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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Submission of Study Package for Office of Management and Budget

Review Opportunity for Public Comment

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Big Cypress

National Preserve.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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ABSTRACT: The National Park Service (NPS) and Virginia Polytechnic

Institute and State University propose to conduct a survey of the

current amount and distribution of Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) use within

the Big Cypress National Preserve. The goal is to learn about this use

with respect to vehicle type, recreation activity type, and management

unit location of use. Results will be used by park planners, park

managers, and members of the public in considering alternative ORV

management options. The study package including two proposed survey

questionnaires 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 document the current

amount and distribution of ORV use, by vehicle type, recreation

activity type, and management unit, within the Preserve. Existing use

patterns are inadequately documented. Data gathered will be summarized

and incorporated into the

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ORV Plan and used by park planners, park managers, and members of the

public in planning and management decision making activities. This

information will be used to characterize existing ORV use and form the

basis for consideration of alternative management options.

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 for this survey at Big

Cypress National Preserve.

The NPS is requesting OMB to process this ICR under the emergency

processing provision with a decision date of two weeks after OMB

receives the request but no later than November 15, 1996.

DATES: Public comments will be accepted for thirty days from the date

listed at the top of this page in the Federal Register.

SEND COMMENTS TO: Jeffrey L. Marion, Ph.D., Unit Leader, Cooperative

Park Studies Unit, Department of Forestry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg,

VA 24061-0324; or to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for

OMB, Attention Desk Officer for the Interior Department, Office of

Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE SUBMITTED FOR

OMB REVIEW, CONTACT: Jeff Marion, 540-231-6603.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Big Cypress National Preserve Off-Road Vehicle Permit Holder

Survey.

Form: Not applicable.

OMB Number: To be assigned.

Expiration Date: To be assigned.

Type of Request: Request for new clearance.

Description of Need: The National Park Service needs information

about the amount and distribution of ORV use within the Preserve to

support development of an ORV Vehicle Management Plan. The proposed

information to be collected is not available from existing records,

sources, or observations.

Description of Respondents: Individuals who currently hold NPS-

issued ORV permits.

Estimated Average Number of Respondents: 1,500.

Estimated Average Number of Responses: 1,050.

Estimated Average Burden Hours Per Response: 30 minutes.

Estimated Annual Reporting Burden: 525 hours.

Estimated Frequency of Response: One time in a one month period

once during the year's duration of the study.

Dated: October 22, 1996.

Terry N. Tesar,

Information Collection Clearance Officer, Audits and Accountability

Team, National Park Service.

[FR Doc. 96-27482: Filed 10-24-96: 8:45 am]

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