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OMB Control No: 1018-0140	ICR Reference No: 201904-1018-002
Status: Historical Inactive	Previous ICR Reference No: 201802-1018-001
Agency/Subagency: DOI/FWS	Agency Tracking No: RIN 1018-BD79
Title: Hunting and Fishing Application Forms and Activity Reports for National Wildlife Refuges,50 CFR 25.41, 25.43, 25.51, 26.32, 26.33, 27.42, 30.11, 31.15, 32.1 to 32.72
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Comment filed on proposed rule and continue	Conclusion Date: 08/05/2019
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 06/26/2019
Terms of Clearance: OMB files this comment in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.11(c). This OMB action is not an approval to conduct or sponsor an information collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This action has no effect on any current approvals. If OMB has assigned this ICR a new OMB Control Number, the OMB Control Number will not appear in the active inventory. For future submissions of this information collection, reference the OMB Control Number provided. In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, OMB is withholding approval at this time. Prior to publication of the final rule, the agency must submit to OMB a summary of all comments related to the information collection contained in the proposed rule and the agency response. The agency should clearly indicate any changes made to the information collection as a result of these comments.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	07/31/2021	36 Months From Approved	07/31/2021
Responses	805,492	0	805,492
Time Burden (Hours)	268,626	0	268,626
Cost Burden (Dollars)	64,563	0	64,563

Abstract: The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), as amended (Administration Act), and the Refuge Recreation Act of 1962 (16 U.S.C. 460k-460k-4) (Recreation Act) govern the administration and public uses of national wildlife refuges and wetland management districts. The Administration Act closes NWRs in all States except Alaska to all uses until opened. The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) may open refuge areas to any use, including hunting and/or sport fishing, upon a determination that the use is compatible with the purposes of the refuge and National Wildlife Refuge System mission. We collect information on hunters and anglers and their success in order to administer and evaluate hunting and fishing programs. Because of high demand and limited resources, we often provide hunt opportunities by lottery, based on dates, locations, or type of hunt. We collect information on the prospective hunter, on the preferred dates and locations, and on the type of hunt. We also require labeling of hunting/fishing equipment, require certain notifications be made to refuge staff, and collect information at the end of hunting and/or fishing experiences to help determine resource impacts and quality of experience.

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Changing Regulations

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Changing Regulations

Short Statement: We are proposing to revise this collection to consolidate the four existing hunt permit applications into a new single permit application, Form 3-2439, “Hunt Application/Permit.” Upon receiving OMB approval of Form 3-2439 at the final rule stage, we plan to discontinue use of Forms 3-2354 through 3-2357 and begin using FWS Form 3-2439 as the official hunting application form. Consolidation of the four hunt permit applications into a single hunt permit application will streamline the application process by eliminating the need for an applicant to fill out multiple applications at the same refuge. The new form also reduces time reporting burden on the respondent. With this submission, we also standardized labeling/marking requirements and required notifications across the Service to remove PII. We are also proposing to transfer FWS Form 3-2405 “Self-Clearing Check-In/Out Permit” ((currently approved under OMB Control No. 1018-0153) into this collection 1018-0140 so all forms associated with hunting and/or sport fishing activities used by the National Wildlife Refuge Systems are contained under a single information collection. As a result of these changes, we are reporting: • An increase of 769,049 responses (due to transfer of FWS Form 3-2405 into this collection and an increase in applications/activity reports due to opening of new refuge lands/fish hatcheries); • A decrease of 12,877 burden hours due to the streamlining of the new permit application (FWS Form 3-2439); and, • An increase of $19,715 in nonhour cost burden associated with the increased number of applications.

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