Agency Information Collection Activities; National Wildlife Refuge Special Use Permit Applications and Reports, 36762-36765 [2021-14832]
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36762
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 131 / Tuesday, July 13, 2021 / Notices
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. 2021–14847 Filed 7–12–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–HQ–NWRS–2021–N162;
FXRS12630900000–201–FF09R81000; OMB
Control Number 1018–0102]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; National Wildlife Refuge
Special Use Permit Applications and
Reports
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection;
request for comment.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service, we), are proposing to revise an
existing collection of information.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before
September 13, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the
information collection request by mail
to the Service Information Collection
Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, MS: PRB (JAO/3W),
5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA
22041–3803 (mail); or by email to Info_
Coll@fws.gov. Please reference OMB
Control Number 1018–0102 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 PRA and 5 CFR
1320.8(d)(1), 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
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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17:47 Jul 12, 2021
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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
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: The National Wildlife
Refuge System Administration Act of
1966 (Administration Act; 16 U.S.C.
668dd–668ee), as amended by the
National Wildlife Refuge System
Improvement Act of 1997, consolidated
all refuge units into a single National
Wildlife Refuge System (system). It also
authorized us to offer visitor and public
programs, including those facilitated by
commercial visitor and management
support services, on lands of the system
when we find that the activities are
appropriate and compatible with the
purpose(s) for which the refuge was
established and the system’s mission.
The Refuge Recreation Act of 1962
(Recreation Act; 16 U.S.C. 460k–460k–4)
allows the use of refuges for public
recreation when it is not inconsistent or
does not interfere with the primary
purpose(s) of the refuge. The Alaska
National Interest Lands Conservation
Act (ANILCA; 16 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.)
provides specific authorization and
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Sfmt 4703
guidance for the administration and
management of national wildlife refuges
within the State of Alaska. Its provisions
provide for the issuance of permits
under certain circumstances.
We issue special use permits for a
specific period as determined by the
type and location of the management
activity or visitor service provided.
These permits authorize activities such
as:
• Agricultural activities (haying and
grazing, 50 CFR 29.1 and 29.2).
• Beneficial management tools that
we use to provide the best habitat
possible on some refuges (50 CFR 30.11,
31.14, 31.16, and 36.41).
• Special events, group visits, and
other one-time events (50 CFR 25.41,
25.61, 26.36, and 36.41).
• Recreational visitor service
operations (50 CFR 25.41, 25.61, and
36.41).
• Guiding for fishing, hunting,
wildlife education, and interpretation
(50 CFR 25.41 and 36.41).
• Commercial filming (43 CFR 5, 50
CFR 27.71) and other commercial
activities (50 CFR 29.1 and 36.41).
• Building and using cabins to
support subsistence or commercial
activities (in Alaska) (50 CFR 26.35 and
36.41).
• Research, inventory and
monitoring, and other noncommercial
activities (50 CFR 26.36 and 36.41).
We use three forms to collect
applicant information:
• FWS Form 3–1383–G (General
Activities Special Use Application).
• FWS Form 3–1383–C (Commercial
Activities Special Use Application).
• FWS Form 3–1383–R (Research and
Monitoring Special Use Application).
The information we collect helps
ensure that: (1) Applicants are aware of
the types of information that may be
needed for permit issuance; (2)
requested activities are appropriate and
compatible with the purpose(s) for
which the refuge was established and
the system’s mission; and (3) the
applicant is eligible or is the most
qualified applicant to receive the special
use permit.
We may collect the necessary
information in a non-form format
(through discussions in person or over
the phone, over the internet, by email,
or by letter). In some instances,
respondents will be able to provide
information verbally. Often, a simple
email or letter describing the activity
will suffice. For activities that might
have a large impact on refuge resources
(e.g., commercial visitor services,
research, etc.), we may require
applicants to provide more detail on
operations, techniques, and locations.
E:\FR\FM\13JYN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 131 / Tuesday, July 13, 2021 / Notices
Because of the span of activities covered
by special use permits and the different
management needs and resources at
each refuge, respondents may not be
required to answer all questions.
Depending on the requested activity,
refuge managers have the discretion to
ask for less information than appears on
the forms. However, refuge managers
must not ask for more or different
information.
We issue permits for a specific period
as determined by the type and location
of the use or service provided. We use
these permits to ensure that the
applicant is aware of the requirements
of the permit and his/her legal rights.
Refuge-specific special conditions may
be required for the permit. We identify
conditions as an addendum to the
permit. Most of the special conditions
pertain to how a permitted activity may
be conducted and do not require the
collection of information. However,
some special conditions, such as
activity reports, before and after site
photographs, or data sharing, would
qualify as an information collection, and
we have included the associated burden
below.
We also use FWS Form 3–1384, ‘‘Bid
Sheet—National Wildlife Refuge
System’’ to streamline collection of the
necessary pre-award information from
applicants during bidding processes to
conduct economic uses on Service
lands, such as livestock, harvesting hay
and stock feed, or removing timber (50
CFR 29.21). This form simplifies the
pre-award selection/bidding process for
bidders and for refuge staff by enabling
them to understand what information
the refuge needs in order to select bids
for economic use, and, therefore,
reduces the time and burden for the
public and Service staff in the preaward selection bidding process. This
form is customizable to the individual
economic use being awarded. We will
use the Commercial Special Use Permit
(FWS Form 3–1383–C) as the actual
award document that will outline the
terms and conditions of the economic
use on Service lands.
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Proposed Revisions to This Information
Collection
With this submission, we are
proposing the following revisions to the
existing information collection:
Activity Reports/Associated Document
Requirements
In addition to the previously
approved activity report criteria, the
Service will also collect data associated
with client use days and their fees. The
Service has also updated the reporting
rate for permits issued for both
Commercial Use and Research to reflect
current requirements.
ePermits Initiative
The Service’s new ‘‘ePermits’’
initiative is an automated permit
application system that will allow the
agency to move towards a streamlined
permitting process to reduce public
burden. Public burden reduction is a
priority for the Service; the Assistant
Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks;
and senior leadership at the Department
of the Interior. The intent of the
ePermits initiative is to fully automate
the permitting process to improve the
customer experience and to reduce time
burden on respondents. This new
system will enhance the user experience
by allowing users to enter data from any
device that has internet access,
including PCs, tablets, and
smartphones. It will also link the permit
applicant to the Pay.gov system for
payment of the associated permit
application fee. We anticipate including
the following Service forms in the
ePermits system: 3–1383–G, 3–1383–C,
3–1383–R, and 3–1384.
Once these forms are automated in the
new ePermits system, we anticipate a
reduction in the amount of time
necessary for an applicant to apply for
a permit and perform regular actions
related to that permit (e.g., amend,
renew, report). Through the ePermits
account registration, we will track and
be able to more accurately report the
number of small business applicants,
along with the type of business (forprofit, farm, not-for profit). This
information will allow the Service to be
more responsive in identifying the
possibility of additional burden
reduction on small businesses.
We also plan to eliminate the
necessity for physical mail-in
applications (though this will remain an
option for those who either don’t have
access to the internet or prefer to use
mail-in applications), thus further
Annual
number of
respondents
Requirement
General Special Use Application (Form 3–1383–G):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
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reducing public burden. With ePermits,
an applicant will be able to establish an
account and apply for multiple permits
through a single interface. The system
allows the applicant to track all their
applications, permits and permit-related
actions, as well as all communications
between Service staff and the permittee/
applicant within the same interface,
significantly reducing the burden on the
government to process these
applications and manage permit-related
actions. The decrease in submissions of
paper-based forms is expected to reduce
the government cost of administering
and processing permit applications.
Amendments and Renewals
Through our review of the special use
permitting process in preparation for
automation in the ePermits system, we
discovered that we need to account for
amendments to and renewals of special
use permits separately from the initial
applications, because amendments/
renewals have time burdens that are
different from those of the initial
submissions. The revised burden table
below includes our initial estimates for
amendments and renewals.
Title of Collection: National Wildlife
Refuge Special Use Permit Applications
and Reports, 50 CFR 25, 26, 27, 29, 30,
31, 32, & 36.
OMB Control Number: 1018–0102.
Form Number: FWS Forms 3–1383–G,
3–1383–C, 3–1383–R, and 3–1384.
Type of Review: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public:
Individuals and households; businesses
and other for-profit organizations;
nonprofit organizations; farms; and
State, local, or tribal governments.
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: $259,500 for fees
associated with applications for
commercial use activities ($100.00 × an
estimated 2,595 applications
(individuals and private sector
respondents only)).
Total annual
responses
1,142
609
152
E:\FR\FM\13JYN1.SGM
1,142
609
152
13JYN1
Completion
time per
response
(hours)
0.5
0.5
0.5
Total annual
burden hours *
571
305
76
36764
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 131 / Tuesday, July 13, 2021 / Notices
Annual
number of
respondents
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Requirement
ePermits—General Special Use Application (Form 3–1383–G):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
Amendments—General Special Use Application (Form 3–1383–G):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
ePermits Amendments—General Special Use Application (Form 3–1383–
G):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
Renewals—General Special Use Application (Form 3–1383–G):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
ePermits Renewals—General Special Use Application (Form 3–1383–G):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
Commercial Activities Special Use Application (Form 3–1383–C):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
ePermits—Commercial Activities Special Use Application (Form 3–1383–C):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
Amendments—Commercial Activities Special Use Application (Form 3–
1383–C):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
ePermits Amendments—Commercial Activities Special Use Application
(Form 3–1383–C):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
Renewals—Commercial Activities Special Use Application (Form 3–1383–
C):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
ePermits Renewals—Commercial Activities Special Use Application (Form
3–1383–C):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
Research and Monitoring Special Use Application (Form 3–1383–R):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
ePermits—Research and Monitoring Special Use Application (Form 3–
1383–R):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
Amendments—Research and Monitoring Special Use Application (Form 3–
1383–R):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
ePermits Amendments—Research and Monitoring Special Use Application
(Form 3–1383–R):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
Renewals—Research and Monitoring Special Use Application (Form 3–
1383–R):
Individuals .................................................................................................
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17:47 Jul 12, 2021
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Total annual
responses
Completion
time per
response
(hours)
Total annual
burden hours *
1,143
610
153
1,143
610
153
0.33
0.33
0.33
377
201
50
114
61
15
114
61
15
0.25
0.25
0.25
29
15
4
114
61
15
114
61
15
.2
.2
.2
23
12
3
228
122
30
228
122
30
.33
.33
.33
75
40
10
228
122
30
228
122
30
.25
.25
.25
57
31
8
797
500
54
797
500
54
4
4
4
3,188
2,000
216
798
500
54
798
500
54
3.75
3.75
3.75
2,993
1,875
203
80
50
5
80
50
5
1
1
1
80
50
5
80
50
5
80
50
5
0.75
0.75
0.75
60
38
4
160
100
27
160
100
27
2
2
2
320
200
54
160
100
27
160
100
27
1
1
1
160
100
27
104
201
67
104
201
67
5
5
5
520
1,005
335
105
202
68
105
202
68
4.75
4.75
4.75
499
960
323
10
20
7
10
20
7
1.5
1.5
1.5
15
30
11
10
20
7
10
20
7
1.25
1.25
1.25
13
25
9
21
21
2
42
E:\FR\FM\13JYN1.SGM
13JYN1
36765
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 131 / Tuesday, July 13, 2021 / Notices
Annual
number of
respondents
Requirement
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
ePermits Renewals—Research and Monitoring Special Use Application
(Form 3–1383–R):
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
Bid Sheet—National Wildlife Refuge System (Form 3–1384):
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
ePermits—Bid Sheet—National Wildlife Refuge System (Form 3–1384):
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Amendments—Bid Sheet—National Wildlife Refuge System (Form 3–1384):
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
ePermits Amendments—Bid Sheet—National Wildlife Refuge System (Form
3–1384):
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Activity Reports/Associated Document Requirements:
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
ePermits—Activity Reports/Associated Document Requirements:
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
Amendments—Activity Reports/Associated Document Requirements:
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
ePermits Amendments—Activity Reports/Associated Document Requirements:
Individuals .................................................................................................
Private Sector ...........................................................................................
Government ..............................................................................................
Totals .................................................................................................
Total annual
responses
Completion
time per
response
(hours)
Total annual
burden hours *
40
14
40
14
2
2
80
28
21
40
14
21
40
14
1
1
1
21
40
14
125
125
1
125
125
125
.75
94
13
13
0.33
4
13
13
0.25
3
1,122
730
198
1,122
730
198
3
3
3
3,366
2,190
594
1,122
730
198
1,122
730
198
2
2
2
2,244
1,460
396
2
23
5
2
23
5
0.33
0.33
0.33
1
8
2
2
23
5
2
23
5
0.25
0.25
0.25
1
6
1
13,903
13,903
........................
27,919
* Rounded
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.).
SUMMARY:
Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
[FR Doc. 2021–14832 Filed 7–12–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
Bureau of Indian Affairs
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
[212A2100DD/AAKC001030/
A0A501010.999900253G]
Indian Gaming; Approval of TribalState Class III Gaming Compact in the
State of South Dakota
Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Interior.
Notice.
ACTION:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:47 Jul 12, 2021
Jkt 253001
The compact takes effect on July
13, 2021.
DATES:
Ms.
Paula L. Hart, Director, Office of Indian
Gaming, Office of the Deputy Assistant
Secretary—Policy and Economic
Development, Washington, DC 20240,
paula.hart@bia.gov, (202) 219–4066.
Under
section 11 of the Indian Gaming
Regulatory Act (IGRA), Public Law 100–
497, 25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq., the
Secretary of the Interior shall publish in
the Federal Register notice of approved
Tribal-State compacts for the purpose of
engaging in Class III gaming activities
on Indian lands. As required by 25 CFR
293.4, all compacts and amendments are
subject to review and approval by the
Secretary. The Compact allows for an
unlimited number of roulette tables,
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
AGENCY:
This notice publishes the
approval of the class III gaming compact
between the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate
of the Lake Traverse Reservation (Tribe)
and the State of South Dakota (State).
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Frm 00068
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
crap tables, and keno devices. The
Compact is approved.
Bryan Newland,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary—Indian
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2021–14833 Filed 7–12–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4337–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
[212D0102DR/DS5A300000/
DR.5A311.IA000118]
Office of Indian Economic
Development, Tribal Tourism Grant
Program (TTGP), Part of the NATIVE
Act
Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Secretary of the Interior
(Secretary), through the Office of Indian
Economic Development (OIED),
Division of Economic Development
(DED), solicits proposals from Indian
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\13JYN1.SGM
13JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 131 (Tuesday, July 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36762-36765]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14832]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-HQ-NWRS-2021-N162; FXRS12630900000-201-FF09R81000; OMB Control
Number 1018-0102]
Agency Information Collection Activities; National Wildlife
Refuge Special Use Permit Applications and Reports
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
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 to
revise an existing collection of information.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
September 13, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request by
mail to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB (JAO/3W), 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls
Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or by email to [email protected]. Please
reference OMB Control Number 1018-0102 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 PRA and 5 CFR
1320.8(d)(1), 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
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: The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of
1966 (Administration Act; 16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), as amended by the
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, consolidated
all refuge units into a single National Wildlife Refuge System
(system). It also authorized us to offer visitor and public programs,
including those facilitated by commercial visitor and management
support services, on lands of the system when we find that the
activities are appropriate and compatible with the purpose(s) for which
the refuge was established and the system's mission. The Refuge
Recreation Act of 1962 (Recreation Act; 16 U.S.C. 460k-460k-4) allows
the use of refuges for public recreation when it is not inconsistent or
does not interfere with the primary purpose(s) of the refuge. The
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA; 16 U.S.C. 3101
et seq.) provides specific authorization and guidance for the
administration and management of national wildlife refuges within the
State of Alaska. Its provisions provide for the issuance of permits
under certain circumstances.
We issue special use permits for a specific period as determined by
the type and location of the management activity or visitor service
provided. These permits authorize activities such as:
Agricultural activities (haying and grazing, 50 CFR 29.1
and 29.2).
Beneficial management tools that we use to provide the
best habitat possible on some refuges (50 CFR 30.11, 31.14, 31.16, and
36.41).
Special events, group visits, and other one-time events
(50 CFR 25.41, 25.61, 26.36, and 36.41).
Recreational visitor service operations (50 CFR 25.41,
25.61, and 36.41).
Guiding for fishing, hunting, wildlife education, and
interpretation (50 CFR 25.41 and 36.41).
Commercial filming (43 CFR 5, 50 CFR 27.71) and other
commercial activities (50 CFR 29.1 and 36.41).
Building and using cabins to support subsistence or
commercial activities (in Alaska) (50 CFR 26.35 and 36.41).
Research, inventory and monitoring, and other
noncommercial activities (50 CFR 26.36 and 36.41).
We use three forms to collect applicant information:
FWS Form 3-1383-G (General Activities Special Use
Application).
FWS Form 3-1383-C (Commercial Activities Special Use
Application).
FWS Form 3-1383-R (Research and Monitoring Special Use
Application).
The information we collect helps ensure that: (1) Applicants are
aware of the types of information that may be needed for permit
issuance; (2) requested activities are appropriate and compatible with
the purpose(s) for which the refuge was established and the system's
mission; and (3) the applicant is eligible or is the most qualified
applicant to receive the special use permit.
We may collect the necessary information in a non-form format
(through discussions in person or over the phone, over the internet, by
email, or by letter). In some instances, respondents will be able to
provide information verbally. Often, a simple email or letter
describing the activity will suffice. For activities that might have a
large impact on refuge resources (e.g., commercial visitor services,
research, etc.), we may require applicants to provide more detail on
operations, techniques, and locations.
[[Page 36763]]
Because of the span of activities covered by special use permits and
the different management needs and resources at each refuge,
respondents may not be required to answer all questions. Depending on
the requested activity, refuge managers have the discretion to ask for
less information than appears on the forms. However, refuge managers
must not ask for more or different information.
We issue permits for a specific period as determined by the type
and location of the use or service provided. We use these permits to
ensure that the applicant is aware of the requirements of the permit
and his/her legal rights. Refuge-specific special conditions may be
required for the permit. We identify conditions as an addendum to the
permit. Most of the special conditions pertain to how a permitted
activity may be conducted and do not require the collection of
information. However, some special conditions, such as activity
reports, before and after site photographs, or data sharing, would
qualify as an information collection, and we have included the
associated burden below.
We also use FWS Form 3-1384, ``Bid Sheet--National Wildlife Refuge
System'' to streamline collection of the necessary pre-award
information from applicants during bidding processes to conduct
economic uses on Service lands, such as livestock, harvesting hay and
stock feed, or removing timber (50 CFR 29.21). This form simplifies the
pre-award selection/bidding process for bidders and for refuge staff by
enabling them to understand what information the refuge needs in order
to select bids for economic use, and, therefore, reduces the time and
burden for the public and Service staff in the pre-award selection
bidding process. This form is customizable to the individual economic
use being awarded. We will use the Commercial Special Use Permit (FWS
Form 3-1383-C) as the actual award document that will outline the terms
and conditions of the economic use on Service lands.
Proposed Revisions to This Information Collection
With this submission, we are proposing the following revisions to
the existing information collection:
Activity Reports/Associated Document Requirements
In addition to the previously approved activity report criteria,
the Service will also collect data associated with client use days and
their fees. The Service has also updated the reporting rate for permits
issued for both Commercial Use and Research to reflect current
requirements.
ePermits Initiative
The Service's new ``ePermits'' initiative is an automated permit
application system that will allow the agency to move towards a
streamlined permitting process to reduce public burden. Public burden
reduction is a priority for the Service; the Assistant Secretary for
Fish, Wildlife, and Parks; and senior leadership at the Department of
the Interior. The intent of the ePermits initiative is to fully
automate the permitting process to improve the customer experience and
to reduce time burden on respondents. This new system will enhance the
user experience by allowing users to enter data from any device that
has internet access, including PCs, tablets, and smartphones. It will
also link the permit applicant to the Pay.gov system for payment of the
associated permit application fee. We anticipate including the
following Service forms in the ePermits system: 3-1383-G, 3-1383-C, 3-
1383-R, and 3-1384.
Once these forms are automated in the new ePermits system, we
anticipate a reduction in the amount of time necessary for an applicant
to apply for a permit and perform regular actions related to that
permit (e.g., amend, renew, report). Through the ePermits account
registration, we will track and be able to more accurately report the
number of small business applicants, along with the type of business
(for-profit, farm, not-for profit). This information will allow the
Service to be more responsive in identifying the possibility of
additional burden reduction on small businesses.
We also plan to eliminate the necessity for physical mail-in
applications (though this will remain an option for those who either
don't have access to the internet or prefer to use mail-in
applications), thus further reducing public burden. With ePermits, an
applicant will be able to establish an account and apply for multiple
permits through a single interface. The system allows the applicant to
track all their applications, permits and permit-related actions, as
well as all communications between Service staff and the permittee/
applicant within the same interface, significantly reducing the burden
on the government to process these applications and manage permit-
related actions. The decrease in submissions of paper-based forms is
expected to reduce the government cost of administering and processing
permit applications.
Amendments and Renewals
Through our review of the special use permitting process in
preparation for automation in the ePermits system, we discovered that
we need to account for amendments to and renewals of special use
permits separately from the initial applications, because amendments/
renewals have time burdens that are different from those of the initial
submissions. The revised burden table below includes our initial
estimates for amendments and renewals.
Title of Collection: National Wildlife Refuge Special Use Permit
Applications and Reports, 50 CFR 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, & 36.
OMB Control Number: 1018-0102.
Form Number: FWS Forms 3-1383-G, 3-1383-C, 3-1383-R, and 3-1384.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and households; businesses
and other for-profit organizations; nonprofit organizations; farms; and
State, local, or tribal governments.
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: $259,500 for fees
associated with applications for commercial use activities ($100.00 x
an estimated 2,595 applications (individuals and private sector
respondents only)).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Completion
Annual number Total annual time per Total annual
Requirement of respondents responses response burden hours *
(hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Special Use Application (Form 3-1383-G):
Individuals................................. 1,142 1,142 0.5 571
Private Sector.............................. 609 609 0.5 305
Government.................................. 152 152 0.5 76
[[Page 36764]]
ePermits--General Special Use Application (Form
3-1383-G):
Individuals................................. 1,143 1,143 0.33 377
Private Sector.............................. 610 610 0.33 201
Government.................................. 153 153 0.33 50
Amendments--General Special Use Application
(Form 3-1383-G):
Individuals................................. 114 114 0.25 29
Private Sector.............................. 61 61 0.25 15
Government.................................. 15 15 0.25 4
ePermits Amendments--General Special Use
Application (Form 3-1383-G):
Individuals................................. 114 114 .2 23
Private Sector.............................. 61 61 .2 12
Government.................................. 15 15 .2 3
Renewals--General Special Use Application (Form
3-1383-G):
Individuals................................. 228 228 .33 75
Private Sector.............................. 122 122 .33 40
Government.................................. 30 30 .33 10
ePermits Renewals--General Special Use
Application (Form 3-1383-G):
Individuals................................. 228 228 .25 57
Private Sector.............................. 122 122 .25 31
Government.................................. 30 30 .25 8
Commercial Activities Special Use Application
(Form 3-1383-C):
Individuals................................. 797 797 4 3,188
Private Sector.............................. 500 500 4 2,000
Government.................................. 54 54 4 216
ePermits--Commercial Activities Special Use
Application (Form 3-1383-C):
Individuals................................. 798 798 3.75 2,993
Private Sector.............................. 500 500 3.75 1,875
Government.................................. 54 54 3.75 203
Amendments--Commercial Activities Special Use
Application (Form 3-1383-C):
Individuals................................. 80 80 1 80
Private Sector.............................. 50 50 1 50
Government.................................. 5 5 1 5
ePermits Amendments--Commercial Activities
Special Use Application (Form 3-1383-C):
Individuals................................. 80 80 0.75 60
Private Sector.............................. 50 50 0.75 38
Government.................................. 5 5 0.75 4
Renewals--Commercial Activities Special Use
Application (Form 3-1383-C):
Individuals................................. 160 160 2 320
Private Sector.............................. 100 100 2 200
Government.................................. 27 27 2 54
ePermits Renewals--Commercial Activities Special
Use Application (Form 3-1383-C):
Individuals................................. 160 160 1 160
Private Sector.............................. 100 100 1 100
Government.................................. 27 27 1 27
Research and Monitoring Special Use Application
(Form 3-1383-R):
Individuals................................. 104 104 5 520
Private Sector.............................. 201 201 5 1,005
Government.................................. 67 67 5 335
ePermits--Research and Monitoring Special Use
Application (Form 3-1383-R):
Individuals................................. 105 105 4.75 499
Private Sector.............................. 202 202 4.75 960
Government.................................. 68 68 4.75 323
Amendments--Research and Monitoring Special Use
Application (Form 3-1383-R):
Individuals................................. 10 10 1.5 15
Private Sector.............................. 20 20 1.5 30
Government.................................. 7 7 1.5 11
ePermits Amendments--Research and Monitoring
Special Use Application (Form 3-1383-R):
Individuals................................. 10 10 1.25 13
Private Sector.............................. 20 20 1.25 25
Government.................................. 7 7 1.25 9
Renewals--Research and Monitoring Special Use
Application (Form 3-1383-R):
Individuals................................. 21 21 2 42
[[Page 36765]]
Private Sector.............................. 40 40 2 80
Government.................................. 14 14 2 28
ePermits Renewals--Research and Monitoring
Special Use Application (Form 3-1383-R):
Individuals................................. 21 21 1 21
Private Sector.............................. 40 40 1 40
Government.................................. 14 14 1 14
Bid Sheet--National Wildlife Refuge System (Form
3-1384):
Private Sector.............................. 125 125 1 125
ePermits--Bid Sheet--National Wildlife Refuge
System (Form 3-1384):
Private Sector.............................. 125 125 .75 94
Amendments--Bid Sheet--National Wildlife Refuge
System (Form 3-1384):
Private Sector.............................. 13 13 0.33 4
ePermits Amendments--Bid Sheet--National
Wildlife Refuge System (Form 3-1384):
Private Sector.............................. 13 13 0.25 3
Activity Reports/Associated Document
Requirements:
Individuals................................. 1,122 1,122 3 3,366
Private Sector.............................. 730 730 3 2,190
Government.................................. 198 198 3 594
ePermits--Activity Reports/Associated Document
Requirements:
Individuals................................. 1,122 1,122 2 2,244
Private Sector.............................. 730 730 2 1,460
Government.................................. 198 198 2 396
Amendments--Activity Reports/Associated Document
Requirements:
Individuals................................. 2 2 0.33 1
Private Sector.............................. 23 23 0.33 8
Government.................................. 5 5 0.33 2
ePermits Amendments--Activity Reports/Associated
Document Requirements:
Individuals................................. 2 2 0.25 1
Private Sector.............................. 23 23 0.25 6
Government.................................. 5 5 0.25 1
---------------------------------------------------------------
Totals.................................. 13,903 13,903 .............. 27,919
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Rounded
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. 2021-14832 Filed 7-12-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
