[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 123 (Friday, June 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34913-34915]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16980]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Information Collection Renewal To Be Submitted to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval Under the Paperwork Reduction
Act
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Information collection; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The collection of information described below has been
submitted to OMB for renewal under the provisions of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995. Copies of specific information collection
requirements, related forms and explanatory material may be obtained by
contacting the Service Information Collection Clearance officer at the
address and/or phone numbers listed below.
DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received on or
before July 27, 1998.
[[Page 34914]]
ADDRESSES: Comments and suggestions on specific requirements should be
sent to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, MS 222 ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC
20240.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: E. LaVerne Smith, Chief, Division of
Endangered Species, 703/358-2171.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service)
has submitted the following information collection clearance
requirements to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13. A previous
60 day notice on this information collection requirement was published
in the Federal Register on January 6, 1998 (63 FR 1490-91) inviting
public comment. No comments on the previous notice were received as of
March 10, 1998. Emergency approval for this information collection
requirement was cleared on January 29, 1998 under OMB control number
1018-0096. Pursuant to this renewal, comments are invited on (1)
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) the accuracy of the
agency's estimate of burden, including the validity of the methodology
and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the 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. The information collections in this program will not be
part of a system of records covered by the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C.
552(a)).
Experimental populations established under section 10(j) of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended, require information
collection and reporting to the Service. Section 9 of the ESA describes
prohibited acts involving threatened or endangered species (16 U.S.C.
section 1538 (a)(1)(B)). There are three major categories of
information collected under the already issued experimental population
rules. To date these categories have encompassed information relating
to: (1) The general taking or removal of individuals of an experimental
population, and (2) the authorized taking of individuals related to
reports of depredation on livestock or pets caused by individuals that
are part of an experimental population and (3) the collection of
specimens or the recovery of dead animals that are part of an
experimental population. These three categories have adequately
described the types of information needed to evaluate the efficacy of
the program and are expected to continue to accurately describe
activities under the program.
Because individuals of designated experimental populations for
species listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA are
categorically protected, documentation of human-related mortalities,
recovery of dead specimens and other types of take related to the
status of experimental populations is important to the Service in order
to monitor the success of reintroduction efforts, and recovery efforts
in general. In order to minimize potential conflict with humans which
could undermine recovery efforts, livestock depredations connected with
experimental populations of listed species require prompt attention for
purposes of determining the location, timing, and nature of the
predatory behavior involved, accurate determination of the species
responsible for a livestock kill, and the timely application of
necessary control measures.
The Service, in cooperation with the USDA/APHIS Division of
Wildlife Services or other cooperating State or Federal agencies,
relies on prompt public reporting of depredation in order to resolve
livestock related problems, and therefore a time sensitive requirement
for reporting problems (generally within 24 hours) to the appropriate
Service office is necessary. Information collection is achieved
primarily by means of telephone calls by members of the public to
Service offices specified in the individual rules (some may choose to
use facsimile or electronic mail). Information required is limited to
the identity of the caller, species involved, time and place of an
incident, the type of incident, and circumstances related to the
incident described. The vast majority of the information supplied to
the Service as a result of experimental population regulations, is
provided by cooperating State and Federal agencies under cooperative
agreement. However, some of the information collected by the Service
under the experimental population rules is provided by the public.
The collected information can be separated into three categories;
general take or removal, depredation related take, and specimen
collection. General take or removal information refers to human related
mortality including unintentional taking incidental to otherwise lawful
activities (e.g. highway mortalities), take in defense of human life,
take related to defense of property (if authorized) or take in the form
of authorized harassment. Most contacts related to this type of
information collection are in regard to sightings of experimental
animals, or the inadvertent discovery of an injured or dead individual.
Depredation related take refers to the reporting of take for management
purposes, where livestock depredation has been documented or may
include authorized harassment or lethal take of experimental animals in
the act of attacking livestock. The information collection required by
the rules for this type of take include the necessary follow-up reports
after the Service has authorized harassment or lethal take of
experimental animals in relation to confirmed instances of livestock
depredation or in defense of human life. Specimen collection is for the
purpose of documenting incidental or authorized scientific collection.
Most of the information collection requirement for this take pertains
primarily to the reporting of sightings of experimental population
animals or the inadvertent discovery of an injured or dead individual.
Information collection is required for necessary follow-up reports when
the Service has authorized take of experimental animals for specimen
collection.
The standard information collection includes the name, address, and
phone number of the reporting party, location and time of the reported
incident, species of experimental population involved. Reporting
parties include, but are not limited to, individuals or households,
farms, businesses, and other non-profit organizations. The reporting of
specimen collections, recovery, or even the reporting of dead
individuals from experimental populations is important to the Service's
efforts in monitoring these individuals and for other scientific
purposes.
Because the number of reports generated annually by the general
public (rather than cooperating agencies or separately permitted
individuals) under these rules is extremely small (far less than one
report per year, per rule) and to assure thorough documentation of
results, the Service is estimating the number of expected reports to
assume a maximum number per year based on allowance for increased
population size and public awareness of this experimental population.
The following nonessential experimental population rule for the
Mexican wolf is described under Title 50 of the Code of Federal
Regulations and contains information collection requirements:
[[Page 34915]]
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Species
50 CFR section (scientific name) Type of reporting
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17.84(k) (63 FR1752)............ Mexican wolf Take in defense of
(Canis lupus human life,
baileyi). incidental take,
take related to
livestock
depredation.
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Title: Endangered and Threatened Wildlife, 50 CFR 17.84,
Experimental populations.
Description of respondents: private individuals and households,
businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and farms.
Bureau number: N/A.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Burden Estimates for Reporting Requirements for the Nonessential
Experimental Population of the Mexican Wolf-Endangered Species
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Average
Number of time
Type of report reports required Burden
annually per report hours
(minutes)
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General take or removal a........ 2 15 \1/2\
Depredation related take b....... 8 15 2
Specimen collection c............ 2 15 \1/2\
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a General take or removal includes human related mortality including
unintentional taking incidental to otherwise lawful activities (e.g.
highway mortalities), take in defense of human life, take related to
defense of property (if authorized) or take in the form of authorized
harassment.
b Depredation related take is take for management purposes where
livestock depredation has been documented and may include authorized
harassment or authorized lethal take of experimental animals in the
act of attacking livestock.
c Specimen collection, recovery, or reporting of dead individuals from
experimental populations for documentation purposes or authorized
scientific collection purposes.
Dated: May 14, 1998.
Richard Hannan,
Acting Assistant Director--Ecological Services.
[FR Doc. 98-16980 Filed 6-25-98; 8:45 am]
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