Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; A Survey of Livestock Producer Perceptions of Predators and Predator Damage Management Methods, 84109-84110 [2024-24215]

Download as PDF 84109 Notices Federal Register Vol. 89, No. 203 Monday, October 21, 2024 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency statements of organization and functions are examples of documents appearing in this section. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2024–0053] Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; A Survey of Livestock Producer Perceptions of Predators and Predator Damage Management Methods Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: New information collection; comment request. AGENCY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s intention to request approval of a new information collection associated with a study to understand livestock producers’ perceptions of predator damage management methods and their willingness to continue using such methods. SUMMARY: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before December 20, 2024. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS– 2024–0053 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, then select the Comment button in the list of documents. • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS–2024–0053, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 2C–10.16, 4700 River Road, Unit 25, Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at regulations.gov or in our reading room, which is located in Room 1620 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 DATES: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:27 Oct 18, 2024 Jkt 265001 Avenue SW, Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 799–7039 before coming. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on this predator damage management study, contact Dr. Megan Cross, Social Scientist, National Wildlife Research Center, WS, APHIS, 4101 La Porte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521; (970) 266–6366; email: Megan.Cross@usda.gov. For more information on the information collection process, contact Mr. Joseph Moxey, APHIS’ Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator; (301) 851–2533; email: joseph.moxey@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: A Survey of Livestock Producer Perceptions of Predators and Predator Damage Management Methods. OMB Control Number: 0579–XXXX. Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection. Abstract: Under the Act of March 2, 1931 (7 U.S.C. 8351), the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to conduct a program of wildlife services with respect to injurious animal species and take any action the Secretary considers necessary in conducting the program. Additionally, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to conduct activities to control nuisance mammals and birds (except for urban rodent control) and those mammals and bird species that are reservoirs for zoonotic disease. This authority has been delegated to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services (WS). Two responsibilities of the Deputy Administrator of Wildlife Services are to assist Federal, State, local, and foreign agencies and individuals regarding wildlife damage and control and conduct research to develop wildlife damage management methods (7 CFR 371.6). Depredation of livestock by large predators, such as wolves, bears, and mountain lions, is a significant source of human-wildlife conflict and economic losses in the United States. Protecting livestock from predators is a complex and challenging endeavor, with each situation requiring an evaluation of relevant legal, social, economic, biological, and technical aspects. While no single management technique is PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 appropriate in every situation, various stakeholder groups are increasingly calling for the use of nonlethal predator damage management techniques. Congress has appropriated funding to Wildlife Services since 2020 to support the use of nonlethal predator damage management methods. Wildlife Services is using the money to test several nonlethal predator damage management methods on livestock operations in 12 States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming). Through the APHIS WS National Wildlife Research Center, a Federal institution devoted to resolving humanwildlife conflict, APHIS would like to conduct a survey of livestock producers who: (1) Experienced livestock loss from predators; (2) worked with Wildlife Services to try and mitigate losses; and (3) allowed WS State Directors to share their contact information within APHIS. The information collected from these livestock producers is critical to improving WS Nonlethal Initiative programs, identifying any barriers to the continued use of nonlethal predator damage management methods, and determining whether livestock producers’ attitudes towards predators and nonlethal predator damage management have changed. APHIS anticipates that, among other things, results of the study may inform whether nonlethal predator damage management methods are a viable and acceptable alternative to the use of methods that result in the death of large predators from the perspective of livestock producers. The information collection activity associated with this study consists of a multi-item questionnaire administered to livestock producers who have received predator damage management services from WS Nonlethal Initiative programs and are located in one of the 12 States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, or Wyoming). We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of this information collection activity for 3 years. The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public (as well as affected agencies) concerning our E:\FR\FM\21OCN1.SGM 21OCN1 84110 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 203 / Monday, October 21, 2024 / Notices information collection. These comments will help us: (1) Evaluate whether the 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 our estimate of the burden of the 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, through use, as appropriate, of automated, electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. Estimate of burden: The public burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.164 hours per response. Respondents: Livestock producers who have received predator damage management services from WS Nonlethal Initiative programs and are located in one of the 12 States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, or Wyoming). Estimated annual number of respondents: 200. Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 8. Estimated annual number of responses: 1,608. Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 265 hours. (Due to averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per response.) All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public record. lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of October 2024. Michael Watson, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2024–24215 Filed 10–18–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:27 Oct 18, 2024 Jkt 265001 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2021–0076] Importation of Acer spp. (Acer buergerianum, A. palmatum, and A. pseudosieboldianum) Dwarf Plants From the Republic of Korea Into the Continental United States Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: We are notifying the public that we are removing three Acer spp. (Acer buergerianum, A. palmatum, and A. pseudosieboldianum) dwarf plants from the Republic of Korea from our lists of taxa of plants for planting whose importation into the United States is not authorized pending pest risk analysis, thereby allowing the importation of such Acer spp. into the continental United States, subject to certain conditions. We are taking this action in response to a request from this country and after determining that the plants can be imported, under certain conditions, without resulting in the introduction into, or the dissemination within, the United States of a plant pest. DATES: Imports may be authorized beginning October 21, 2024. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Narasimha Chary Samboju, Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301) 851– 2038. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUMMARY: Background Under the regulations in ‘‘Subpart H—Plants for Planting’’ (7 CFR 319.37– 1 through 319.37–23, referred to below as the regulations), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits or restricts the importation of plants for planting (including living plants, plant parts, seeds, and plant cuttings) to prevent the introduction of quarantine pests into the United States. Quarantine pest is defined in § 319.37– 2 of the regulations as a plant pest or noxious weed that is of potential economic importance to the United States and not yet present in the United States, or present but not widely distributed and being officially controlled. Section 319.37–4 of the regulations provides that certain taxa of plants for planting are not authorized for importation into the United States pending pest risk analysis (NAPPRA) to PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 prevent the introduction of quarantine pests into the United States. Paragraph (e) of § 319.37–4 describes the process for removing taxa from the NAPPRA lists.1 After receiving a request to remove taxa from the NAPPRA lists, APHIS will conduct a pest risk analysis (PRA) in response to such a request and make the PRA available for public review and comment. Following the close of the comment period, we will review all comments received and announce our decision regarding the request in a subsequent notice. On January 31, 2022, we published in the Federal Register (87 FR 4832–4833, Docket No. APHIS–2021–0076) a notice 2 in which we proposed to revise the NAPPRA lists to allow the importation of three Acer spp. (Acer buergerianum, A. palmatum, and A. pseudosieboldianum) dwarf plants from the Republic of Korea (South Korea) into the continental United States, subject to the conditions required for all approved dwarf plants imported under the APHIS Artificially Dwarfed Plants program 3 as well as additional conditions outlined in a risk management document (RMD) accompanying the notice. We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending on April 1, 2022. We received three comments by that date, all from private citizens. The issues raised by the commenters are addressed below. All three commenters expressed concern that importing non-native plants, or plants from regions with plant pests, may introduce foreign pests, or otherwise endanger plants native to the United States. We understand the commenters’ concerns but find no basis for changing our recommendations based on the comments. As the documentation associated with the initial notice for comment shows, APHIS thoroughly and sufficiently assessed potential risks from this importation and proposed conditions adequate to mitigate the possible risks. Our methodology for the pest risk assessment that accompanied the initial notice included careful examination of scientific literature, portof-entry pest interception data, and information provided by the Government of the Republic of Korea. 1 To view the NAPPRA lists, go to: https:// www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/ import-information/permits/plants-and-plantproducts-permits/plants-for-planting/ct_nappra. 2 To view the notice, supporting documents, and the comments we received, go to https:// www.regulations.gov/document/APHIS-2021-00760001. 3 To view the requirements of the APHIS Artificially Dwarfed Plants program, go to: https:// www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/ manuals/ports/downloads/plants_for_planting.pdf. E:\FR\FM\21OCN1.SGM 21OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 203 (Monday, October 21, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84109-84110]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-24215]


========================================================================
Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
appearing in this section.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 203 / Monday, October 21, 2024 / 
Notices

[[Page 84109]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2024-0053]


Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; A 
Survey of Livestock Producer Perceptions of Predators and Predator 
Damage Management Methods

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: New information collection; comment request.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to request approval of a new information collection 
associated with a study to understand livestock producers' perceptions 
of predator damage management methods and their willingness to continue 
using such methods.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
December 20, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2024-0053 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, 
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2024-0053, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 2C-10.16, 4700 River Road, Unit 25, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at regulations.gov or in our reading room, which is located 
in Room 1620 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence 
Avenue SW, Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is 
there to help you, please call (202) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on this predator 
damage management study, contact Dr. Megan Cross, Social Scientist, 
National Wildlife Research Center, WS, APHIS, 4101 La Porte Ave., Fort 
Collins, CO 80521; (970) 266-6366; email: [email protected]. For 
more information on the information collection process, contact Mr. 
Joseph Moxey, APHIS' Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator; (301) 851-
2533; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: A Survey of Livestock Producer Perceptions of Predators and 
Predator Damage Management Methods.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-XXXX.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    Abstract: Under the Act of March 2, 1931 (7 U.S.C. 8351), the 
Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to conduct a program of wildlife 
services with respect to injurious animal species and take any action 
the Secretary considers necessary in conducting the program. 
Additionally, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to conduct 
activities to control nuisance mammals and birds (except for urban 
rodent control) and those mammals and bird species that are reservoirs 
for zoonotic disease. This authority has been delegated to the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services (WS). Two 
responsibilities of the Deputy Administrator of Wildlife Services are 
to assist Federal, State, local, and foreign agencies and individuals 
regarding wildlife damage and control and conduct research to develop 
wildlife damage management methods (7 CFR 371.6).
    Depredation of livestock by large predators, such as wolves, bears, 
and mountain lions, is a significant source of human-wildlife conflict 
and economic losses in the United States. Protecting livestock from 
predators is a complex and challenging endeavor, with each situation 
requiring an evaluation of relevant legal, social, economic, 
biological, and technical aspects. While no single management technique 
is appropriate in every situation, various stakeholder groups are 
increasingly calling for the use of nonlethal predator damage 
management techniques. Congress has appropriated funding to Wildlife 
Services since 2020 to support the use of nonlethal predator damage 
management methods. Wildlife Services is using the money to test 
several nonlethal predator damage management methods on livestock 
operations in 12 States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, 
Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, 
Wisconsin, and Wyoming).
    Through the APHIS WS National Wildlife Research Center, a Federal 
institution devoted to resolving human-wildlife conflict, APHIS would 
like to conduct a survey of livestock producers who: (1) Experienced 
livestock loss from predators; (2) worked with Wildlife Services to try 
and mitigate losses; and (3) allowed WS State Directors to share their 
contact information within APHIS. The information collected from these 
livestock producers is critical to improving WS Nonlethal Initiative 
programs, identifying any barriers to the continued use of nonlethal 
predator damage management methods, and determining whether livestock 
producers' attitudes towards predators and nonlethal predator damage 
management have changed. APHIS anticipates that, among other things, 
results of the study may inform whether nonlethal predator damage 
management methods are a viable and acceptable alternative to the use 
of methods that result in the death of large predators from the 
perspective of livestock producers.
    The information collection activity associated with this study 
consists of a multi-item questionnaire administered to livestock 
producers who have received predator damage management services from WS 
Nonlethal Initiative programs and are located in one of the 12 States 
(Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, 
New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, or Wyoming).
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of this information collection activity for 3 years.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our

[[Page 84110]]

information collection. These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate whether the 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 our estimate of the burden of the 
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, through use, as appropriate, of automated, 
electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: The public burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.164 hours per response.
    Respondents: Livestock producers who have received predator damage 
management services from WS Nonlethal Initiative programs and are 
located in one of the 12 States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, 
Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, 
Wisconsin, or Wyoming).
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 200.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 8.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 1,608.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 265 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per 
response.)
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of October 2024.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-24215 Filed 10-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.