[Federal Register: June 21, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 120)]
[Notices]
[Page 38496-38497]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Information Collection; Request for Comments; Annual Wildfire
Summary Report
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Forest Service announces its intention to reinstate a previously approved
information collection with a change. Two forms are authorized under OMB
number 0596-0025: FS-3100-8, Annual Wildfire Summary Report, for which OMB
authorization expired April 30, 1996, and FS-3200-6, Cooperative Forestry
Accomplishment Report, for which authorization expired October 31, 1999.
The agency requests reinstatement of FS-3100- 8 and will retire FS-3200-6.
The information collected using FS-3100-8, Annual Wildfire Summary
Report, will enable the Forest Service to provide timely, substantive
information to Congress about the effectiveness of State and local fire
fighting agencies, when the agency requests annual funding for the
Forest Service State and Private Forestry Cooperative Fire Program.
This Program supplements the funding of State and local fire fighting
efforts.
State fire marshals will use FS-3100-8 to collect information from
their State and local fire agencies in response to a request for this
information from the Forest Service.
DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before August 21, 2000.
ADDRESSES: All comments should be addressed to Roger Condie, State and
Private Forestry Deputy Area, Forest Service, USDA, P.O. Box 96090,
Washington, D.C. 20090-6090.
Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to (202) 205-1174 or
by email to: rcondie@fs.fed.us.
The public may inspect comments received at the Office of the
Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry, Forest Service, USDA, 2nd
Floor NW, Yates Building, 201 14th Street S.W., Washington D.C.
Visitors are urged to call ahead to facilitate entrance into the
building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Condie, State and Private
Forestry, 202-205-1037.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101
(note) Sec. 10) requires the Forest Service to collect information
about wildfire suppression efforts by State and local fire fighting
agencies in order to support specific congressional funding requests
for the Forest Service State and Private Forestry Cooperative Fire
Program. The Program provides supplemental funding for State and local
fire fighting agencies. The Forest Service works cooperatively with
State and local fire fighting agencies to support their fire
suppression efforts.
State and local fire agencies, such as the Volunteer Fire
Assistance Program, are the first line of defense against fires that
might spread to National Forest System lands.
State fire marshals use FS-3100-8, Annual Wildfire Summary Report,
to collect this information for the Forest Service. The Forest Service
is requesting authorization to reinstate this form under OMB number
0596-0025. This form expired April 30, 1996.
A second form was authorized under OMB number 0596-0025; the form,
FS-3200-6, Cooperative Forestry and Accomplishment Report, expired
October 31, 1999. This form is no longer used and the Forest Service
will retire FS-3200-6.
The Forest Service would be unable to assess the effectiveness of
the State and Private Forestry Cooperative Fire Program if the
information using FS-3100-8 were not collected.
Description of Information Collection
The following describes the information collection to be reinstated
with change:
Title: FS-3100-8, Annual Wildfire Summary Report.
OMB Number: 0596-0025.
Date of Expiration: April 30, 1996.
Type of Request: Reinstatement of an information collection, with
change, that was previously approved by the Office of Management and
Budget.
Abstract: Forest Service State and Private Forestry Cooperative
Fire Program managers will evaluate the collected information to
determine if the Cooperative Fire Program funds,
[[Page 38497]]
provided to the State and local fire fighting agencies by the Forest
Service, have been used by State and local fire agencies to improve
their fire suppression capabilities. The Forest Service will share the
results of the data with Congress when requesting annual funding for
the Program. The collected information also will enable the Forest
Service to share with the public the importance and value of the State
and Private Forestry Cooperative Fire Program.
Forest Service employees will not collect the information directly,
but will request the information from State fire marshals, who will
collect the information through their own State fire fighting agencies,
as well as from local fire fighting agencies, such as Volunteer Fire
Departments. The information collected for the Annual Wildfire Summary
Report will include the number of fires to which the State or local
fire fighting agencies responded within the fiscal year; the types of
fires, such as timber, structural, or grassland fires to which the fire
fighters will have responded; the sizes of the fires in acres; the
causes of the fires, such as lightening, campfire, or arson; and the
costs associated with suppressing the fires.
Data gathered in this information collection are not available from
other sources.
Estimate of Annual Burden: 30 minutes.
Type of Respondents: State fire marshals.
Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 50.
Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 25 hours.
Comment Is Invited
The agency invites comments on the following: (a) Whether the
proposed collection of information is necessary for the stated purposes
and the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have practical or scientific utility; (b)
the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology
and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including
the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Use of Comments
All comments received in response to this notice, including names
and addresses when provided, will become a matter of public record.
Comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of
Management and Budget approval.
Dated: June 14, 2000.
Robin L. Thompson,
Associate Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry.
[FR Doc. 00-15628 Filed 6-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-U
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