Notice2023-18292
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Assessing Public Preferences and Values To Support Coastal and Marine Management
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 25, 2023
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 164 (Friday, August 25, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 164 (Friday, August 25, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58248-58250]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18292]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Assessing Public Preferences and Values To Support Coastal and
Marine Management
AGENCY: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed
information collection must be received on or before October 24, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#baf4f5fbfb94eae8fbfad4d5dbdb94ddd5cc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="501e1f11117e000211103e3f31317e373f26">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-XXXX in the subject line of your
[[Page 58249]]
comments. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise
sensitive or protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed
to Sarah Gonyo, Economist, 1305 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910, 240-621-1999, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#84f7e5f6e5ecaae3ebeafdebc4eaebe5e5aae3ebf2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4132203320296f262e2f382e012f2e20206f262e37">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This request is for a new information collection, which will
include focus groups and pre-test to help guide revisions necessary to
the survey instrument, to directly support decision-makers with the
National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). The proposed data
collection involves surveying randomly selected residents (aged 18
years and older) from households in counties surrounding the NERRs. The
purpose of this information collection is to obtain data on the
opinions, values, attitudes, and behaviors of visitors to National
Ocean Service (NOS) special places, as well as residents from
surrounding areas. The initial surveys will be conducted for the
Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia (CBNERR-
VA), Weeks Bay NERR (WBNERR), and Grand Bay NERR (GNDNERR), and the
survey will be repeated regularly in other NERRs based on information
needs and budget.
The NERRS is a federal-state partnership program for the
stewardship, education, and research of unique estuarine sites. This
data collection supports the NERRS' vision of establishing healthy
estuaries and coastal watersheds where human and ecological communities
thrive. The NERRS has identified five priority research areas,
including a focus on social science and economic processes within each
NERR site. However, limited data exist characterizing stakeholder
activities, attitudes, knowledge, and preferences, including their
spatial aspects. Gathering such data is essential for effective
management of stakeholder groups, regulatory proposals, and resource
management decisions.
Designated in 1986, WBNERR is located along the eastern shore of
Mobile Bay in Baldwin County, Alabama. CBNERR-VA, designated in 1991,
comprises four reserve sites within the York River in the southern
Chesapeake Bay subregion. Finally, GNDNERR was established in 1999 and
is in the Grand Bay Savannah Complex along the Mississippi-Alabama
state line in Jackson County, Mississippi. All three NERRS prioritize
public access and responsible use to protect ecosystems, identifying
public sites, minimizing conflicts, and evaluating visitor use.
Therefore, information is needed on who uses these NERR sites, their
motivations, management preferences, and why some do not visit. This
data supports conservation and management goals, strengthens decision-
making, increases capacity, and extends education and outreach. It is
also required by NOAA to meet objectives related to ocean and coastal
planning and management. The data benefits state and local officials as
well.
NOAA's mission is to provide science, service and stewardship for,
among other activities, management of the nation's oceans and coasts.
NOAA supports ``comprehensive ocean and coastal planning and
management'' in order to facilitate use of oceans and coasts, while
also ensuring ``continued access to coastal areas, sustained
ecosystems, maintained cultural heritage, and limited cumulative
impacts.'' NOAA is subject to and supports mandates of the Coastal Zone
Management Act (CZMA) (16 U.S.C. 1452(303)(2)(D)), which encourages the
wise use of coastal resources, including energy activity. The CZMA also
encourages the inclusion and participation of the public in carrying
out the tenets of the act (16 U.S.C. 1452(303)(4)). The National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR 1502.6) mandates federal
agencies to use social science data to assess the impacts of federal
actions on the human environment. Consequently, up-to-date sociological
data is needed to support federal agency obligations under each of
these acts.
Finally, NOAA is responding to Executive Orders 13707 and 13985.
Executive Order 13707, Using Behavioral Science Insights to Better
Serve the American People, requests federal agencies to, among other
actions: ``identify policies, programs, and operations where applying
behavioral science insights may yield substantial improvements in
public welfare, program outcomes, and program cost effectiveness'' and
``develop strategies for applying behavioral science insights to
programs and, where possible, rigorously test and evaluate the impact
of these insights.'' Executive Order 13985, On Advancing Racial Equity
and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,
requires the federal government to allocate resources ``in a manner
that increases investment in underserved communities, as well as
individuals from those communities.''
II. Method of Collection
Information will be collected with a combination of mail
recruitment with push-to-web and mail-back survey instrument.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-XXXX.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular Submission [New information collection].
Affected Public: Individuals or households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: Focus groups: 144; Questionnaire:
10,256.
Estimated Time per Response: Focus groups: 1 hour; Questionnaire:
20 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,528.48.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority: Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) (16 U.S.C.
1452(303)(2)(D)), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR
1502.6).
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone
number, email 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 may ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we
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cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2023-18292 Filed 8-24-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-JE-P
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