamp
Contest requires a completed entry form
that requests:
Total number
of annual
respondents
Activity
Average
number of
submissions
each
• Basic contact information (name,
address, phone numbers, and email
address);
• Age (to verify eligibility);
• Parent’s name and contact
information;
• Whether the student has a Social
Security or VISA immigration number
(to verify eligibility to receive prizes);
• Whether the student is a foreign
exchange student;
• Grade of student (so they may be
judged with their peers);
• The title, species, medium used,
and conservation message associated
with the drawing;
• Basic contact information for their
teacher and school (name, address,
phone numbers, and email address); and
• Certification of authenticity.
Students in Grades 7–12 and all
national level students are also required
to include citations for any resources
they used to develop their designs. We
use this information to verify that the
student has not plagiarized or copied
someone else’s work. The Service also
translates entry forms into other
appropriate languages to increase the
understanding of the rules and what the
parents and students are signing.
Title of Collection: Federal Migratory
Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp
(Duck Stamp) and Junior Duck Stamp
Contests.
OMB Control Number: 1018—NEW.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Existing collection in
use without an OMB Control Number.
Respondents/Affected Public:
Individuals.
Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.
Frequency of Collection: Annually.
Total
number of
annual
responses
Average
completion
time per
response
(min)
Total annual
burden hours
Duck Stamp Program Contest Entry Form
Individuals ............................................................................
200
1
200
15
50
Junior Duck Stamp Program Contest Entry Form
Individuals ............................................................................
25,000
1
25,000
* 30
12,500
Totals ............................................................................
25,200
1
25,200
........................
12,550
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* Burden for Junior Duck Stamp Program entry form is longer since both the parents and teacher must sign the form, and the student must
provide references.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour
Burden Cost: $25,000.00 annually
associated with entry fees required for
contest entry submissions and mailing
costs for submissions to the Federal
Duck Stamp Contest. There are no fees
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Jkt 244001
associated with the Junior Duck Stamp
Contest submissions.
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.
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The authority for this action is the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 22 / Thursday, February 1, 2018 / Notices
Dated: January 29, 2018.
Madonna L. Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–01968 Filed 1–31–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R4–ES–2017–N148;
FXES11140400000–178–FF04E00000]
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife;
Incidental Take Permit Application,
Habitat Conservation Plan for Skink
Species, and Environmental
Assessment for Roadway Relocation
in Polk County, FL
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request
for comments.
AGENCY:
Under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA),
we, the Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service), announce the receipt and
availability of a proposed habitat
conservation plan and environmental
assessment related to an application for
a permit associated with relocation of a
1.3-mile segment of Dude Ranch Road
(project) located in Polk County,
Florida. If issued, the permit would
authorize take of the threatened sand
skink and blue-tailed mole skink
incidental to project construction. We
invite the public to comment on these
documents.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please
send your written comments by March
5, 2018.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: Documents are
available for public inspection by
appointment during regular business
hours at either of the following
locations:
• Atlanta Regional Office, Ecological
Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
1875 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, GA
30345.
• South Florida Ecological Services
Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
1339 20th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960.
Submitting Comments: Submit
comments by one of the following
methods. Please reference TE21091C–0
in all comments. For additional
guidance, please see Public Comments
under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
U.S. mail: You may mail comments to
the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Atlanta
Regional Office.
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SUMMARY:
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19:34 Jan 31, 2018
Jkt 244001
Hand-delivery: You may hand-deliver
comments to the Atlanta or the Vero
Beach Offices.
Email: You may email comments to
david_dell@fws.gov. Please include your
name and email address in your email
message. If you do not receive an email
confirmation from us that we have
received your email message, contact us
directly at either telephone number in
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
David Dell, Regional HCP Coordinator,
at the Atlanta Regional Office (see
ADDRESSES); or Mr. John Wrublik,
Project Manager, at the South Florida
Ecological Services Office (see
ADDRESSES); telephone: 772–469–4282.
If you use a telecommunications device
for the deaf (TDD), please call the
Federal Relay Service at 800–877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., ESA),
we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
announce the receipt and availability of
a proposed habitat conservation plan
(HCP), accompanying incidental take
permit (ITP) application, and
environmental assessment (EA) related
to an application from Cemex
Construction Materials Florida, LLC
(applicant) for a permit to take sand
skink (Neoseps reynoldsi) and bluetailed mole skink (Eumeces egregius
lividus) (covered species), incidental to
the relocation of a 1.3-mile segment of
Dude Ranch Road in Polk County,
Florida. We invite the public to
comment on these documents.
The applicants’ proposed HCP
describes the mitigation and
minimization measures proposed to
address the impacts to the covered
species. Per the National Environmental
Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.;
NEPA), the EA analyzes the take of the
covered species and impact to the
environment. The applicant requests a
5-year ITP under section 10(a)(1)(B) of
the ESA, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.).
Environmental Assessment
The EA assesses the likely
environmental impacts associated with
the implementation of the activities,
including the environmental
consequences of the no-action
alternative, relocation of the roadway
segment outside of the proposed
footprint, and the proposed action. The
proposed action alternative is issuance
of the ITP and implementation of the
HCP as submitted by the applicant. The
applicant anticipates destroying
approximately 12.1 acres of occupied
sand skink and blue-tailed mole skink
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habitat incidental to relocation and
construction of a 1.3-mile section of
Dude Ranch Road in Polk County,
Florida. The existing paved two-lane
county roadway is being relocated, per
permission of Polk County, to allow for
sand mining within the existing Dude
Ranch Road footprint and lands
adjacent to this footprint. The applicant
indicates that sand mining in this area
would not be financially feasible
without relocation of the roadway. Polk
County requires the applicant to
relocate the roadway segment to
maintain access for local residents and
the public to the areas adjacent to the
project site.
Habitat Conservation Plan
The HCP includes measures to
minimize and mitigate impacts to the
sand skink and the blue-tailed mole
skink resulting from the roadway
relocation. To minimize impacts to
these species and their habitat, the
footprint of the relocated roadway was
reduced to the greatest extent
practicable. The mitigation proposed by
the applicant consists of the purchase of
24.2 credits (equaling 12.1 acres of skink
habitat) from the Scrub Conservation
Bank (SCB) in Highlands County,
Florida. The SCB, which is a Service
approved conservation bank, will
preserve and manage skink habitat in
perpetuity.
Public Comments
We specifically request information,
views, and opinions from the public on
our proposed Federal action, including
identification of any other aspects of or
impacts to the human environment not
already identified in the EA prepared
pursuant to the NEPA regulations at 40
CFR 1506.6. Further, we specifically
solicit information regarding the
adequacy of the HCP per 50 CFR parts
13 and 17.
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.
Covered Area
Sand skinks and blue-tailed mole
skinks historically occurred within xeric
uplands throughout the sandy ridges of
central Florida. The area encompassed
by the ITP application and HCP consists
of 12.1 acres of privately owned lands
E:\FR\FM\01FEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 22 (Thursday, February 1, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4671-4674]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-01968]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-HQ-MB-2017-N168; FF09M13200/189/FXMB12330900000; OMB Control
Number 1018-New]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Federal Migratory Bird
Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp) and Junior Duck Stamp
Contests
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
[[Page 4672]]
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 (Service, we) are proposing a new
information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
April 2, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request
(ICR) by mail 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 by email to [email protected]. Please
reference OMB Control Number 1018-Duck Stamp in the subject line of
your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this ICR, contact Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information
Collection Clearance Officer, by email at [email protected], or by
telephone at (703) 358-2503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, 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.
We are soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described
below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the
following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper
functions of the Service; (2) will this information be processed and
used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4)
how might the Service enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (5) how might the Service minimize the
burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use
of information technology.
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 ICR. 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
History of the Federal Duck Stamp
On March 16, 1934, Congress passed, and President Franklin D.
Roosevelt signed, the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act (16 U.S.C. 718-
718k). Popularly known as the Duck Stamp Act, it required all waterfowl
hunters 16 years or older to buy a stamp annually. The revenue
generated was originally earmarked for the Department of Agriculture,
but 5 years later was transferred to the Department of the Interior and
the Service.
In the years since its enactment, the Federal Duck Stamp Program
has become one of the most popular and successful conservation programs
ever initiated. Today, some 1.5 million stamps are sold each year, and
as of 2017, Federal Duck Stamps have generated more than $1 billion for
the preservation of more than 6 million acres of waterfowl habitat in
the United States. Numerous other birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, and
amphibians have similarly prospered because of habitat protection made
possible by the program. An estimated one-third of the Nation's
endangered and threatened species find food or shelter in refuges
preserved by Duck Stamp funds. Moreover, the protected wetlands help
dissipate storms, purify water supplies, store flood water, and nourish
fish hatchlings important for sport and commercial fishermen.
History of the Duck Stamp Contest
Jay N. ``Ding'' Darling, a nationally known political cartoonist
for the Des Moines Register and a noted hunter and wildlife
conservationist, designed the first Federal Duck Stamp at President
Roosevelt's request. In subsequent years, noted wildlife artists
submitted designs. The first Federal Duck Stamp Contest was opened in
1949 to any U.S. artist who wished to enter, and 65 artists submitted a
total of 88 design entries. Since then, the contest has been known as
the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Art (Duck
Stamp) Contest and has attracted large numbers of entrants.
The Duck Stamp Contest (50 CFR part 91) remains the only art
competition of its kind sponsored by the U.S. Government. The Secretary
of the Interior appoints a panel of noted art, waterfowl, and
philatelic authorities to select each year's winning design. Winners
receive no compensation for the work, except a pane of their stamps,
but winners may sell prints of their designs, which are sought by
hunters, conservationists, and art collectors.
The Service selects five or fewer species of waterfowl each year;
each entry must employ one of the Service-designated species as the
dominant feature (defined as being in the foreground and clearly the
focus of attention). Designs may also include hunting dogs, hunting
scenes, waterfowl decoys, national wildlife refuges as the background
of habitat scenes, non-eligible species, or other scenes that depict
uses of the stamp for sporting, conservation, and collecting purposes.
Entries may be in any media EXCEPT photography or computer-generated
art. Designs must be the contestants' original hand-drawn creation and
may not be copied or duplicated from previously published art,
including photographs, or from images in any format published on the
internet.
History of the Junior Duck Stamp Contest
The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program
(Junior Duck Stamp Program) began in 1989 as an extension of the
Migratory Bird Conservation and Hunting Stamp. The national Junior Duck
Stamp art contest started in 1993, and the first stamp design was
selected from entries from eight participating states. The program was
recognized by Congress with the 1994 enactment of the Junior Duck Stamp
Conservation and Design Program Act (16 U.S.C. 719). All 50 states,
Washington, DC, and 2 of the U.S. Territories currently participate in
the annual contest.
The Junior Duck Stamp Program introduces wetland and waterfowl
conservation to students in kindergarten through high school. It
crosses cultural, ethnic, social, and geographic boundaries to teach
greater awareness and guide students in exploring our nation's natural
resources. It is the Service's premier conservation education
initiative.
The Junior Duck Stamp Program includes a dynamic art- and science-
based curriculum. This non-traditional pairing of subjects brings new
interest to both the sciences and the arts. The program teaches
students across the nation conservation through the arts, using
scientific and wildlife observation principles to encourage visual
communication about what they learn. Four curriculum guides, with
activities and resources, were developed for use
[[Page 4673]]
as a year-round study plan to assist students in exploring science in
real-life situations.
Modeled after the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, the annual Junior
Duck Stamp Art and Conservation Message Contest (Junior Duck Stamp
Contest) was developed as a visual assessment of a student's learning
and progression. The Junior Duck Stamp Contest encourages partnerships
among Federal and State government agencies, nongovernment
organizations, businesses, and volunteers to help recognize and honor
thousands of teachers and students throughout the United States for
their participation in conservation-related activities. Since 2000, the
contest has received more than 478,000 entries.
The winning artwork from the national art contest serves as the
design for the Junior Duck Stamp, which the Service produces annually.
This $5 stamp has become a much sought after collector's item. One
hundred percent of the revenue from the sale of Junior Duck stamps goes
to support recognition and environmental education activities for
students who participate in the program. More than $1.25 million in
Junior Duck Stamp proceeds have been used to provide recognition,
incentives, and scholarships to participating students, teachers, and
schools. The Program continues to educate youth about land stewardship
and the importance of connecting to their natural worlds. Several
students who have participated in the Junior Duck Stamp Program have
gone on to become full-time wildlife artists and conservation
professionals; many attribute their interest and success to their early
exposure to the Junior Duck Stamp Program.
Who Can Enter the Federal Duck Stamp and Junior Duck Stamp Contests
The Duck Stamp Contest is open to all U.S. citizens, nationals, and
resident aliens who are at least 18 years of age by June 1. Individuals
enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12 may participate in the Junior
Duck Stamp Contest. All eligible students are encouraged to participate
in the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program annual art and
conservation message contest as part of the program curriculum through
public, private, and homeschools, as well as through nonformal
educational experiences such as those found in scouting, art studios,
and nature centers.
Entry Requirements
Each entry in the Duck Stamp Contest requires a completed entry
form and an entry fee. Information required on the entry form includes:
``Display, Participation & Reproduction Rights Agreement''
certification form;
Basic contact information (name, address, phone numbers,
and email address);
Date of birth (to verify eligibility);
Species portrayed and medium used; and
Name of hometown newspaper (for press coverage).
Each entry in the Junior Duck Stamp Contest requires a completed
entry form that requests:
Basic contact information (name, address, phone numbers,
and email address);
Age (to verify eligibility);
Parent's name and contact information;
Whether the student has a Social Security or VISA
immigration number (to verify eligibility to receive prizes);
Whether the student is a foreign exchange student;
Grade of student (so they may be judged with their peers);
The title, species, medium used, and conservation message
associated with the drawing;
Basic contact information for their teacher and school
(name, address, phone numbers, and email address); and
Certification of authenticity.
Students in Grades 7-12 and all national level students are also
required to include citations for any resources they used to develop
their designs. We use this information to verify that the student has
not plagiarized or copied someone else's work. The Service also
translates entry forms into other appropriate languages to increase the
understanding of the rules and what the parents and students are
signing.
Title of Collection: Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and
Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp) and Junior Duck Stamp Contests.
OMB Control Number: 1018--NEW.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Existing collection in use without an OMB Control
Number.
Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Frequency of Collection: Annually.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average Average
Total number number of Total number completion Total annual
Activity of annual submissions of annual time per burden hours
respondents each responses response (min)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Duck Stamp Program Contest Entry Form
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals..................... 200 1 200 15 50
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Junior Duck Stamp Program Contest Entry Form
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals..................... 25,000 1 25,000 * 30 12,500
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................... 25,200 1 25,200 .............. 12,550
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Burden for Junior Duck Stamp Program entry form is longer since both the parents and teacher must sign the
form, and the student must provide references.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: $25,000.00 annually
associated with entry fees required for contest entry submissions and
mailing costs for submissions to the Federal Duck Stamp Contest. There
are no fees associated with the Junior Duck Stamp Contest submissions.
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.).
[[Page 4674]]
Dated: January 29, 2018.
Madonna L. Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-01968 Filed 1-31-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
