Information Collection Request Sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval; Reporting and Recordkeeping for Snowcoaches and Snowmobiles, Yellowstone National Park |
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Madonna L. Baucum
Department of the Interior
22 September 2016
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 184 (Thursday, September 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65394-65395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22800]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-IMR-YELL-20564; PPIMYELL1W, PROIESUC1.380000 (166)]
Information Collection Request Sent to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for Approval; Reporting and Recordkeeping for
Snowcoaches and Snowmobiles, Yellowstone National Park
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We (National Park Service, NPS) have sent an Information
Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. We summarize
the ICR below and describe the nature of the collection and the
estimated burden and cost. This information collection is scheduled to
expire on October 31, 2016. We may not conduct or sponsor and a person
is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control number. However, under OMB
regulations, we may continue to conduct or sponsor this information
collection while it is pending at OMB.
DATES: You must submit comments on or before October 24, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments and suggestions on this information
collection to the Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior at
OMB-OIRA at (202) 395-5806 (fax) or OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov
(email). Please provide a copy of your comments to Madonna L. Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 12201
Sunrise Valley Drive (Mail Stop 242), Reston, VA 20192 (mail); or
madonna_baucum@nps.gov (email). Please reference OMB Control Number
1024-0266 in the subject line of your comments. You may review the ICR
online at http://www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to review
Department of the Interior collections under review by OMB.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this IC, contact Christina Mills, Outdoor Recreation Planner,
Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service, PO Box 168,
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190; (307) 344-2320 (phone); or
christina_mills@nps.gov@nps.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The Yellowstone National Park Organic Act (54 U.S.C. 100301-
1000302), signed March 1, 1872, established Yellowstone National Park
to ``dedicate and set apart as a public park or pleasuring-ground for
the benefit and enjoyment of the people'' and ``for the preservation,
from injury or spoliation, of all timber, mineral deposits, natural
curiosities, or wonders within said park, and their retention in their
natural condition'' The Organic Act of 1916 (54 U.S.C. 100101 et seq.)
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to develop regulations for
national park units under the Department's jurisdiction.
We (NPS) provide opportunities for people to experience Yellowstone
in the winter via oversnow vehicles (snowmobiles and snowcoaches,
collectively OSVs). Access to most of the park in the winter is limited
by distance and the harsh winter environment, which presents challenges
to safety and park operations. The park does not provide wintertime OSV
tours directly, but currently authorizes OSV tours through concessions
contracts (for snowcoach tours) and commercial use authorizations (for
snowmobile tours) with area businesses to provide transportation to
visitors (Title IV, Section 403 of the National Parks Omnibus
Management Act of 1998, Pub. L. 105-391). The park issued 10-year
concession contracts for all OSVs starting in December 2014.
OSV use is a form of off-road vehicle use governed by Executive
Order 11644 (Use of Off-road Vehicles on Public Lands, as amended by
Executive Order 11989). Implementing regulations are published at 36
CFR 2.18, 36 CFR part 13, and 43 CFR part 36. Routes and areas may be
designated for OSV use only by special regulation after it has first
been determined through park planning to be an appropriate use that
will meet the requirements of 36 CFR 2.18 and not otherwise result in
unacceptable impacts.
Information collection requirements in this renewal request
include:
(1) Emission and Sound Standards (Sec. 7.13(l)(4)(vii) and (5)).
Only OSVs that meet NPS emission and sound standards may operate in the
park. Before the start of each winter season:
(a) Snowcoach manufacturers or commercial tour operators must
demonstrate, by means acceptable to the Superintendent, that their
snowcoaches meet the standards.
(b) Snowmobile manufacturers must demonstrate, by means acceptable
to the Superintendent, that their snowmobiles meet the standards.
(2) Transportation Events (Sec. 7.13(l)(11)(i)-(iii)). So that we
can monitor compliance with the required average and maximum size of
transportation events, as of December 15, 2014, each commercial tour
operator must:
(a) Maintain accurate and complete records on the number of
snowmobiles and snowcoaches he or she brings into the park on a daily
basis. These records must be made available for inspection by the park
upon request.
(b) Provide a monthly use report on their activities. Form 10-650,
``Concessioner Monthly Use Report'', available on the park Web site, is
used to collect the following information for transportation events:
Report Month/Year
Concessioner/Sub Contractor Contract Number
Departure Date
Duration of Trip (in days)
[[Page 65395]]
Transportation event type (snowmobile or snowcoach)
Number of vehicles
Best Available Technology (BAT) and Enhanced Best Available
Technology (E BAT)
Number of visitors and guides
Route and primary destination
Administrative or guest services trip
If the transportation event allocation was from another
commercial tour operator
Miscellaneous comments
Transportation event group size (number of guests/guides)
(3) Enhanced Emission Standards (Sec. 7.13(l)(11)(iv)). To qualify
for the increased average size of snowmobile transportation events or
increased maximum size of snowcoach transportation events, each
commercial tour operator must:
(a) Before the start of each winter season, demonstrate, by means
acceptable to the Superintendent, that his or her snowmobiles or
snowcoaches meet the enhanced emission standards; and
(b) Maintain separate records for snowmobiles and snowcoaches that
meet enhanced emission standards and those that do not.
We will use the information collected to:
Ensure that OSVs meet NPS emission standards to operate in the
park; (2) evaluate commercial tour operators' compliance with allocated
transportation events and daily and seasonal OSV group size limits;
ensure that established daily transportation event limits for
the park are not exceeded,
confirm that commercial tour operators do not run out of
authorizations before the end of the season and create a gap when
prospective visitors cannot be accommodated, and
guarantee compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Responsible commercial tour operators are required to provide this
information to minimize liabilities, maintain business records for tax
and other purposes, obtain financial backing, and ensure a safe,
efficient, and well-planned operation.
II. Data
OMB Control Number: 1024-0266.
Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping for Snowcoaches and Snowmobiles,
Yellowstone National Park, 36 CFR 7.13(l).
Service Form Number: NPS Form 10-650.
Type of Request: Extension without change of a currently approved
collection.
Description of Respondents: Individuals desiring to operate
snowcoaches and snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
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Completion
Number of time per Total annual
Activity respondents response burden hours
(hours)
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Meet Emission/Sound Standards--Snowcoaches (7.13(l)(4)(vi)...... 12 .5 6
Meet Emission/Sound Standards--Snowmobiles (7.13(l)(5).......... 2 .5 1
Report and Recordkeeping (7.13(l)(11)(i)-(iii)) Form 10-650, 45 2 90
``Concessioner Monthly Use Report''............................
Meet Enhanced Emission Standards (7.13(l)(11)(iv)).............. 5 .5 3
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Total....................................................... 64 .............. 100
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Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
III. Request for Comments
On March 15, 2016, we published in the Federal Register (81 FR
13818) a notice of our intent to request that OMB renew approval for
this information collection. In that notice, we solicited public
comments for 60 days, ending on May 16, 2016. We did not receive any
comments.
We again invite comments concerning this information collection on:
Whether or not the collection of information is necessary,
including whether or not the information will have practical utility;
The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this
collection of information;
Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on respondents.
Please note that the comments submitted in response to this notice
are a matter of public record. Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, including
your personal identifying information, may be made publicly available
at any time. While you can ask OMB or us in your comment to withhold
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that it will be done.
Dated: September 16, 2016.
Madonna L. Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-22800 Filed 9-21-16; 8:45 am]
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