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mechanized transport on the quality of
visitor experience. This research
proposed for the 2008 summer season,
will use on-site and mail questionnaires
to gather data for estimating impact
rates for different user groups.
Additionally, in-depth interviews with
visitors will provide additional
information about how these impacts
arise and visitors’ opinions of increasing
cruise ship size. Finally, itinerary data
will be collected from captains of
charter and tour boats and from kayak
guides to obtain more reliable itinerary
data than visitors aboard these vessels
would likely provide.
2. The role of experience gatekeepers
in visitor encounters with cruise ships.
Discussions with experience
providers indicate that these individuals
may adjust itineraries in an effort to
provide visitors with a particular
experience. Often that experience is one
where few other vessels are
encountered. Understanding these
practices and how the increase in 2cruise-ship days may affect them are the
primary objectives of this research
component. This information will be
integral when estimating population
impacts under the 2-cruise-ships every
day scenario. Gatekeepers identified
include charter and tour boat captains,
kayak guides, and VIS staff who issue
permits and provide guidance to
kayakers and captains of private vessels.
Interviews, to be conducted during the
summer 2008 use season, will rely on an
open-ended, in-depth process.
Comments are invited on: (1) The
practical utility of the information being
gathered; (2) the accuracy of the burden
hour estimate; (3) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (4)
ways to minimize the burden to
respondents, including use of
automated information collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology. Before including your
address, phone number, e-mail 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 us in your comment to
withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Automated data collections: This
information will be collected via inperson interviews and surveys. No
automated data collection will take
place.
Description of respondents:
Component 1—survey and interviews:

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Cruise ship passengers, tour boat
passengers, charter boat passengers,
people entering on private vessel
permits, and people entering on
backcountry permits who visit Glacier
Bay proper between June 1, 2008 and
August 31, 2008.
Component 1—itinerary data: Charter
and tour boat captains and kayak guides
who serve visitors included in the
survey component of the project.
Component 2: Charter and tour boat
captains, kayak guides, and VIS staff
who serve visitors to Glacier Bay proper
during the 2008 summer season.
Estimated average number of
respondents: Component 1: 2780
respondents for on-site survey; 1492
respondents for mail survey; 75
respondents for interviews; 24
respondents for itinerary date.
Component 2: 27.
Estimated average number of
responses: Component 1: 2780
respondents for on-site survey, 1492
respondents for mail survey; 75
respondents for interview; 24
respondents for itinerary data.
Component 2: 27.
Estimated average burden hours per
response: Component 1: 3 minutes for
on-site survey respondents; 25 minutes
for mail questionnaire; 60 minutes for
interview respondents; 15 minutes for
itinerary respondents. Component 2: 30
minutes.
Frequency of Response: 1 time per
respondent.
Estimated total annual reporting
burden: 855 hours.
Dated: September 13, 2007.
Leonard E. Stowe,
NPS, Information Collection Clearance
Officer.
[FR Doc. 07–5464 Filed 11–2–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–52–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
30-Day Notice of Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget;
Opportunity for Public Comment
Department of the Interior,
National Park Service.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:

SUMMARY: Under provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5
CFR Part 1320, Reporting and
Recordkeeping Requirements, the
National Park Service (NPS) invites
public comments on a proposed new
collection of information (OMB #1024–
XXXX).

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Public comments on this
Information Collection Request (ICR)
will be accepted on or before December
5, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
directly to the Desk Officer for the
Department of the Interior (OMB #1024–
XXXX), Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, OMB, by fax at 202/
395–6566, or by electronic mail at
[email protected]. Please also
send a copy of your comments to Dr.
Michael Patterson, Department of
Society and Conservation, University of
Montana, Missoula, MT 59801; Phone:
406/243–6614; e-mail:
[email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
James Gramann, NPS Social Science
Program, 1201 Eye St., Washington, DC
20005; or via phone 202/513–7189; or
via e-mail
[email protected]. You
are entitled to a copy of the entire ICR
package free-of-charge.
Comments Received on the 60-Day
Federal Register Notice: The NPS
published a 60-Day Notice to solicit
public comments on this ICR in the
Federal Register on April 24, 2007 (Vol.
72, No. 78, Page 20363–20364). The
comment period closed on June 25,
2007. After multiple notifications to
stakeholders requesting comments, the
NPS received one comment as a result
of the publication of this 60-Day Federal
Register Notice.
We received on public comment on
the proposed visitor study in
Yellowstone National Park (YNP). The
comment, from a representative of the
Wyoming State Snowmobile
Association, raised concerns related to
four aspects of the research design: (1)
The possible disruption of visitor
experiences through asking them to
respond to an on-site survey, (2) the
adequacy of the sample size, (3) the
appropriateness/practical utility of
gathering information on visitor
perceptions about their experiences and
park management, and (4) the
appropriateness of gathering
information on guides’ perspectives
about the snowcoach/snowmobile
guide-only policy.
The comments were addressed in a
reply letter. The following is a synopsis
of the response to each of the proposed
concerns: (1) The methods used in this
study are well-established in the
research community and every effort
has been made to ensure that visitors are
not disrupted in any significant way. (2)
The sample sizes are large enough to
address the research needs and will
allow for a small standard error of ±5%.
(3) The goal of the proposed study is to
DATES:

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assess visitor perceptions about the
appropriateness and acceptability of
YNP’s stewardship of bison,
management of human-wildlife
interactions witnessed during their
experiences, and YNP soundscapes.
Thus this information will have
important practical utility for park
managers: it can help managers
understand visitor experiences, visitors’
values, how experiences and values are
related to support/opposition for
management policies, what visitors
think about NPS stewardship, and how
to design interpretation/education
efforts. (4) The guides represent a
constituency with whom YNP interacts,
who are impacted by management
policies, and who have a wealth of
experience and information about
winter use given the time they spend in
YNP. Information about guides’
perceptions are therefore another
important source of input for
understanding winter use.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Winter Visitor Experiences in
Yellowstone National Park.
Bureau Form Number(s): None.
OMB Number: To be requested.
Expiration Date: To be requested.
Type of Request: New Collection.
Description of Need: This study will
provide the NPS and park managers
with critical information on winter
visitor experiences of Yellowstone
National Park. The purpose of this
research is to assist Park managers in
identifying efficient, salient and
effective dimensions of the visitor
experience for applications in
monitoring efforts. Those monitoring
efforts can then be tailored to the
evaluation of NPS policy and
management actions. Recent changes to
Yellowstone National Park’s winter use
policy have driven a need for social
scientific research on winter visitor
experiences in the park. This research
has three components: (1) The role of
the natural soundscape in visitor
experiences, (2) visitor perceptions of
human-wildlife interactions, and (3)
snowcoach and snowmobile guides’
perceptions of the effectiveness of the
guide-only policy.
1. The Role of the Natural Soundscape
in Visitor Experiences
Yellowstone National Park (YNP) has
requested research into visitor
experiences of natural sounds. The
recent changes in winter use motorized
access in YNP require snowmobiles in
the park to use clean and quiet
technology. These changes have led to
the need to better understand the role of
natural sounds in the winter visitor
experience. The purpose of this study is

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to provide park managers with specific
information on visitor perceptions of the
experience of the natural soundscape
and on visitor willingness to support
management actions that affect the
natural soundscape in Yellowstone
National Park. The purpose of the
interview approach for soundscape
research is to obtain an in depth
understanding of visitor experiences of
the natural soundscape and to better
understand the context within which
soundscape policies affect the visitor
experience.
Previous research in Yellowstone
National Park has documented the
existence of differing values held among
visitors for the park itself. Strong
relationships between perceived park
values and visitor willingness to
support park management activities
have been previously documented. The
research proposed for the next winter
use season will build on this
knowledge, expanding it to include the
natural soundscape resource, providing
the park with information on the status
of visitor perceptions of park values,
visitor perceptions of the importance of
natural sounds to their experience, and
visitors’ willingness to support
management actions affecting the
natural soundscape. In addition to the
in-depth interviews, an on-site
questionnaire will be utilized for this
portion of the soundscape research.
2. Visitor Perceptions of HumanWildlife Interactions
This study seeks to provide park
managers with specific information on
visitor perceptions of wildlife
interactions that occur in Yellowstone
National Park. The recent changes in
winter use policy require the
snowmobile experience to be guided,
which leads to different types of visitor
wildlife interactions. YNP has requested
research exploring how winter visitors
appraise the human-bison interactions
they observe during their visit. The
primary goals are to explore snowcoach
and snowmobile passengers’ appraisals
of the human-bison interactions they
witness during their visits, to analyze
situational and visitor characteristics
that might influence those appraisals,
and to explore visitors’ judgments about
when consequences of winter use for
bison are serious enough to warrant
management intervention regulating
these interactions.
3. The Effectiveness of the Guide-Only
Policy in Yellowstone National Park:
The Perspective of Snowcoach and
Snowmobile Guides
Recent winter use plans at
Yellowstone National Park have

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required that each snowmobile comply
with best available technology, that all
groups be guided, and that the total
number of daily winter visitors be
capped. These restrictions were
implemented to reduce impacts to
wildlife, improve compliance with
winter use rules, reduce visitor conflict,
and address visitor carrying capacity.
This study will look at the effectiveness
of these managerial interventions
through the eyes of the professional
guides. Many guides have been working
in the park on a daily basis for year;
thus, they offer a unique perspective on
how the conditions in the park have
changed and what seems to be working
best within the new winter use system.
Interviews, to be conducted during the
winter use season, will rely on an open
ended, in-depth process.
Comments are invited on: (1) The
practical utility of the information being
gathered; (2) the accuracy of the burden
hour estimate; (3) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (4)
ways to minimize the burden to
respondents, including use of
automated information collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology. Before including your
address, phone number, e-mail 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 us in your comment to
withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Automated data collection: This
information will be collected via inperson interviews and surveys. No
automated data collection will take
place.
Frequency of collection: Once.
Description of respondents:
Components 1 and 2: Visitors stopping
at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge and Old
Faithful Geyser on 20 days during the
2007–2008 winter use season.
Component 3: Snowmobile and
snowcoach guides in Yellowstone
National Park.
Estimated average number of
respondents: Component 1: 445 (400
respondents for on-site survey and 45
respondents for interviews). Component
2: 400. Component 3: 30. Nonrespondents: 92 (component 1: 45,
component 2: 40, and component 3: 7).
Estimated average number of
responses: Component 1: 445 (400
responses for on-site survey and 45
responses for interviews). Component 2:

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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 213 / Monday, November 5, 2007 / Notices

400. Component 3: 30. Non-responses:
92 (component 1: 45, component 2: 40,
and component 3: 7).
Estimated average time burden per
respondent: Component 1: 15 minutes
for on-site survey and 30 minutes for
interview. Component 2: 20 minutes.
Component 3: 20 minutes. Nonrespondents: 1 minute.
Frequency of Response: 1 time per
respondent.
Estimated total annual reporting
burden: 268 hours.
Dated: October 30, 2007.
Leonard E. Stowe,
NPS, Information Collection Clearance
Officer.
[FR Doc. 07–5465 Filed 11–2–07; 8:45 am]

Dated: October 22, 2007.
Maria Santo,
Deputy National Park Service Liaison to the
White House
[FR Doc. E7–21639 Filed 11–2–07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4312–52–M

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Capital Region; Notice/
Request for Comments—The Lighting
of the National Christmas Tree Event
The National Park Service is
seeking public comments and
suggestions on the planning of the 2007
Lighting of the National Christmas Tree
and the subsequent 26-day event.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
National Park Service is seeking public
comments and suggestions on the
planning of the 2007 Lighting of the
National Christmas Tree and the
subsequent 26-day event, which opens
on December 6, 2007, on the Ellipse
(President’s Park), south of the White
House. The meeting will be held at 9
a.m. on November 27, 2007 in Room 234
of the National Capital Region
Headquarters Building, at 1100 Ohio
Drive, SW., Washington, DC (East
Potomac Park).
Persons who would like to comment
at the meeting should notify the
National Park Service by November 23,
2007 by calling the White House Visitor
Center weekdays between 9 a.m., and 4
p.m., at (202) 208–1631. Written
comments may be sent to the Park
Manager, White House Visitor Center,
1100 Ohio Drive, SW., Washington, DC
20242, and will be accepted until
November 27, 2007.
The meeting will be held on
November 27, 2007. Written comments
will be accepted until November 27,
2007.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
9 a.m. on November 27, 2007, in Room
234 of the National Capital Region
Headquarters Building, at 1100 Ohio
Drive, SW., Washington, DC (East
Potomac Park). Written comments may

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SUMMARY:

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be sent to the Park Manager, White
House Visitor Center, 1100 Ohio Drive,
SW., Washington, DC 20242. Due to
delays in mail delivery, it is
recommended that comments be
provided by telefax at 202–208–1643 or
by e-mail to [email protected].
Comments may also be delivered by
messenger to the White House Visitor
Center at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW., in Washington, DC.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John
Stanwich at the White House Visitor
Center weekdays between 9 a.m., and 4
p.m., at (202) 208–1631.

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National Park Service

Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, ORV Advisory
Committee.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:

SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub.
L. 92–463, 86 Stat. 770, 5 U.S.C. App 1,
10), notice is hereby given of the first
meeting of the Big Cypress National
Preserve ORV Advisory Committee.
DATES: The Committee will meet on
Thursday, November 29, 2007,
beginning at 3:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in
the cafetorium of Everglades City
School, 415 School Drive, Everglades
City, FL. Written comments may be sent
to: Superintendent, Big Cypress
National Preserve, 33100 Tamiami Trail
East, Ochopee, FL 34141–1000, Attn:
ORV Advisory Committee.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karen Gustin, Superintendent, Big
Cypress National Preserve, 33100
Tamiami Trail East, Ochopee, Florida
34141–1000; 239–695–1103, or go to the
Web site http://
www.parkplanning.nps.gov/bicy and
select ORV Advisory Committee.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Committee was established (Federal
Register, August 1, 2007, pp. 42108–
42109) pursuant to the Preserve’s 2000
Recreational Off-road Vehicle
Management Plan and the Federal
Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5

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Karen Gustin,
Superintendent, Big Cypress National
Preserve.
[FR Doc. E7–21637 Filed 11–2–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–U6–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Boston Harbor Islands National
Recreation Area Advisory Council;
Notice of Public Meeting
Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Boston Harbor
Islands National Recreation Area.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:

First Meeting of the Big Cypress
National Preserve Off-Road Vehicle
(ORV) Advisory Committee

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U.S.C. Appendix) to examine issues and
make recommendations regarding the
management of ORVs in the Preserve.
This meeting will be administrative in
nature. The topics to be discussed will
be introductions, meeting logistics,
parameters and ground rules for
operation of the Committee. The
meeting will be open to the public, and
time will be reserved for public
comment.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a
meeting of the Boston Harbor Islands
National Recreation Area Advisory
Council will be held on Wednesday,
December 5, 2007, at 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
at the Boston Harbor Islands Partnership
Office, 408 Atlantic Avenue, 2nd Floor
Conference Room, Boston, MA.
The purpose of the meeting will be to
review the summer season, discuss the
report card project, and plan for the
annual meeting of the council.
The meeting will be open to the
public. Any person may file with the
Superintendent a written statement
concerning the matters to be discussed.
Persons who wish to file a written
statement at the meeting or who want
further information concerning the
meeting may contact Superintendent
Bruce Jacobson at (617) 223–8667.
DATES: December 5, 2007 at 4 p.m.
ADDRESSES: Boston Harbor Islands NRA,
408 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 228, Boston,
MA 02110.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Superintendent Bruce Jacobson, (617)
223–8667.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Advisory Council was appointed by the
Director of National Park Service
pursuant to Public Law 104–333. The 28
members represent business,
educational/cultural, community and
environmental entities; municipalities
surrounding Boston Harbor; Boston
Harbor advocates; and Native American

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