Since the early 1990's, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service (we, Service) has been approving and
overseeing the development and management of habitat conservation
banks, primarily under the authority of the Endangered Species Act
of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. §§1531 et seq.). Conservation banks
are permanently protected lands that contain natural resource
values that are conserved and permanently managed for species that
are endangered, threatened, candidates for listing as endangered or
threatened, or are otherwise species-at-risk. At the Federal level,
conservation banks are regulated by the Service for terrestrial and
freshwater species and some marine mammals. We approve a specified
number of credits to the bank owner in exchange for permanently
protecting and managing habitat for the endangered species in
question. There has been little systematic analysis of the
operation of these conservation banks and the factors that might
hinder their development or facilitate their creation. In July
2012, we requested that the Office of Policy Analysis (PPA),
Department of the Interior, conduct an analysis of the Service
conservation banking program and factors affecting its success. A
first phase of the analysis was completed in September 2013, which
consisted of a survey of Service employees that work in
conservation banking and endangered species issues. This effort
provided very useful information related to factors that may hinder
or encourage the formation of conservation banks based on the
experience of Service staff. This survey expands upon phase 1 of
the analysis by collecting similar information related to factors
that may hinder or encourage the conservation bank creation from
the point of view of individuals involved in the management and
operation of conservation banks. This information will be a
valuable complement to the information collected in the survey of
Service employees.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.