Notice2024-19320
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget; Cook Inlet Recreation and Tourism Survey
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 28, 2024
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentOcean Energy Management Bureau
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposes a new information collection request (ICR) to gather information regarding outdoor recreation and tourism in the Cook Inlet Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Planning Area and adjacent coastal areas.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 167 (Wednesday, August 28, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 167 (Wednesday, August 28, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68925-68927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19320]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[OMB Control Number 1010-NEW; Docket ID: BOEM-2024-0007]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget; Cook Inlet Recreation and Tourism
Survey
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposes a new information
collection request (ICR) to gather information regarding outdoor
recreation and tourism in the Cook Inlet Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)
Planning Area and adjacent coastal areas.
DATES: Comments must be received by the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) desk officer no later than September 27, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Submit your written comments on this ICR to the OMB's desk
officer for the Department of the Interior at <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. From the <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a> landing page,
find this information collection by selecting ``Currently under
Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
Please provide a copy of your comments by parcel delivery service or
U.S. mail to the BOEM Information Collection Clearance Officer, Anna
Atkinson, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road,
Sterling, Virginia 20166; or by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#88e9e6e6e9a6e9fce3e1e6fbe7e6c8eae7ede5a6efe7fe"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="04656a6a652a65706f6d6a776b6a44666b61692a636b72">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 1010-NEW in the subject line of your
comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anna Atkinson by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f3929d9d92dd9287989a9d809c9db3919c969edd949c85"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a6c7c8c8c788c7d2cdcfc8d5c9c8e6c4c9c3cb88c1c9d0">[email protected]</span></a>, or by telephone at 703-787-1025. Individuals
[[Page 68926]]
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 of 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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, BOEM provides the general public and Federal agencies with
an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing
collections of information. This helps BOEM assess the impact of the
information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting
burden. It also helps the public understand BOEM's information
collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired
format.
Title of Collection: Cook Inlet Recreation and Tourism Survey.
Abstract: Natural resource-based recreation in the marine and
coastal environments of Cook Inlet, Alaska, offers numerous economic,
cultural, environmental, health, educational, and quality-of-life
benefits. Recreation and tourism play a vital role in supporting local
economies, preserving cultural heritage, promoting environmental
stewardship, and improving the well-being of both residents and
visitors. The OCS Lands Act charges BOEM with managing the energy and
mineral resources of the OCS, while protecting marine and coastal
environments that support human lives and society. Additionally, to
ensure the scientific integrity of its National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) assessments, BOEM requires reliable data and information to
evaluate the extent to which its activities adversely affect the human
environment (40 CFR 1502.23). As defined in 40 CFR 1508.1, the effects
on the human environment evaluated in NEPA assessments include social
and economic impacts, as well as ecological, aesthetic, historic,
cultural, and health effects.
BOEM intends to conduct a research study of outdoor recreation and
tourism in the Cook Inlet OCS Planning Area and adjacent coastal areas
(i.e., the study area). BOEM seeks updated baseline information on the
nature, distribution, and seasonality of outdoor recreation and tourism
in the study area, and the relative preferences and values for these
activities. BOEM would use this information to determine how
stakeholders and the recreational and tourism economy may be affected
by potential future oil, gas, renewable energy, and other energy
exploration and development activities. This study would help BOEM
identify any appropriate mitigation strategies to address potential
adverse effects of its activities on recreation and tourism in the
study area. Altogether, the study would enable BOEM to develop more
rigorous and thorough environmental analyses during any NEPA processes
related to future Cook Inlet OCS energy and mineral activities.
Specifically, this information collection would involve primary
data collection (following ICR approval by OMB) to elicit information
on: (a) activities and attributes contributing to the value of
recreational experiences; (b) expenditures related to recreational
activities; and (c) how these things differ across the region and
different user groups (e.g., residents and visitors). The primary
research would provide meaningful insight regarding the influence of
energy development on recreation and tourism (e.g., by comparing areas
in the Upper Cook Inlet with existing energy infrastructure to other
areas in Cook Inlet without any energy infrastructure). The study also
would document user attitudes regarding how recreation and tourism may
be affected by different energy development-related activities (e.g.,
noise, space use conflicts, aesthetic effects of infrastructure, and
vessel traffic).
The study's primary research design would include four components:
focus groups, cognitive interviews, onsite intercept surveys, and
written surveys. The focus groups and cognitive interviews would be
used to develop and pretest a draft written survey, first in a group
setting (focus groups) and then in a one-on-one interview setting
(cognitive interviews). The onsite survey would include a small number
of questions to determine eligibility for recruitment to the written
survey. It will be pretested onsite while investigators are in the
field for the focus groups. The final onsite and written surveys would
be administered at approximately two dozen sites in the study area
during the primary recreation season from May to October. Potential
respondents would be approached as they arrive to a site and invited to
fill out the survey.
1. Focus Groups--To inform survey development, BOEM would conduct
focus groups with recreationists in the study area. The recreationists
would identify their preferred coastal- and marine-related recreation
sites; why they choose their preferred sites; the differences they
perceive between sites near existing energy infrastructure (in portions
of the Upper Cook Inlet) to sites that are not near any energy
infrastructure, and the recreational quality of those sites; what they
like about their recreational experiences around Cook Inlet; what they
do not like about the Cook Inlet sites they avoid; how offshore energy
exploration and development activities may affect their recreation site
choice and experience; and other related issues.
2. Cognitive Interviews--The findings of the focus groups would be
used to develop a draft written survey instrument. BOEM would then
conduct 25 cognitive interviews to test and refine the survey.
Specifically, the interviews would test if the survey is working as
expected. Factors relevant to that determination include evaluating if
questions are easily understood, whether respondents misunderstand the
questions in any way, whether response categories are exhaustive and
mutually exclusive, and other similar issues.
3. Onsite Intercept Surveys--A short in-person survey to be
conducted with recreationists as they arrive at a site. The questions
will determine eligibility for recruitment to the written survey,
including whether they are participating in recreation activities. The
onsite interview will also include selected demographic questions for
comparison with respondents to the written survey and evaluation of
nonresponse. Surveys would be administered at a range of sites,
including public lands, visitor centers, seaports, airports, and
marinas. Because the surveys would be administered between May and
September, a potential respondent may be intercepted on more than one
occasion. If a respondent clarifies that they have already taken the
survey, they would not be asked to take it again.
4. Written Surveys--The written survey would cover topics such as
recreational destinations, frequency of use in the past 12 months,
recreation trip-related expenditures, preferences for recreation site
attributes, attitudes about offshore energy projects and impacts of the
projects on recreation, and respondent demographics.
OMB Control Number: OMB Control Number 1010-NEW.
Type of Review: New.
Respondents/Affected Public: Participants in the focus groups and
cognitive interviews would be members of the public who have engaged in
coastal or marine recreation in the study area in the past year.
Respondents to the onsite and written surveys would be members of the
public engaged in coastal or marine recreational activities in the
study area. Members of the public
[[Page 68927]]
would consist of a mixture of local, State, and out-of-State residents.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 2,095: 40 focus group
participants, 25 cognitive interview participants, 30 pretest onsite
surveys, 1,500 completed onsite surveys, and 500 completed written
surveys. The focus group questions would be semi-structured and open-
ended. Onsite and written survey questions would be primarily discrete
choice and closed-ended with minimal open-ended questions.
Estimated Completion Time per Response: 90 minutes per focus group
participant, 45 minutes per cognitive interview participant, 1 minute
for the onsite survey, and 12 minutes per written survey participant.
(BOEM anticipates that the survey would comprise approximately 30
questions with each question taking about 20-30 seconds to complete on
average.)
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 205 hours: 60 hours
for focus groups, 18.75 hours for cognitive interviews, 30 minutes for
the pretest onsite surveys, 25 hours for the onsite survey, and 100
hours for the written survey.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Frequency of Collection: One time.
Total Estimated Annual Non-hour Burden Cost: There is no non-hour
cost burden associated with this collection.
A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period on
this proposed ICR was published on February 9, 2024 (89 FR 9175). One
comment was received on February 18, 2024. The commentor recommended
prohibiting oil and gas leasing and commercial tourism. While the
comment is recognized, it does not change the purpose of or need for
the proposed study, nor does it affect the cost or hour burden.
BOEM is again soliciting comments on this proposed ICR. BOEM is
especially interested in public comment addressing the following
issues: (1) is the collection necessary to the proper functions of
BOEM; (2) what can BOEM do to ensure this information will be processed
and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate;
(4) how might BOEM enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (5) how might BOEM minimize the burden
of this collection on the respondents, including minimizing the burden
through the use of information technology?
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record and will be available for public review on
<a href="http://www.reginfo.gov">www.reginfo.gov</a>. BOEM will include or summarize each comment in its ICR
to OMB for approval of this information collection. You should be aware
that your entire comment--including your address, phone number, email
address, or other personally identifiable information included in your
comment--may be made publicly available at any time.
For BOEM to consider withholding from disclosure your personally
identifiable information, you must identify, in a cover letter, any
information contained in your comment that, if released, would
constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of your personal privacy. You
must also briefly describe any possible harmful consequences of the
disclosure of information, such as embarrassment, injury, or other
harm.
Even if BOEM withholds your personally identifiable information in
the context of this ICR, your comment is subject to the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA). Your information will only be withheld if a
determination is made that one of the FOIA exemptions to disclosure
applies. Such a determination will be made in accordance with the
Department of the Interior's (DOI) FOIA implementing regulations (43
CFR part 2) and applicable law.
BOEM will make available for public inspection all comments in
their entirety (except privileged or confidential information)
submitted by organizations and businesses, or by individuals
identifying themselves as representatives of organizations or
businesses. BOEM protects privileged and confidential information in
accordance with FOIA and DOI's implementing regulations.
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.).
Karen Thundiyil,
Chief, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2024-19320 Filed 8-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340-98-P
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