2019-23303. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

October 22, 2019.

The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments are requested regarding: 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; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques and other forms of information technology.

Comments regarding this information collection received by November 25, 2019 will be considered. Written comments should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office Building, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503. Commentors are encouraged to submit their comments to OMB via email to: [e-mail] or fax [phone] and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling [phone].

An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information that such persons are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Forest Service

Title: Annual Wildfire Summary Report.

OMB Control Number: 0596-0025.

Summary of Collection: The Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101) requires the Forest Service (FS) to collect information about wildfire suppression efforts by State and local fire fighting agencies in order to support specific congressional funding requests for the Forest Service State and Private Forestry Cooperative Fire Program. The program provides supplemental funding for State and local firefighting agencies. The FS works cooperatively with State and local fire fighting agencies to support their fire suppression efforts. FS will collect information using form FS 3100-8, Annual Wildfire Summary Report.

Need and Use of the Information: FS will collect information using form FS-3100-8 to determine if the Cooperative Fire Program funds, provided to the State and local fire fighting agencies have been used by State and local agencies to improve their fire suppression capabilities. The information collected includes the numbers of fires and acres burned on State and private land by cause, such as lightning, campfires, smoking, debris burning, arson, equipment, railroads, children and miscellaneous activities. Information about the importance of the State and Private Cooperative Fire Program will be shared with the pubic. The form also collects information on numbers of fires and acres burned by size classes. FS would be unable to assess the effectiveness of the State and Private Forestry Cooperative Fire Program if the information provided on FS-3100-8, were not collected.

Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 56.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 28.

Ruth Brown,

Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.