Information Collection; Interagency Generic Clearance for Federal Land Management Agencies Collaborative Visitor Surveys on Recreation and Transportation Related Programs and Systems, 70638-70639 [2023-22459]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 196 (Thursday, October 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70638-70639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22459]


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Federal Register / Vol. 88 , No. 196 / Thursday, October 12, 2023 / 
Notices

[[Page 70638]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Interagency Generic Clearance for Federal 
Land Management Agencies Collaborative Visitor Surveys on Recreation 
and Transportation Related Programs and Systems

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service is seeking public comment on reapproval of a currently 
approved information collection request, Interagency Generic Clearance 
for Federal Land Management Agencies Collaborative Visitor Surveys on 
Recreation and Transportation Related Programs and Systems.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing by December 11, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to Kenli 
Kim via mail at USDA Forest Service, Yates Building, 201 14th Street 
SW, Washington, DC 20520 or email at [email protected] or to Nicholas 
Grisham via mail at Transportation Systems Planner, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Federal Lands 
Highway, 610 East 5th Street, Vancouver, WA 98661 or email at 
[email protected].
    All timely comments, including names and addresses, will be placed 
in the record and will be available for public inspection and copying. 
The public may inspect comments received at USDA Forest Service, Yates 
Building, 201 14th Street SW, Washington, DC 20520, during normal 
business hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to 202-205-0925 
to facilitate entry into the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenli Kim, USDA Forest Service, 
[email protected] or 202-205-0925, or Nicholas Grisham, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, [email protected] or 202-839-1409.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the hearing 
impaired (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339 
between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Interagency Generic Clearance for Federal Land Management 
Agencies Collaborative Visitor Surveys on Recreation and Transportation 
Related Programs and Systems.
    OMB Number: 0596-0236.
    Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 2024.
    Type of Request: Reapproval of a currently approved information 
collection request.
    Abstract: Federal land management agencies (FLMAs) need to acquire 
visitor and user feedback about site- and area-specific recreational 
services and facilities and supporting road, trail, and other 
transportation programs and systems. FLMAs include but are not limited 
to the USDA Forest Service; U.S. Department of the Interior National 
Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Geological Survey, and Presidio 
Trust; and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
    Visitor feedback allows the FLMAs to enhance customer service by 
establishing and revising objectives for FLMA recreational services and 
facilities and recreation-related transportation programs and systems; 
inform FLMA land use plans; and facilitate interagency coordination 
across FLMA jurisdictions. This feedback augments the ability of FLMAs 
to meet the recreational needs of the public and more effectively 
utilize the resources under FLMA management. In addition, this generic, 
interagency information collection request saves visitor and agency 
time and costs by allowing multiple FLMAs in an area to work jointly on 
data collection. The information collected may also help FLMAs respond 
to queries from the public, Congressional staffs, the media, and 
transportation and recreation organizations.
    The authorities for the FLMAs to conduct public surveys on 
recreation and supporting transportation programs and systems include:
     Forest Service Organic Administration Act of 1897.
     Forest Service Multiple Use-Sustained Yield Act.
     National Park Service Act of 1916.
     National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 
1966.
     National Wildlife Refuge System Centennial Act.
     Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976.
     Government Performance and Results Act of 1993.
    Respondents include visitors and potential visitors to FLMA-managed 
lands and residents of communities in or near those lands, as well as 
state, local, or Tribal agency staff who are involved with public land 
management and businesses operating on or near FLMA-managed lands. Many 
of the FLMA information collections may be similar in terms of the 
populations surveyed, types of questions asked, research methods, and 
data applications. The information collection may occur at one 
location, several locations, across FLMA units, across regions, or 
nationally and may be multi-jurisdictional at any of these levels. The 
information collection may occur once, multiple times over a short time 
period, or periodically over a long period. Individual, organizational, 
agency, or business feedback could be collected through facilitated 
focus groups, in-person or telephonic interviews, or electronic or 
handwritten comment cards or questionnaires. Potential participants may 
be contacted at pertinent sites, including FLMA access points, or pre- 
or post-visit.
    In general, questions relate to recreational use of one or more 
specific locations on FLMA-managed lands and may address one or more of 
the following:
     Mobility and access, such as different transportation 
modes used to access sites; satisfaction with transportation-related 
services and facilities; use and satisfaction with traveler 
information; reasons for non-visitation.
     Resource management, such as support for different 
management approaches.
     Safety, for example, safety-related incidents that have 
occurred.
     Environment, including for example visitor priorities with 
respect to natural and cultural resources and perceptions related to 
sound.

[[Page 70639]]

     Economic development, such as the amount of money visitors 
spend in an area.
     Trip characteristics, for example, length of trip and trip 
purpose, activities, and destinations.
     Visitor or user demographics and use data, such as city 
and state of residence, age group, gender, race, and number of people 
or vehicles in a party.
    All results are aggregated so that specific responses cannot be 
connected to specific respondents. If any names, addresses, or 
telephone numbers are collected, FLMAs will not store that information 
with responses. Contact information will be purged from FLMAs' files 
once data collections are completed.
    Participation in the FLMA surveys, interviews, focus groups, and 
other data collections under this information collection is strictly 
voluntary. The information may be collected and analyzed by FLMA 
personnel, private contractors, other federal agencies, or universities 
or other educational institutions conducting the information collection 
on behalf of the FLMAs. All results will be aggregated so specific 
responses cannot be connected to specific respondents.
    Without coordinated information collections on recreation and 
supporting transportation programs and systems on federal land, the 
FLMAs will lack the information necessary to identify and implement 
improvements in recreational services and facilities and supporting 
transportation programs and systems that address public needs, protect 
federal land and resources, and enhance the visitor experience. These 
information collections will become more important as demand for access 
to FLMA recreation sites and opportunities continues to grow.
    Estimated Annual Burden per Respondent: 0.35 hour for surveys, 1.5 
hours for focus groups, 1 hour for interviews, and 0.05 hour for 
comment cards.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals and households, businesses and 
non-profit organizations, and state, local, and Tribal governments.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 50,000.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 8,000 hours.

Comment Is Invited

    Comment is invited on (1) whether this information collection 
request is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance 
of the functions of the FLMAs, including whether the information 
collected will have practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy 
of the Forest Service's estimate of the burden of the information 
collection request, 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) ways to minimize the burden 
of the information collection request on respondents, including the use 
of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission request for 
Office of Management and Budget approval.

David Lytle,
Deputy Chief, Research and Development.
[FR Doc. 2023-22459 Filed 10-11-23; 8:45 am]
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