[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 13 (Monday, January 23, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7708-7711]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-01284]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Parts 13 and 22
[Docket No. FWS-R9-MB-2011-0094; FF09M20300-167-FXMB123109EAGLE]
RIN 1018-AY30
Eagle Permits; Revisions to Regulations for Eagle Incidental Take
and Take of Eagle Nests
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Final rule; information collection requirements.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), recently
published a final rule that revises the regulations for eagle
nonpurposeful take permits and eagle nest take permits. In that final
rule, we stated that the Office of Management (OMB) had not yet
approved the information collection requirements associated with the
rule. This document announces that OMB has now approved the information
collection requirements.
DATES: OMB approved the information collection requirements on January
6, 2017, for the final rule that published at 81 FR 91494 on December
16, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Relevant information and documents related to the eagle
permit rule may be found on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov
in Docket No. FWS-R9-MB-2011-0094. You may review the information
collection request online at http://www.reginfo.gov. Follow the
instructions to review Department of the Interior collections.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tina Campbell, Chief, Division of
Policy, Performance, and Management Programs; 703-358-2676.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), published a final
rule in the December 16, 2016, Federal Register (81 FR 91494) that
revises the regulations in part 22 of title 50 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) for eagle nonpurposeful take permits and eagle nest
take permits. Revisions included changes to permit issuance criteria
and duration, definitions, compensatory mitigation standards, criteria
for eagle nest removal permits, permit application requirements, and
fees. In the final rule, we stated that the Office of Management (OMB)
had not yet approved the information collection requirements associated
with the rule. We also stated that we would announce the approval via a
separate notification in the Federal Register. This document provides
that notification.
The following text sets forth the information collection
requirements approved by OMB:
Title: Eagle Take Permits and Fees, 50 CFR part 22.
OMB Control Number: 1018-0167.
Service Form Number(s): 3-200-71, 3-200-72.
Description of Respondents: Individuals and businesses. We expect
that the majority of applicants seeking
[[Page 7709]]
long-term permits will be in the energy production and electrical
distribution business.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Table 1 cites the total burden for this information collection.
Table 2 sets forth the changes in nonhour burden fees for eagle take
permits.
Table 1--Estimated Hour and Cost Burden for Long-Term Eagle Take Permits
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Average $ Value of
Annual completion time Total annual annual
Activity/requirement number of per response burden Cost/hour burden hours
responses (hours) (hours) (rounded)
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Preconstruction Monitoring Surveys....... 15 650 9,750 $34.26 $334,035
Preparation of Eagle Conservation Plan... 15 200 3,000 34.26 102,780
Postconstruction Monitoring.............. 15 700 10,500 34.26 359,730
Reporting Take of Eagles................. 10 2 20 34.26 685
Reporting Take of Threatened and 1 2 2 34.26 69
Endangered Species......................
Sec. 22.26(c)(7)(ii)--Permit reviews. 4 8 32 34.26 1,096
At no more than 5 years from the date a
permit that exceeds 5 years is issued,
and every 5 years thereafter, the
permittee compiles and submits to the
Service, eagle fatality data or other
pertinent information that is site-
specific for the project.\8\ (Footnote 8
may be found below table 2. Note that
the dollar value of the annual burden
cost is included in the $8,000 permit 5-
year permit review fee.)................
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Total................................ 60 1,562 23,304 ......... 798,395
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[[Page 7710]]
Table 2--Changes in Nonhour Burden Fees for Eagle Take Permits
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Previous approval Difference between previous 1018-
Activity/requirement under OMB Control No. Previous fee New fee Total previously approved nonhour Total new approved nonhour burden 0022 approval and new approval
1018-0022 burden costs costs
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3-200-71--application, Eagle Approval covered $500 Non-commercial.............. $500 Non-commercial.............. $12,500 Non-commercial........... $12,500 Non-commercial........... $0 Non-commercial.
Incidental Take (not programmatic number of responses $500 Commercial.................. $2,500 Commercial................ $60,000 Commercial............... $300,000 Commercial.............. +$240,000 Commercial.
or long-term) \1\. and annual burden
hours. The rule
revises fees and
nonhour costs.
3-200-72--application, Eagle Nest Approval covered $500 Non-commercial.............. $500 Non-commercial.............. $5,000 Non-commercial............ $5,000 Non-commercial............ $0 Non-commercial.
Take-single nest (formerly number of responses $500 Commercial.................. $2,500 Commercial................ $10,000 Commercial............... $50,000 Commercial............... +$40,000 Commercial.
``standard'') \2\. and annual burden
hours. The rule
revises fees and
nonhour costs.
3-200-72--application, Eagle Nest Approval covered $1,000........................... $500 Non-commercial.............. $0 \3\........................... $500 Non-commercial.............. +$500 Non-commercial.
Take-multiple nests (formerly number of responses $5,000 Commercial................ $40,000 Commercial............... +$40,000 Commercial.
``programmatic'') \3\. and annual burden
hours. The rule
revises fees and
nonhour costs.
3-200-71--Eagle Incidental Take Approval covered $150 Non-commercial.............. $150 Non-commercial.............. $300 Non-commercial.............. $300 Non-commercial.............. $0 Non-commercial.
Amendment-less than 5 years number of responses $150 Commercial.................. $500 Commercial.................. $2,700 \5\ Commercial............ $9,000 Commercial................ +$6,300 Commercial.
(formerly ``standard'') \4\. and annual burden
hours. The rule
revises fees and
nonhour costs.
3-200-72--Eagle Nest Take Approval covered $150 Non-commercial.............. $150 Non-commercial.............. $150 Non-commercial.............. $150 Non-commercial.............. $0 Non-commercial.
Amendment-single nest (formerly number of responses $150 Commercial.................. $500 Commercial.................. $600 \6\ Commercial.............. $2,000 Commercial................ +$1,400 Commercial.
``standard'') \4\. and annual burden
hours. The rule
revises fees and
nonhour costs.
3-200-71--Amendment-Eagle Approval covered $1,000 Commercial................ No Fee \7\....................... $1,000 Commercial................ ................................. - $1,000 Commercial.
Incidental Take-programmatic. number of responses
and annual burden
hours.
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NEW REPORTING REQUIREMENT AND NEW ADMINISTRATION FEE
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Sec. 22.26(c)(7)(ii)--Permit ..................... 0................................ $8,000........................... 0................................ $32,000.......................... +$32,000.
reviews. At no more than 5 years
from the date a permit that
exceeds 5 years is issued, and
every 5 years thereafter, the
permittee compiles and submits to
the Service eagle fatality data
or other pertinent information
that is site-specific for the
project.\8\.
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Total......................... ..................... ................................. ................................. $92,250.......................... $431,450......................... $359,200.
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\1\ Approved under 1018-0022: 145 annual responses (25 from individuals/households (homeowners) and 120 from the private sector (commercial), totaling 2,320 annual burden hours) (400 burden hours for individuals and 1,920 annual
burden hours for private sector); $500 permit fee for both individuals and private sector for a total nonhour burden cost of $72,500. The rule changes the application fees: Homeowner fee remains $500; private sector fee
(commercial) increases to $2,500. Total for 25 homeowners = $12,500; total for 125 commercial applicants = $300,000.
\2\ Approved under 1018-0022 (standard and programmatic permits were combined): 30 responses (10 from individuals/homeowners and 20 from private sector (commercial), totaling 480 burden hours) (160 hours (individuals) and 320 hours
(private sector)). Homeowner fee remains $500; private sector fee (commercial) increases to $2,500. Total for 10 homeowners = $5,000.; total for 20 commercial applicants = $50,000.
\3\ Approved under 1018-0022 (standard and programmatic permits were combined): 9 responses (1 from individuals/homeowners (noncommercial) and 8 from private sector (commercial), totaling 360 burden hours) (40 hours (individuals)
and 320 hours (private sector)). The homeowner fee increases to $500; private sector fee (commercial) increases to $5,000. Total for 1 homeowner = $500; total for 8 commercial = $40,000.
\4\ The amendments for standard nonpurposeful eagle take permits and standard eagle nest take permits are combined in the approved collection for a total of 25. Here they are split into 20 eagle incidental take permit amendments and
5 eagle nest take permit amendments.
\5\ Two homeowner; 18 commercial.
\6\ One homeowner; four commercial.
\7\ The amendment fee for long-term programmatic permits was approved under 1018-0022. However, the rule removes this fee because the costs associated with it are included under the administration fee.
\8\ This is a new reporting requirement as well as a new administration fee and applies only to commercial permittees. We will not receive any reports or assess the administration fee until after a permittee has had a permit for 5
years (earliest probably 2022). We estimate that we will receive 19 responses every 5 years, which, annualized over the 3-year period of OMB approval, results in 4 responses annually. We estimate that each response will take 8
hours, for a total of 32 annual burden hours. We will assess an $8,000 administration fee for each permittee for a total of $32,000. Note: This burden reflects what will be imposed in 5 years. Each 5 years thereafter, the burden
and nonhour costs will increase because of the number of permittees holding 5-year or longer term permits.
[[Page 7711]]
Estimated Total Hour Burden: 23,304 hours; the total number of new
respondents is 60.
Estimated Total Hour Burden Cost: $798,395 for gathering
information required to support an application, which may include
preparation of an Eagle Conservation Plan (ECP). This amount includes
650 hours for preconstruction monitoring surveys of eagle use of the
project site and 700 hours of postconstruction monitoring for each
respondent. Preparation of the application, which may include
preparation of an ECP, will take approximately 200 hours per
respondent. These burden hours apply only to those seeking a long-term
eagle take permit. In addition, those that receive a permit are
required to report take of eagles and threatened or endangered species
within 48 hours of discovery of the take. It is estimated that of the
15 projects permitted to take eagles each year, 10 will actually take
eagles, requiring 2 hours per respondent to report. Take of threatened
or endangered species is expected to be a rare event, and occur at only
1 of the 15 projects permitted each year, requiring only 2 hours to
report. The burden hours also include the costs for the 5-year permit
review. We estimate 8 hours per respondent to complete the requirements
of the permit review for a total of 32 hours.
Estimated New Total Nonhour Burden Cost: $359,200 for
administration fees and application fees associated with changes
implemented by this rule. This amount does not include the nonhour cost
burden for eagle or eagle nest take permits approved under OMB Control
No. 1018-0022. States, local governments, and tribal governments are
exempt from paying these fees.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number.
Dated: January 12, 2017.
Michael J. Bean,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 2017-01284 Filed 1-19-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P