2024-12088. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget; Urban Bird Treaty Program Requirements

AGENCY:

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to renew a currently approved information collection without change.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before July 3, 2024.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days of publication of this notice at https://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 the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB (JAO/3W), 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or by email to [e-mail]. Please reference 1018-0183 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this ICR, contact Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, by email at [e-mail], or by telephone at [phone]. 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.

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 general 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.

On January 26, 2024, we published in the Federal Register (89 FR 5255) a notice of our intent to request that OMB approve this information collection. In that notice, we solicited comments for 60 days, ending on March 26, 2024. In an effort to increase public awareness of, and participation in, our public commenting processes associated with information collection requests, the Service also published the Federal Register notice on Regulations.gov (Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2024-0006). We received the following comments in response to that notice:

Comment 1: Anonymous electronic comment received 02/02/2024 via Regulations.gov (FWS-HQ-MB-2024-0006-0002): I recommend we keep all public lands in public hands, and continually add more lands to the public holding. The forest service land exchange in Summit County CO was a massive mistake and should never have happened. Summit County should have prevented the over development of second, third or more homes in the mountain valley. Over development, property investment speculation has brought more problems than just a housing shortage for workers. The Forest Service should have put the problem right on the county who should use eminent domain on hotels and condominiums to solve their problem.

Now you have radicals like Mike Lee of Utah who wants to give public lands to developers to continue to over develop Salt Lake Valley. The state of Utah has for decades failed to clean the air and created a water shortage by over developing. The Federal government should not contribute to the problems created by the State government. The public lands in urban, rural, and suburban areas should always have the priority of open space for wildlife.

Agency Response to Comment 1: The commenter did not address the information collection requirements; therefore, no response is required.

Comment 2: Anonymous electronic comment received 03/17/2024 via Regulations.gov (FWS-HQ-MB-2024-0006-0003): Please do your best to protect these birds and to care for them well.

Agency Response to Comment 2: The commenter did not address the information collection requirements; therefore, no response is required.

Comment 3: Electronic comment received 03/25/2024 via Regulations.gov (FWS-HQ-MB-2024-0006-0004) from Kyara Garcia Rodriguez: The Forest Service plays a crucial role in the management and protection of national forests and grasslands, which are essential for conserving biodiversity, storing carbon, regulating water quality, and promoting outdoor recreation. These ecosystems serve as homes for numerous plant and animal species, including those that are at risk of extinction. Through their responsible care, the Forest Service helps to guarantee the sustainable utilization of natural resources, lessen the effects of climate change, and preserve the ecological harmony of these significant landscapes.

The Urban Bird Treaty Program Requirements are crucial for supporting bird conservation in urban areas, where factors like habitat loss and pollution threaten bird populations. The program fosters partnerships between federal agencies, local governments, and community organizations to safeguard bird species, preserve urban habitats, and involve residents in conservation efforts. Recognizing the significance of the Urban Bird Treaty, Program emphasizes the importance of urban bird conservation and encourages collaborative efforts to address the unique challenges faced by birds in cities. Prioritizing the protection of urban bird populations can help preserve biodiversity, enhance urban ecosystems, and strengthen the bond between people and nature in urban settings.

Agency Response to Comment 3: No action was taken as this comment is a statement of support for the program.

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. 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 Urban Bird Treaty Program (UBT Program) is administered through the Service's Migratory Bird Program, under the authority of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661-667e). The UBT Program supports partnerships of public and private organizations and individuals working to conserve migratory birds and their habitats in urban areas for the benefit of these species and the people that live in urban areas. The UBT partners' habitat conservation activities help to ensure that more natural areas, including forests, grasslands, wetlands, and meadows, are available in urban areas, so that historically excluded and underserved communities can have improved access to green space and opportunities to engage in habitat restoration and community science as well as bird-related recreation and educational programs. These habitat restoration activities, especially urban forest conservation, also contribute to climate resiliency by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Lights-out programs in UBT cities help reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the use of electricity when people and businesses turn off their lights between dusk and dawn during the fall and spring periods of bird migration in order to reduce bird collisions with building glass.

The Service designates UBT cities or municipalities through a process in which applicants submit a nomination package, including a letter of intention and an implementation plan, for approval by the Service's Migratory Bird Program. Within 3 months, the Service reviews the package, makes any necessary recommendations for changes, and then decides to either approve or reject the package. If rejected, the city can reapply the following year. In most cases, when the Service designates a new city partner, the Service and the new city partner hold a signing ceremony, during which a representative from both the Service and the city sign a nonbinding document that states the importance of conserving birds and their habitats to the health and well-being of people that live in and visit the city. To maintain this city partner designation, the city must submit information on the activities it has carried out to meet the goals of the UBT Program, including those related to bird habitat conservation, bird hazard reduction, and bird-related community education and engagement. By helping make cities healthier places for birds and people, the UBT Program contributes to the Administration's priorities of justice and racial equity, climate resiliency, and the President's Executive Order 14008 to protect 30 percent of the Nation's land and 30 percent of its ocean areas by 2030.

The UBT program benefits city partners in many ways, including:

• Helps city partners achieve their goals for making cities healthier places for birds and people.
• Provides opportunities to share and learn from other city partners' tools, tactics, successes, and challenges, to advance city partners' urban bird conservation efforts.
• Strengthens the cohesion and effectiveness of the partnerships by coming together and working under the banner of the UBT Program.
• Gives city partners improved access to funding through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration grant program, as UBT cities receive priority in this program.
• Helps partners garner additional funds through other urban conservation grant programs that have shared goals and objectives.
• Helps partners achieve green building credits, reduced energy costs, green space requirements, environmental equity, and other sustainability goals.
• Promotes the livability and sustainability of partner cities by spreading the word about the city's UBT Federal designation and all the benefits of a green and bird-friendly city.

We collect the following information from prospective and successful applicants in conjunction with the UBT Program:

• Nomination Letter —A prospective applicant must submit a letter of intention from the city's partnership that details its commitment to urban bird conservation and community engagement in bird-related education, recreation, conservation, science, and monitoring. Support and involvement by the city government are required.
• Implementation Plan —The required implementation plan should contain the following (see the UBT Program Guidebook at https://www.fws.gov/​media/​us-fish-wildlife-service-urban-bird-treaty-program-guidebook-v4-making-cities-healthier for full descriptions of requirements):

—Detailed description of the importance of the city to migrating, nesting, and overwintering birds and bird habitats; human population size of the city; and socioeconomic profile of the human communities present and those targeted for education and engagement programs.

—Map of the geographic area that is being nominated for designation.

—List of individuals and organizations active in the partnership, and their contact information.

—The mission, goals, and objectives of the partnership applying for designation, organized by the three UBT goal categories.

—Description of accomplishments ( e.g., activities, products, outcomes) that have been completed over the last 2-3 years, the audiences and communities reached/engaged through those activities, and the partner organizations that have achieved them, organized by UBT goal categories.

—Description of goals, objectives, activities, actions, and tools/products that are being planned for the next 3-5 years under the UBT designation; the objectives to be accomplished; the audiences and communities targeted for engagement; and the partners who will complete the work, organized by UBT goal categories.

• Ad Hoc Reports —The Service will also request information updates on an ongoing basis, on UBT city points of contact, activities and events, and other information about urban bird conservation in the city, as needed by the Service for storytelling, promotion, and internal programmatic communications, education, and outreach.
• Biennial Reporting —For each goal category, the Service requires city partners to provide biennial metrics, as well as written and photographic descriptions of activities. To maintain their city's designation by ensuring that they are actively working to achieve the goals of the UBT Program, city partners are required to submit this information.

We will use the information collected for storytelling purposes to promote the urban bird conservation work of city partners, and to enable the Migratory Bird Program to develop UBT Program accomplishment reports and other communications tools to share with the public and the conservation community at large. The reporting requirement ensures that the UBT city designation is meaningful and that city partners are accountable for the efforts that they agreed to undertake to earn their designation. Additionally, we will use the information to promote the UBT Program to other interested city partners and the benefits of urban bird conservation generally.

The public may request copies of documents referenced in this information collection by sending a request to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer in ADDRESSES , above.

Title of Collection: Urban Bird Treaty Program Requirements.

OMB Control Number: 1018-0183.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Nonprofits; colleges, universities, and schools; museums, zoos, and aquaria; local community groups; private businesses; and municipal, State, and Tribal governments involved in urban bird conservation in UBT cities.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 55.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 121.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: Varies from 3 hours to 80 hours, depending on activity.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2,400.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.

Frequency of Collection: One-time submission of nomination letter; one-time submission of implementation plan; on occasion for information updates; and biennial reporting.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not 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.).

Madonna Baucum,

Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.