Information Collection To Be Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval Under the Paperwork Reduction Act

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Information Collection To Be Submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval Under the Paperwork Reduction

Act

SUMMARY: The collection of information described below will be

submitted to OMB for approval 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: Comments must be submitted on or before February 9, 1998.

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: Kenneth L. Grannemann, Chief, Branch

of Visitor Services, Division of Refuges, 703/358-2029; or Phadrea

Ponds, Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO,

970/226-9445.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Service proposes to submit the following

information collection clearance requirements to OMB for review and

approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13.

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 to be collected; and, (4) ways

to 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.

Congress authorized a recreation fee demonstration program in Pub.

L. 104-134. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was one of the four

agencies mandated to implement the program and evaluate its impact on

the visiting public. This study is designed to scientifically evaluate

visitor reactions and impact of the fees on visitation to the national

wildlife refuges (NWR); it will be conducted by the U.S. Geological

Survey Biological Resources Divisions Social Economic and Institutional

Analysis Section in Fort Collins, Colorado under a cooperative

agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

To represent the various types of fee changes, as well as fee

demonstration refuges, six distinct fee programs and ten refuges were

selected for inclusion in the study. These include (1) new entrance

fees (Sacramento NWR, CA and Arkansas NWR, TX); (2) increased entrance

fees (Dungeness NWR, WA); (3) new annual passes (Chincoteaque NWR, VA

and Crab Orchard NWR, IL); (4) new hunt fees (St. Catherine's Creek

NWR, MS and Balcones NWR, TX); (5) non-hunt use permits (Buenos Aires

NWR, AZ and Fort Niobrara NWR, NE) and (6) non-fee adjustments

(Piedmont NWR, GA). Random samples of individuals using these refuges

will be surveyed. The Service plans to use as part of the evaluation

process a survey questionnaire to assess the different fee programs. An

on-site questionnaire will be distributed during the peak season to a

random sample of the visiting public. A minimum of 400 completed

surveys will be obtained for each fee type. An additional 200 surveys

will be obtained from Sacramento NWR to allow for examination of credit

card entrances as well as new entrance fees in general. Overall, this

will result in a total sample of 2,600 respondents. The margin of error

for each fee type is 5% at the 95% confidence level. The

information gained from this survey will provide a scientific basis for

evaluating the viability of the fee program among the visiting public.

The lead project officer is Dr. Jonathan G. Taylor, Research Social

Scientist, phone 970-226-9438, 4512 McMurry Avenue, Fort Collins, CO

80525-3400.

Title: Evaluation of visitor responses to recreation fee

demonstration programs.

Bureau form number: None.

Frequency of collection: One time.

Description of respondents: Individuals and households.

Number of respondents: 2,600.

Estimated completion time: 10 minutes.

Burden estimate: 433 hours.

Dated: December 4, 1997.

Jeffery M. Donahoe,

Acting Assistant Director, Refuges and Wildlife.

[FR Doc. 97-32422 Filed 12-10-97; 8:45 am]

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