Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Federal Duck Stamp) Contest

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 91

RIN 1018-AD71

Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Federal Duck

Stamp) Contest

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is revising the

regulations governing the conduct of the annual Migratory Bird Hunting

and Conservation Stamp (Federal Duck Stamp) Contest. This proposed rule

would allow the Service to keep pace with the increasing costs of

running the 1996-97 Federal Duck Stamp Contest (Contest) and cover

expenses associated with the program. The following changes are

proposed by the Service: eligible species list; deadline for submitting

entry; age requirement established to participate in contest; entry fee

increase; subject matter of entry; and contest voting procedures.

DATES: Comments concerning these amendments must be received no later

than April 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to: Manager of Licensing, Federal Duck Stamp

Contest, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior,

1849 C Street, NW, Suite 2058, Washington, D.C. 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Lita F. Edwards, (202) 208-4354.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Duck Stamp Contest is the only

Federal agency-run art contest and has been in existence since 1949

with the 1950 stamp the first to be selected in open competition. The

Federal Duck Stamp's main use is a revenue stamp needed by waterfowl

hunters. This year's Contest and species information follows:

1. Contest schedule:

1996-97 Federal Duck Stamp Contest--October 15-17, 1996

Public viewing--Tuesday, October 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Judging--Wednesday, October 16 at 10:30 a.m. through Thursday, October

17 at 9:00 a.m.

2. The Contest will be held at the Department of the Interior

building, Auditorium (C Street entrance), 1849 C Street, NW,

Washington, DC.

3. The five eligible species for the Contest: (1) Black Duck; (2)

Canada Goose; (3) Greater Scaup; (4) American Green-winged Teal; and

(5) Northern Pintail.

As part of an effort to keep pace with the cost of administering

and making minor improvements to the Contest, the Service proposes the

following changes to this year's contest:

1. The Service is correcting the common and Latin name of American

Green-winged Teal.

2. Persons wishing to enter this year's Contest may submit entries

anytime after July 1, but all entries must be postmarked no later than

midnight Friday, August 30, 1996.

3. The Service is increasing the fee for art contest entrants to

$100.00. Contest expenses have escalated each year and this increase

will defray Service expenses in administering the Contest.

4. The Service is requiring that all entrants must be 18 years of

age as of July 1 to participate in the Contest, as 18 is considered the

general age of majority by most jurisdictions.

5. The Service is clarifying that other living creatures, scenes,

designs may be part of the design as long as living migratory birds are

the dominant feature.

6. Contest procedures are modified for the third round of judging

to allow more consistent scores.

This regulation was not subject to Office of Management and Budget

review under Executive Order 12866. These proposed regulations have

been examined under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and have been

found to contain no information collection requirements. The Department

of the interior has determined that this regulation will not have

significant economic effect on a substantial number of small entities

under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) as the

changes/revisions to the Contest will affect individuals not businesses

or other small entities as defined in the Act. Due to tight timeframes

associated with the contest rules, the Service is allowing only 30 days

for public comment.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 91

Hunting, Wildlife.

Accordingly, Title 50, Part 91 of the Code of Federal Regulations

is proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 91--[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for Part 91 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 16 U.S.C. 718j; 31 U.S.C. 9701.

2. Section 91.4 is amended by revising paragraph (e)(4) to read as

follows:

Sec. 91.4 Eligible species.

* * * * *

(e) * * *

(4) American Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca carolinensis)

* * * * *

3. Section 91.11 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as

follows:

Sec. 91.11 Contest deadlines.

* * * * *

(b) Entries must be postmarked no later than midnight of August 30.

4. Section 91.12 is revised to read as follows:

Sec. 91.12 Contest eligibility.

United States citizens, nationals, or resident aliens are eligible

to participate in the contest. Any person who has won the contest

during the preceding three years will be ineligible to submit an entry

in the current year's contest. All entrants must be 18 years of age as

of July 1 to participate in the Federal Duck Stamp Contest. Contest

judges and their relatives are ineligible to submit an entry. All

entrants must submit a non-refundable fee of $100.00 by a cashiers

check, certified check, or money order made payable to: U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service. (Personal checks will not be accepted.) All entrants

must submit signed Reproduction Rights and Display and Participation

Agreements.

5. Section 91.14 is revised to read as follows:

Sec. 91.14 Restrictions on subject matter of entry.

A live portrayal of any bird(s) of the five or fewer identified

eligible species must be the dominant feature of the design. The design

may depict more than one of the eligible species. Designs may include,

but are not limited to, hunting dogs, hunting scenes, use of waterfowl

decoys, National Wildlife Refuges as the background of habitat scenes,

and other designs that depict the sporting, conservation, stamp

collecting and other uses of the stamp. The overall mandate will be to

select the best design that will make an interesting, useful and

attractive duck stamp that will be accepted and prized by hunters,

stamp collectors, conservationists, and others. The design must be the

contestant's original creation and may not be copied or duplicated from

previously published art, including photographs. An entry submitted in

a prior contest that was not selected for the Federal or a state stamp

design may be submitted in the current contest if it meets the above

criteria.

6. Section 91.24 is amended by revising paragraph (h) to read as

follows:

Sec. 91.24 Contest procedures.

* * * * *

(h) In the third round of judging, the judges will vote on the

remaining entries using the same method as in round two, except they

would indicate a numerical score from 3 to 5 for each entry. The

Contest Coordinator will tabulate the final votes and present them to

the Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who will announce the

winning entry as well as the entries that placed second and third.

* * * * *

Dated: March 1, 1996.

George T. Frampton, Jr.,

Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

[FR Doc. 96-6124 Filed 3-13-96; 8:45 am]

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