2023-26308. Agency Information Collection Activities; NPS Preservation Values for Individual Animals

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of Information Collections; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 we, the National Park Service (NPS), are proposing a new information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before January 2, 2024.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and suggestions on the information collection requirements should be submitted by the date specified above in DATES to http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Please provide a copy of your comments to Phadrea Ponds, NPS Information Collection Clearance Officer (ADIR–ICCO), National Park Service, 13461 Sunrise Valley Drive, Mail Stop 244 Reston, VA 20192 (mail); or [e-mail] (email). Please include 1024–NEW (PVIA) in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this Information Collection Request (ICR), contact Leslie Richardson, Economist, NPS Social Science Branch at [e-mail] (email) or at 970–821–5352 (telephone), or contact Chris Neher by email at [e-mail]. Please reference OMB Control Number 1024–NEW (PVIA) in the subject line of your comments. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services offered within their country to make international calls to the point of contact in the United States. You may also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), we provide the 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.

A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published (87 FR 43054) on July 19, 2022. No comments were received.

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 Park Service (NPS) is authorized by the System Unit Resource Protection Act (54 U.S.C. 100721) to collect information that can be used to assess the economic value of lost resources that cannot be restored or replaced. The NPS Environmental Quality Division will request approval to conduct a survey to determine the economic value associated with the preservation (avoided loss) of individual members of a wildlife species population. The survey will provide estimates of the full value of protecting individual animals from intentional or accidental loss. These value estimates are not currently available to the NPS and are necessary for park management decisions.

Title of Collection: NPS Preservation Values for Individual Animals.

OMB Control Number: 1024–NEW.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: New.

Respondents/Affected Public: General Public.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 8,876 (On-site Survey: 5,600; Non-response Survey: 1,260; Mail back Survey: 2,016).

Estimated Completion Time per Response: On-site Survey: 5 minutes; Non-response Survey: 2 minutes; Mail back Survey: 15 minutes.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 1,014.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

Frequency of Collection: Once.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

An agency may not conduct, or sponsor nor is a person 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.).

Phadrea Ponds,

Information Collections Clearance Officer, National Park Service.