82_FR_31009 82 FR 30883 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Conservation Order for Light Geese

82 FR 30883 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Conservation Order for Light Geese

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 126 (July 3, 2017)

Page Range30883-30884
FR Document2017-13883

We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Service) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. This information collection is scheduled to expire on April 30, 2018. We 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.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 126 (Monday, July 3, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 126 (Monday, July 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30883-30884]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13883]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-MB-2017-N088; FF09M21200-167-FXMB1231099BPP0; OMB Control 
Number 1018-0103]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Conservation Order for 
Light Geese

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Service) will ask the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information 
collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork 
and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal 
agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. This 
information collection is scheduled to expire on April 30, 2018. We 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.

DATES: To ensure that we are able to consider your comments on this IC, 
we must receive them by September 1, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the IC to the Service Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 
5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or 
[email protected] (email). Please include ``1018-0103'' in the subject 
line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Service Information Collection 
Clearance Officer at [email protected] (email) or (703) 358-2503 
(telephone).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (Act; 16 U.S.C. 703-712) implements 
the four bilateral migratory bird treaties the United States entered 
into with Great Britain (for Canada), Mexico, Japan, and Russia. The 
Act authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Interior to allow 
hunting, taking, etc., of migratory birds subject to the provisions of 
and in order to carry out the purposes of the four treaties. Section 
VII of the U.S.-Canada Migratory Bird Treaty authorizes the taking of 
migratory birds that, under extraordinary conditions, become seriously 
injurious to agricultural or other interests.
    The number of light geese (lesser snow, greater snow, and Ross' 
geese) in the midcontinent region has nearly quadrupled during the past 
several decades, due to a decline in adult mortality and an increase in 
winter survival. We refer to these species and subspecies as light 
geese because of their light coloration, as opposed to dark geese, such 
as white-fronted or Canada geese. Because of their feeding activity, 
light geese have become seriously injurious to their habitat, as well 
as to habitat important to other migratory birds. This poses a serious 
threat to the short- and long-term health and status of some migratory 
bird populations. We believe that the number of light geese in the 
midcontinent region has exceeded long-term sustainable levels for their 
arctic and subarctic breeding habitats, and that the populations must 
be reduced. Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at part 
21 provides authority for the management of overabundant light geese.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 21.60 authorize States and tribes in the 
midcontinent and Atlantic flyway regions to control light geese within 
the United States through the use of alternative regulatory strategies. 
The conservation order authorizes States and tribes to implement 
population control measures without having to obtain a Federal permit, 
thus significantly reducing their administrative burden. The 
conservation order is a streamlined process that affords an efficient 
and effective population reduction strategy, rather than addressing the 
issue through our permitting process. Furthermore, this strategy 
precludes the use of more drastic and costly direct population-
reduction measures such as trapping and culling geese. States and 
tribes participating in the conservation order must:
     Designate participants and inform them of the requirements 
and conditions of the conservation order. Individual States and tribes 
determine the method to designate participants and how they will 
collect information from participants.
     Keep records of activities carried out under the authority 
of the conservation order, including:
    (1) Number of persons participating in the conservation order;
    (2) Number of days people participated in the conservation order;
    (3) Number of light geese shot and retrieved under the conservation 
order; and
    (4) Number of light geese shot, but not retrieved.
     Submit an annual report summarizing the activities 
conducted under the conservation order on or before September 15 of 
each year. Tribal information can be incorporated in State reports to 
reduce the number of reports submitted.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1018-0103.
    Title: Conservation Order for Light Geese, 50 CFR 21.60.
    Service Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Description of Respondents: State and tribal governments; 
individuals who participate in the conservation order.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Annual number     Number of     Total annual                                             Annual burden
                    Activity                     of respondents  responses each     responses          Completion time per response           hours *
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conservation Order for Control of Light Geese
 (State/Tribal Governments):
    Reporting..................................              39               1              39  42 hours...............................           1,638
    Recordkeeping..............................                                                  3 hours................................             117
Conservation Order Participants--Provide
 Information to States (Individuals or
 Households):

[[Page 30884]]

 
    Reporting..................................          21,538               1          21,538  8 minutes..............................           2,872
                                                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Total..................................          21,577  ..............          21,577  .......................................           4,627
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Rounded.

    Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden Cost: $78,000, primarily for State 
overhead costs (materials, printing, postage, etc.).

III. Comments

    We invite comments concerning this information collection on:
     Whether or not the collection of information is necessary, 
including whether or not the information will have practical utility;
     The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this 
collection of information;
     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 respondents.
    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 IC. 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.

IV. Authorities

    The authorities for this action are the Migratory Bird Treaty Act 
(16 U.S.C. 703-712) and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.).

    Dated: June 27, 2017.
Madonna L. Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-13883 Filed 6-30-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P



                                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 126 / Monday, July 3, 2017 / Notices                                                       30883

                                                97.046, Fire Management Assistance Grant;                             Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041–                 strategies. The conservation order
                                                97.048, Disaster Housing Assistance to                                3803 (mail); or Info_Coll@fws.gov                      authorizes States and tribes to
                                                Individuals and Households In Presidentially                          (email). Please include ‘‘1018–0103’’ in               implement population control measures
                                                Declared Disaster Areas; 97.049,
                                                                                                                      the subject line of your comments.                     without having to obtain a Federal
                                                Presidentially Declared Disaster Assistance—
                                                Disaster Housing Operations for Individuals                           FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                       permit, thus significantly reducing their
                                                and Households; 97.050, Presidentially                                Service Information Collection                         administrative burden. The
                                                Declared Disaster Assistance to Individuals                           Clearance Officer at Info_Coll@fws.gov                 conservation order is a streamlined
                                                and Households—Other Needs; 97.036,                                   (email) or (703) 358–2503 (telephone).                 process that affords an efficient and
                                                Disaster Grants—Public Assistance                                     SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                             effective population reduction strategy,
                                                (Presidentially Declared Disasters); 97.039,                                                                                 rather than addressing the issue through
                                                Hazard Mitigation Grant.)                                             I. Abstract                                            our permitting process. Furthermore,
                                                Robert J. Fenton,                                                        The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (Act;                 this strategy precludes the use of more
                                                Acting Administrator, Federal Emergency                               16 U.S.C. 703–712) implements the four                 drastic and costly direct population-
                                                Management Agency.                                                    bilateral migratory bird treaties the                  reduction measures such as trapping
                                                [FR Doc. 2017–13842 Filed 6–30–17; 8:45 am]                           United States entered into with Great                  and culling geese. States and tribes
                                                BILLING CODE 9111–23–P                                                Britain (for Canada), Mexico, Japan, and               participating in the conservation order
                                                                                                                      Russia. The Act authorizes and directs                 must:
                                                                                                                      the Secretary of the Interior to allow                    • Designate participants and inform
                                                DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR                                            hunting, taking, etc., of migratory birds              them of the requirements and
                                                                                                                      subject to the provisions of and in order              conditions of the conservation order.
                                                Fish and Wildlife Service                                             to carry out the purposes of the four                  Individual States and tribes determine
                                                                                                                      treaties. Section VII of the U.S.-Canada               the method to designate participants
                                                [FWS–HQ–MB–2017–N088; FF09M21200–
                                                                                                                      Migratory Bird Treaty authorizes the                   and how they will collect information
                                                167–FXMB1231099BPP0; OMB Control
                                                Number 1018–0103]                                                     taking of migratory birds that, under                  from participants.
                                                                                                                      extraordinary conditions, become                          • Keep records of activities carried
                                                Agency Information Collection                                         seriously injurious to agricultural or                 out under the authority of the
                                                Activities: Conservation Order for                                    other interests.                                       conservation order, including:
                                                Light Geese                                                              The number of light geese (lesser                      (1) Number of persons participating in
                                                                                                                      snow, greater snow, and Ross’ geese) in                the conservation order;
                                                AGENCY:   Fish and Wildlife Service,                                  the midcontinent region has nearly
                                                Interior.                                                                                                                       (2) Number of days people
                                                                                                                      quadrupled during the past several                     participated in the conservation order;
                                                ACTION: Notice; request for comments.                                 decades, due to a decline in adult                        (3) Number of light geese shot and
                                                                                                                      mortality and an increase in winter                    retrieved under the conservation order;
                                                SUMMARY:   We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife
                                                                                                                      survival. We refer to these species and                and
                                                Service, Service) will ask the Office of
                                                                                                                      subspecies as light geese because of
                                                Management and Budget (OMB) to                                                                                                  (4) Number of light geese shot, but not
                                                                                                                      their light coloration, as opposed to dark
                                                approve the information collection (IC)                                                                                      retrieved.
                                                                                                                      geese, such as white-fronted or Canada
                                                described below. As required by the                                                                                             • Submit an annual report
                                                                                                                      geese. Because of their feeding activity,
                                                Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and                                                                                          summarizing the activities conducted
                                                                                                                      light geese have become seriously
                                                as part of our continuing efforts to                                                                                         under the conservation order on or
                                                                                                                      injurious to their habitat, as well as to
                                                reduce paperwork and respondent                                                                                              before September 15 of each year. Tribal
                                                                                                                      habitat important to other migratory
                                                burden, we invite the general public and                                                                                     information can be incorporated in State
                                                                                                                      birds. This poses a serious threat to the
                                                other Federal agencies to take this                                                                                          reports to reduce the number of reports
                                                                                                                      short- and long-term health and status of
                                                opportunity to comment on this IC. This                                                                                      submitted.
                                                                                                                      some migratory bird populations. We
                                                information collection is scheduled to
                                                                                                                      believe that the number of light geese in              II. Data
                                                expire on April 30, 2018. We may not
                                                                                                                      the midcontinent region has exceeded
                                                conduct or sponsor and a person is not                                                                                          OMB Control Number: 1018–0103.
                                                                                                                      long-term sustainable levels for their
                                                required to respond to a collection of                                                                                          Title: Conservation Order for Light
                                                                                                                      arctic and subarctic breeding habitats,
                                                information unless it displays a                                                                                             Geese, 50 CFR 21.60.
                                                                                                                      and that the populations must be
                                                currently valid OMB control number.                                                                                             Service Form Number(s): None.
                                                                                                                      reduced. Title 50 of the Code of Federal
                                                DATES: To ensure that we are able to                                                                                            Type of Request: Extension of a
                                                                                                                      Regulations (CFR) at part 21 provides
                                                consider your comments on this IC, we                                 authority for the management of                        currently approved collection.
                                                must receive them by September 1,                                     overabundant light geese.                                 Description of Respondents: State and
                                                2017.                                                                    Regulations at 50 CFR 21.60 authorize               tribal governments; individuals who
                                                ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the                                  States and tribes in the midcontinent                  participate in the conservation order.
                                                IC to the Service Information Collection                              and Atlantic flyway regions to control                    Respondent’s Obligation: Required to
                                                Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and                                      light geese within the United States                   obtain or retain a benefit.
                                                Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 5275                                      through the use of alternative regulatory                 Frequency of Collection: Annually.

                                                                                                                                       Annual           Number of                             Completion          Annual
                                                                                                                                                                         Total annual
                                                                                   Activity                                          number of          responses                               time per          burden
                                                                                                                                                                          responses
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                                                    respondents            each                                response           hours *

                                                Conservation Order for Control of Light Geese (State/
                                                  Tribal Governments):
                                                    Reporting ...................................................................              39                   1                39   42 hours ...........         1,638
                                                    Recordkeeping ...........................................................                                                             3 hours .............          117
                                                Conservation Order Participants—Provide Information to
                                                  States (Individuals or Households):



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                                                30884                                    Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 126 / Monday, July 3, 2017 / Notices

                                                                                                                                           Annual           Number of                                  Completion                Annual
                                                                                                                                                                                    Total annual
                                                                                   Activity                                              number of          responses                                    time per                burden
                                                                                                                                                                                     responses
                                                                                                                                        respondents            each                                     response                 hours *

                                                     Reporting ...................................................................             21,538                          1          21,538   8 minutes ..........               2,872

                                                           Total ....................................................................          21,577    ........................         21,577   ...........................        4,627
                                                   * Rounded.


                                                  Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden                                       DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR                                    United States, and activities involving
                                                Cost: $78,000, primarily for State                                                                                                     migratory birds are prohibited except as
                                                overhead costs (materials, printing,                                     Fish and Wildlife Service                                     authorized by regulation. Under the
                                                postage, etc.).                                                          [FWS–HQ–MB–2017–N061; FF07CAFB00–                             MBTA, it is unlawful to take, possess,
                                                                                                                         178–FXFR13350700001]                                          import, export, transport, sell, purchase,
                                                III. Comments                                                                                                                          barter, or offer for sale, purchase, or
                                                                                                                         Agency Information Collection                                 barter migratory birds or their parts,
                                                  We invite comments concerning this
                                                                                                                         Activities: OMB Control Number 1018–                          nests, or eggs except as authorized by
                                                information collection on:
                                                                                                                         0146; Annual Report—Depredation                               regulation.
                                                  • Whether or not the collection of                                     Order for Blackbirds, Grackles,                                  This information collection is
                                                information is necessary, including                                      Cowbirds, Magpies, and Crows                                  associated with our regulations that
                                                whether or not the information will                                                                                                    implement the MBTA. In 2003, the
                                                have practical utility;                                                  AGENCY:   Fish and Wildlife Service,                          Service issued regulations at 50 CFR
                                                                                                                         Interior.                                                     21.43 establishing a depredation order
                                                  • The accuracy of our estimate of the                                  ACTION: Notice; request for comments.                         that authorize the take of blackbirds,
                                                burden for this collection of
                                                                                                                                                                                       cowbirds, crows, grackles, and magpies
                                                information;                                                             SUMMARY:   We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife
                                                                                                                                                                                       under certain circumstances. These
                                                  • Ways to enhance the quality, utility,                                Service, Service) will ask the Office of
                                                                                                                                                                                       regulations impose reporting and
                                                and clarity of the information to be                                     Management and Budget (OMB) to
                                                                                                                                                                                       recordkeeping requirements. In this
                                                                                                                         approve the information collection (IC)
                                                collected; and                                                                                                                         regulation is a depredation order that
                                                                                                                         described below. As required by the
                                                  • Ways to minimize the burden of the                                                                                                 authorizes take of blackbirds, cowbirds,
                                                                                                                         Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and
                                                collection of information on                                                                                                           grackles, crows, and magpies ‘‘when
                                                                                                                         as part of our continuing efforts to
                                                respondents.                                                                                                                           found committing or about to commit
                                                                                                                         reduce paperwork and respondent
                                                                                                                                                                                       depredations upon ornamental or shade
                                                  Comments that you submit in                                            burden, we invite the general public and
                                                                                                                                                                                       trees, agricultural crops, livestock, or
                                                response to this notice are a matter of                                  other Federal agencies to take this
                                                                                                                                                                                       wildlife, or when concentrated in such
                                                public record. We will include or                                        opportunity to comment on this IC. This
                                                                                                                                                                                       numbers and manner as to constitute a
                                                summarize each comment in our request                                    information collection is scheduled to
                                                                                                                                                                                       health hazard or other nuisance.’’
                                                to OMB to approve this IC. Before                                        expire on December 31, 2017. We may                              All persons or entities acting under
                                                including your address, phone number,                                    not conduct or sponsor and a person is                        this depredation order must provide an
                                                email address, or other personal                                         not required to respond to a collection                       annual report containing the following
                                                                                                                         of information unless it displays a                           information for each species:
                                                identifying information in your
                                                                                                                         currently valid OMB control number.                              • Number of birds taken,
                                                comment, you should be aware that
                                                your entire comment, including your                                      DATES: To ensure that we are able to                             • Months and years in which the
                                                                                                                         consider your comments on this IC, we                         birds were taken,
                                                personal identifying information, may
                                                                                                                         must receive them by September 1,                                • State(s) and county(ies) in which
                                                be made publicly available at any time.
                                                                                                                         2017.                                                         the birds were taken, and
                                                While you can ask us in your comment                                                                                                      • General purpose for which the birds
                                                to withhold your personal identifying                                    ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the
                                                                                                                         IC to the Service Information Collection                      were taken (such as for protection of
                                                information from public review, we                                                                                                     agriculture, human health and safety,
                                                cannot guarantee that we will be able to                                 Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and
                                                                                                                         Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 5275                              property, or natural resources).
                                                do so.                                                                                                                                    We collect this information so that we
                                                                                                                         Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041–
                                                IV. Authorities                                                          3803 (mail); or Info_Coll@fws.gov                             will be able to determine how many
                                                                                                                         (email). Please include ‘‘1018–0146’’ in                      birds of each species are taken each year
                                                  The authorities for this action are the                                the subject line of your comments.                            and whether the control actions are
                                                Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C.                                                                                                   likely to affect the populations of those
                                                                                                                         FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                703–712) and the Paperwork Reduction                                                                                                   species.
                                                                                                                         Service Information Collection
                                                Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).                                    Clearance Officer, at Info_Coll@fws.gov                       II. Data
                                                  Dated: June 27, 2017.                                                  (email) or (703) 358–2503 (telephone).                           OMB Control Number: 1018–0146.
                                                Madonna L. Baucum,                                                       SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                                       Title: Depredation Order for
                                                Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S.                           I. Abstract                                                   Blackbirds, Grackles, Cowbirds,
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES




                                                Fish and Wildlife Service.                                                                                                             Magpies, and Crows, 50 CFR 21.43.
                                                                                                                            The Migratory Bird Treaty Act                                 Service Form Number(s): FWS Form
                                                [FR Doc. 2017–13883 Filed 6–30–17; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                         (MBTA; 16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.)                                 3–202–21–2143.
                                                BILLING CODE 4333–15–P                                                   implements four treaties concerning                              Type of Request: Extension of a
                                                                                                                         migratory birds signed by the United                          currently approved collection.
                                                                                                                         States with Canada, Mexico, Japan, and                           Description of Respondents: State and
                                                                                                                         Russia. These treaties require we                             Federal wildlife damage management
                                                                                                                         preserve most species of birds in the                         personnel; farmers; and individuals.


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Document Created: 2018-11-14 10:20:10
Document Modified: 2018-11-14 10:20:10
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice; request for comments.
DatesTo ensure that we are able to consider your comments on this IC, we must receive them by September 1, 2017.
ContactService Information Collection Clearance Officer at [email protected] (email) or (703) 358-2503 (telephone).
FR Citation82 FR 30883 

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