[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 121 (Wednesday, June 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34472-34473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16740]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WO-260-1030-2-24-1A]
Request for Approval of a New Information Collection
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces its intention to seek
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to collect
certain information from visitors to the Wild Horse and Burro Internet
Adoption Site. The information, which will be supplied on a voluntary
basis, will be used to improve the website and the overall management
of the wild horse and burro program.
DATES: Comments on the proposed information collection must be received
by August 24, 1998 to be considered.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to: Regulatory Affairs Group, Bureau
of Land Management, 1849 C St., NW, Mail Stop 401 LS, Washington, DC
20240. Comments may be sent via Internet to: WOComment@blm.wo.gov.
Please include ``Attn.: 1004-NEW'' and your name and address in your
Internet message.
Comments may be hand-delivered to the Bureau of Land Management
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L St., NW, Washington, DC.
Comments will be available for public review and inspection at the
L Street address during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15
p.m.), Monday through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Harry Moritz, (703) 440-1677, e-mail address: h35morit@es.blm.gov.
[[Page 34473]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, BLM is required to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal
Register concerning a collection of information to solicit comments on:
(a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the agency, including whether the information
will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate
of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
and (d) 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 or other forms of information technology. BLM will analyze
any comments sent in response to this notice and include them with its
request for approval from OMB under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
On December 5, 1971, the Wild, Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act,
commonly referred to as the Wild Horse and Burro Act, became a Federal
law. In 1998, the twenty-seventh anniversary of the Act, the public
plays a major role in preserving wild horses and burros as a cultural
icon. Since 1973, over 140,000 wild horses and burros have been adopted
throughout the United States. Each year as many as 9,000 wild horses
and burros are adopted. More than half of these animals are placed
through the efforts of BLM's Eastern States Office.
The Act requires the protection, management, and control of wild,
free-roaming horses and burros on public lands at population levels
that assure a thriving ecological balance and multiple-use
relationship. BLM developed a Strategic Plan for the Management of Wild
Horses and Burros on Public Lands that established long-term goals and
objectives for the wild horse and burro program. The plan, approved in
1992, is a product of BLM's commitment to manage wild horses and burros
as part of the natural ecosystem and recognizes the biological, social,
and cultural attributes that these animals possess.
To address management goals and requirements, BLM's Eastern States
Office conceived and implemented the Internet Wild Horse and Burro
Adoption Pilot Project. Through the Pilot Project, BLM hopes to reach
out and contact new potential adopters--people who have and use home
computers and often have children living at home. These additions to
our adopter base could potentially increase BLM's ability to place
additional animals in safe, secure, and happy adoptive homes.
The Internet adoption site will contain a series of questions
designed to solicit customer comments, feedback, and information. BLM
will use these responses to determine whether or not to continue the
pilot program, and, if the program is continued, what improvements to
make.
The questions asked are: What state are you from? What city? How
did you learn about this site? Will you be participating in the
Internet adoption? What more could we do to make you want to adopt
using the Internet? Have you adopted any BLM wild horses or burros
before? Would you be more willing to adopt if you could pick up the
horses closer to your home? How could we improve this site? Any other
comments or suggestions? To respond to these questions, participants
would use ``Yes'' or ``No'' radio buttons, drop down selection menus,
or blank screens, depending upon the question.
The Wild Horse and Burro Internet Adoption Program could
potentially be implemented with a general request for comments and
suggestions, but a specific set of questions is more likely to generate
responses useful to BLM's Eastern States Office in improving the
website and the overall management of the adoption program.
BLM estimates that it will take an average of 3 minutes for each
electronic response, and that the number of respondents will be 600
annually. The estimated annual burden hours is 30. Each response is
voluntary. The respondents are potential adopters of wild horses and
burros.
Anyone interested in the HTML code for the questions and format may
obtain a copy from the individual named in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section.
BLM will summarize all responses to this notice and include them in
the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of
public record.
Dated: June 15, 1998.
Carole J. Smith,
Bureau of Land Management Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-16740 Filed 6-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M
