[Federal Register: November 19, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 223)]
[Notices]
[Page 65312-65313]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19no03-112]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
60 Day Notice of Intention To Request Clearance of Collection of
Information; Opportunity for Public Comment
AGENCY: Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Yellowstone
National Park.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Yellowstone National Park Wolf Economic Study will provide
park managers and others with important, accurate information about the
Yellowstone National Park visitor population in general as well as
visitor and trip characteristics of those who specifically view wolves
in the park. The importance of visitation specifically tied to wolves
in the park will be examined. The mail-back questionnaire is designed
to systematically collect data from visitors in several different topic
areas: Individual characteristics, trip/visit characteristics,
individual activities and individual opinions on park and wildlife
management.
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Estimated numbers of
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Burden
Responses hours
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Yellowstone National Park Wolf Economic Study. 5,000 1,917
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Under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 CFR
part 1320, Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements, the National Park
Service is soliciting comments on the need for gathering the
information in the proposed surveys. The NPS also is asking for
comments on the practical utility of the information being gathered;
the accuracy of the burden hour estimate; ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to
minimize the burden to respondents, including use of automated
information collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
The NPS goal in conducting this survey is to develop statistically
valid estimates of Yellowstone National Park visitation and to evaluate
the economic effects of wolf restoration in the context of an accurate
regional economic model that measures the role of Yellowstone National
Park in the overall regional economy. The broader information on
visitation, visitor demographics, and the regional economy will have
application to other park planning efforts where reliable visitation
and economic data is needed for evaluation of project proposals and
other management issues.
DATES: Public comments will be accepted on or before 60 days from the
date of publication in the Federal Register.
Send Comments to: Dr. John Duffield, University of Montana,
Department of Economics, Missoula, MT 59812.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. John Duffield. Voice: 406-721-2265, Email: <bioecon@montana.com.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Titles: Yellowstone National Park Wolf Economic Study.
Bureau Form Number: None.
OMB Number: To be requested.
Expiration Date: To be requested.
Type of request: Request for new clearance.
Description of need: Wolf restoration in Yellowstone is an
internationally important wildlife conservation success story. The
visibility and public interest in wolves, wolf viewing, and wolf-based
education programs has far exceeded initial expectations. A major
public issue with wolf restoration was the cost to implement, in tax
dollars, versus
[[Page 65313]]
economic benefits. Proponents thought it a boon; opponents predicted
negative regional economic impacts. Economic studies done prior to
restoration predicted large positive economic benefits. The wolf
recovery program has now matured; this proposal would quantify the
economic and social effects due to wolf restoration as well as provide
critical baseline information for other planning and analyses.
Wolf recovery generates positive economic impacts on the Greater
Yellowstone Area (GYA) regional economy in several ways. The most
significant impacts arise from visitors traveling from outside the
region who choose to come to Yellowstone because wolves are present or
who extend their stay because of wolves. Other impacts include wolf-
program related expenditures. Economic impacts depend on visitor
numbers and expenditures, which are best measured through visitor
surveys. Understanding the contribution of wolf recovery requires
development of a model of the actual aggregate role of Yellowstone
National Park in the regional economy.
Automated data collection: At the present time, there is no
automated way to gather this information because it includes directly
contacting visitors to Yellowstone National Park.
Description of respondents: Visitors to Yellowstone National Park.
Estimated average number of respondents: 5,000.
Estimated average number of responses: Each respondent will respond
only one time, so the number of responses will be the same as the
number of respondents.
Estimated average burden hours per response: 23 minutes.
Frequency of Response: 1 time per respondent.
Estimated annual reporting burden: 1,917 hours.
Dated: November 4, 2003.
Leonard E. Stowe,
Acting National Park Service Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-28843 Filed 11-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P