Agencies within the Department of the Interior collect the information in accordance with the Federal Cave Resources Protection Act (Act), which requires the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to identify and protect significant caves on Federal lands within their respective jurisdictions. This request covers Federal lands managed by agencies within the Department of the Interior, but not Federal lands managed by agencies within the Department of Agriculture (e.g., U.S. Forest Service).
Agencies within the Department of the Interior use the information in a cave nomination to determine if the nominated cave will be listed as significant in accordance with the FCRPA and the Department's regulations at 43 CFR 37.11(c). The information is thus necessary for full compliance with agencies' responsibilities to identify and protect significant caves and their resources.
Agencies within the Department of the Interior use the information in confidential cave information requests to determine whether to grant access to confidential cave data. Agencies need this information in order to comply with their statutory responsibilities to communicate, cooperate, and exchange information about significant caves, within the limits prescribed by the Act.
US Code:
16 USC 4301-4310
Name of Law: Federal Cave Resources Protection Act
There are no program changes. The number of cave nominations has been adjusted from 90 to 10 and the number of requests for confidential cave information has been adjusted from 10 to 4. These adjustments are due to the BLM's recent experience with this information collection.
In recent years, fewer volunteers and other interested parties have brought or sought information about caves managed by the BLM. This is probably because of the finite number of caves. As it has become increasingly difficult to locate caves further and further in the back country, it seems that fewer people are willing or able to put in the effort to locate and either report caves to the BLM or seek confidential information about them.
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.