[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 152 (Monday, August 11, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38658-38659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office []
[FR Doc No: 2025-15166]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0008; FXES11110900000-256-FF09E24000; OMB
Control Number 1018-0119]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Policy for Evaluation
of Conservation Efforts When Making Listing Decisions (PECE)
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA),
we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to
renew a currently approved information collection without change.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
October 10, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request
(ICR) by one of the following methods (please reference OMB Control No.
1018-0119 in the subject line of your comment):
Internet (preferred): . Follow
the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-ES-2025-
0008.
U.S. mail: Service Information Collection Clearance
Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: PRB
(JAO/3W); Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information
Collection Clearance Officer, by email at [email protected], or by
telephone at (703) 358-2503. Individuals in the United States who are
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial
711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay
services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay
services offered within their country to make international calls to
the point-of-contact in the United States. You may also view the ICR at
.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and its implementing regulations at 5
CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require approval under
the PRA. We 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.
As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent
burdens, we are again inviting the public and other Federal agencies to
comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of
information. This helps us assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It
also helps the public understand our information collection
requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.
We are especially interested in public comment addressing the
following:
(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection
of information, including the validity of the methodology and
assumptions used;
(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
(4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g.,
permitting electronic submission of response.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
[[Page 38659]]
public record. Before including your address, phone number, email
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you
should be aware that your that your entire comment--including your
personal identifying information--may be publicly available at any
time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we
will be able to do so.
Abstract: Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) outlines the process by which we can list a species as a
threatened species or an endangered species. When we consider whether
to list a species, the ESA requires us to take into account the efforts
made by any State or any political subdivision of a State to protect
such species. We also take into account the efforts made by other
entities. States or other entities often formalize conservation efforts
in conservation agreements, conservation plans, management plans, or
similar documents. The conservation efforts recommended or described in
such documents could prevent some species from becoming so imperiled
that they meet the definition of a threatened species or an endangered
species under the ESA.
The Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts When Making
Listing Decisions (PECE) (68 FR 15100, March 28, 2003) encourages the
development of conservation agreements or plans and provides the
standard that an individual conservation effort must meet in order for
us to consider whether it is likely to make a difference in a species'
status. PECE applies to formalized conservation efforts that have not
been implemented or have been implemented but have not yet demonstrated
if they are effective at the time of a listing decision.
Under PECE, formalized conservation efforts are defined as
conservation efforts (specific actions, activities, or programs
designed to eliminate or reduce threats or otherwise improve the status
of a species) identified in a conservation agreement, conservation
plan, management plan, or similar document. To assist us in evaluating
whether a formalized conservation effort meets the standard under PECE,
we collect information such as conservation plans, monitoring results,
and progress reports. The development of any agreement or plan is
voluntary. The PECE is posted on our candidate conservation website at
/library/collections/candidate-conservation-policies-regulations-and-guidance.
Title of Collection: ``Policy for Evaluation of Conservation
Efforts When Making Listing Decisions (PECE).''
OMB Control Number: 1018-0119.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without change of a currently approved
collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Primarily State, local, or Tribal
governments. However, individuals, businesses, and not-for-profit
organizations also could develop agreements/plans or may agree to
implement certain conservation efforts identified in a State agreement
or plan.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
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Estimated Average Estimated Completion Estimated
number of number of number of time per annual
Activity annual submissions annual response burden
respondents each responses (hours) hours
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PECE--Reporting:
Individuals............................. 1 1 1 120 120
Private Sector.......................... 1 1 1 120 120
Government.............................. 1 1 1 120 120
PECE--Monitoring:
Individuals............................. 1 1 1 600 600
Private Sector.......................... 1 1 1 600 600
Government.............................. 1 1 1 600 600
PECE--Development of Conservation Plan/
Agreement (One-time Burden):
Individuals............................. 1 1 1 2,000 2,000
Private Sector.......................... 1 1 1 2,000 2,000
Government.............................. 1 1 1 2,000 2,000
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Totals.............................. 9 ........... 9 .............. 8,160
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An agency 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.
The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-15166 Filed 8-8-25; 8:45 am]
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