Submission of Study Package for Office of Management and Budget Review Opportunity for Public Comment

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Submission of Study Package for Office of Management and Budget

Review Opportunity for Public Comment

AGENCY: National Park Service, Guadalupe Mountains National Park,

Interior

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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ABSTRACT: The National Park Service and University of Texas at El Paso

propose to conduct a survey of visitors to Guadalupe Mountains National

Park. The goal is to learn visitor demographics and visitors' opinions

about services and facilities in the park. Results will be used by

managers to improve services, protect resources and better serve the

visitors. The study package including the proposed survey questionnaire

has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review.

SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

and 5 CFR part 1320, Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements, the NPS

invites public comment on a proposed information collection request

(ICR).

Comments are invited on: (1) The need for the information including

whether the information has practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the

reporting burden estimate; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility,

and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to

minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents,

including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

The primary purpose of the proposed ICR is to compare and contrast

any significant differences between park users from three apparently

different visitor use seasons of spring, summer, and fall. This

proposed collection of information will be accomplished using a mail-

back questionnaire focusing on information that is not readily

available from registers at visitor centers, trailheads, or camping

permits. The range of issues in the questionnaire will assess (1)

visitor information sources inside and outside the park, (2) visitor

travel flow within the park, (3) visitor evaluation of existing and

desired facilities, programs or activities, and (4) visitor perceptions

of crowding or solitude in wilderness and developed areas. This data is

needed to plan for future management actions that would protect park

resources and provide visitor services.

SEND COMMENTS TO: Superintendent, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, HC

60 Box 400, Salt Flat, TX 79847-9801.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE SUBMITTED FOR

OMB REVIEW, CONTACT: Fred Armstrong, Resource Management Specialist, at

(915) 828-3251 ext. 132, or Jacqueline Bergdahl, Department of

Sociology, UTEP AT (915) 747-6812.

There were no public comments received or submitted to OMB for

review as a result of publishing a 60 day notice of intention to

request clearance of information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Visitor Survey--Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

Form: Not applicable.

OMB Number: To be assigned.

Expiration Date: To be assigned.

Type of Request: Request for new clearance.

Description of Need: To evaluate significant differences in visitor

activities and visitor perceptions during three apparently different

visitor use seasons of spring, summer and fall. The proposed

information to be collected is not available from existing records,

sources, or observations.

Description of Respondents: Individuals or groups of park visitors.

Estimated Annual Reporting Burden: 800 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Hours Per Response: 12 minutes.

Estimated Average Number of Respondents: 4,000.

Estimated Frequency of Response: For a 7 day period each during the

visitor use seasons of spring, summer, and fall, for a total of 21 days

of survey.

Terry N. Tesar,

Information Collection Clearance Officer, Management Services Division,

National Park Service.

[FR Doc. 96-13362 Filed 5-28-96; 8:45 am]

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