81 FR 78809 - Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Willingness To Pay Survey To Evaluate Recreational Benefits of Nutrient Reductions in Coastal New England Waters
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 217 (November 9, 2016)
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 217 (November 9, 2016)
| Page Range | 78809-78810 | |
| FR Document | 2016-27075 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 217 (Wednesday, November 9, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 78809-78810] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-27075] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-ORD-2016-0632; FRL--9955-05-ORD] Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Willingness To Pay Survey To Evaluate Recreational Benefits of Nutrient Reductions in Coastal New England Waters AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Willingness to Pay Survey to Evaluate Recreational Benefits of Nutrient Reductions in Coastal New England Waters'' (EPA ICR No. 2558.01, OMB Control No. 2080-NEW) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a request for approval of a new collection. 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. DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 9, 2017. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD- 2016-0632, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marisa Mazzotta, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882; telephone number: 401-782-3026; fax number: 401-782-3139; email address: [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets. Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting comments and information to enable it to: (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (iv) minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and approval. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. Abstract: Researchers at the EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD), Atlantic Ecology Division (AED) are piloting an effort to better understand how reduced water quality due to nutrient enrichment affects the economic prosperity, social capacity, and ecological integrity of coastal New England communities. This project proposes a survey to collect data for a case study of changes in recreation demand and values due to changes in nutrients in northeastern coastal waters. This includes the development of methods and tools for estimating recreational values that can be applied in other locations, either by EPA researchers, EPA's regional offices or state partners. Our initial geographic focus for these efforts will be Cape Cod, Massachusetts (``the Cape''; Barnstable County), and New England residents within 100 miles of the Cape. We focus on Cape Cod and its surrounding coastal areas both in order to limit the scope of the work to remain feasible within our research budget and to coordinate this socio-economic analysis with extensive ecological research being conducted on the Cape by ORD researchers, researchers at EPA's Region 1 office, and other external research groups. Cape Cod is also in the midst of an extensive regional planning effort related to its coastal waters, and this research can provide helpful socio- economic information to decision makers about the use of those waters. Because the 100-mile radius from Cape Cod includes a large area of southern New England and the largest population centers in New England, the results will be more broadly applicable to residents of southern New England. One of the key water quality concerns on Cape Cod, and throughout New England, is nonpoint sources of nitrogen, which lead to ecological impairments in estuaries, with resultant socio-economic impacts. The decisions needed to meet water quality standards are highly complex and involve significant cross-disciplinary challenges in identifying, implementing, and monitoring social and ecological management needs. We will focus on understanding recreational uses as valued economic goods in coastal New England (including beachgoing, swimming, fishing, shellfishing, and boating). [[Page 78810]] As a part of these efforts, EPA's ORD/AED is seeking approval to conduct a revealed preference survey to collect data on: People's saltwater recreational activities; how recreational values are related to water quality; how perceptions of water quality relate to objective measures; the connections between perceptions of water quality, recreational choices and values, and sense of place; and demographic information. If approved, the survey will be administered using a mixed-mode approach that includes a mailed invitation to a web survey with an optional paper survey for people who are unable or unwilling to answer the web survey. The survey will be sent to a total of 8,400 residents living in counties where more than 25% of the county's geographic boundaries falls within 100 miles of the Cape as measured from Bourne, Massachusetts, which is the first town on Cape Cod heading east. This area includes coastal counties of New Hampshire, the eastern half of Massachusetts, all of Rhode Island, and the eastern part of Connecticut. In addition, we will oversample two populations: residents of Cape Cod and people who shellfish recreationally. We will send 750 surveys to each of these groups. ORD will use the survey responses to estimate willingness to pay for changes related to reductions in nutrient and pathogen loadings to coastal New England waters. The analysis relies on state of the art theoretical and statistical tools for non-market welfare analysis. A non-response bias analysis will also be conducted to inform the interpretation and validation of survey responses. All responses to the survey will be kept confidential to the extent provided by law. To ensure that the final survey sample includes a representative and diverse population of individuals, the survey questionnaire will elicit basic demographic information, such as age, race and ethnicity, number of children under 18, type of employment, and income. However, the survey questionnaire will not ask respondents for personal identifying information, such as names or phone numbers. Instead, each survey response will receive a unique identification number. Prior to taking the survey, respondents will be informed that their responses will be kept confidential to the extent provided by law. The name and address of the respondent will not appear in the resulting database, preserving the respondents' identities. The survey data will be made public only after it has been thoroughly vetted to ensure that all other potentially identifying information has been removed. After data entry is complete, the surveys themselves will be destroyed and only respondent codes will remain. Form Numbers: None. Respondents/affected entities: Eligible respondents for the survey are individuals 18 years of age or older who reside in counties where at least 25% of county's geographic area falls within a 100-mile radius of Cape Cod. This includes coastal counties of New Hampshire, the eastern half of Massachusetts, all of Rhode Island, and the eastern part of Connecticut. The sample will be stratified by geography, with Barnstable County, Massachusetts sampled at a rate 3.06 times higher than the rest of the population in the study area. Additionally, the sample will be a dual-frame sample, where the main frame is the general population address-based frame of the U.S. Postal Service Delivery Sequence File, and a supplementary frame is the frame of shellfish license holder records. Households will be selected randomly from the DSF, which covers over 97% of residences in the U.S. EPA will request participation from a random stratified sample of 10,270 households in two phases. The first phase, a pretest, will be sent to 370 addresses. The second phase, encompassing full survey administration, will be administered to an additional 9,900 addresses. In each phase, we anticipate a response rate of 27 percent, resulting in 90 and 2,365 completed surveys, respectively, after accounting for expected undeliverable surveys. Respondent's obligation to respond: voluntary. Estimated number of respondents: 2,455 (total). Frequency of response: The survey is a one-time data collection activity. Total estimated burden: 614 hours (total). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b). Total estimated cost: Assuming 15 minutes are needed to complete the survey, the total respondent cost comes to $21,386 for the pre-test and main survey combined, using an average wage rate for New England of $34.83 from the United States Department of Labor. This would be a one- time expenditure of their time. Changes in Estimates: This is the first notice; there is no change in estimates at this time. Dated: October 31, 2016. Wayne Munns, Division Director, Atlantic Ecology Division. [FR Doc. 2016-27075 Filed 11-8-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 217 / Wednesday, November 9, 2016 / Notices 78809
placed on the list of public speakers for DATES: Comments must be submitted on comments received and amend the ICR
the meeting. or before January 9, 2017. as appropriate. The final ICR package
Written Statements: Written ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, will then be submitted to OMB for
statements must be received by referencing Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– review and approval. At that time, EPA
November 14, 2016 so that the ORD–2016–0632, online using will issue another Federal Register
information may be made available to www.regulations.gov (our preferred notice to announce the submission of
the SIS for consideration. Written method), by email to Docket_ORD@ the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to
statements should be supplied to the epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket submit additional comments to OMB.
DFO in the following formats: One hard Center, Environmental Protection Abstract: Researchers at the EPA’s
copy with original signature and one Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Office of Research and Development
electronic copy via email. Commenters Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, (ORD), Atlantic Ecology Division (AED)
are requested to provide two versions of DC 20460. are piloting an effort to better
each document submitted: One each EPA’s policy is that all comments understand how reduced water quality
with and without signatures because received will be included in the public due to nutrient enrichment affects the
only documents without signatures may docket without change including any economic prosperity, social capacity,
be published on the GLRI Web page. personal information provided, unless and ecological integrity of coastal New
Accessibility: For information on the comment includes profanity, threats, England communities. This project
access or services for individuals with information claimed to be Confidential proposes a survey to collect data for a
disabilities, please contact the DFO at Business Information (CBI) or other case study of changes in recreation
the phone number or email address information whose disclosure is demand and values due to changes in
noted above, preferably at least seven restricted by statute. nutrients in northeastern coastal waters.
days prior to the meeting, to give EPA FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
This includes the development of
as much time as possible to process methods and tools for estimating
Marisa Mazzotta, U.S. Environmental
your request. recreational values that can be applied
Protection Agency, Office of Research
in other locations, either by EPA
Dated: November 2, 2016. and Development, Atlantic Ecology
researchers, EPA’s regional offices or
Cameron Davis, Division, 27 Tarzwell Drive,
state partners. Our initial geographic
Senior Advisor to the Administrator. Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882;
focus for these efforts will be Cape Cod,
telephone number: 401–782–3026; fax
[FR Doc. 2016–27078 Filed 11–8–16; 8:45 am] Massachusetts (‘‘the Cape’’; Barnstable
number: 401–782–3139; email address:
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P County), and New England residents
mazzotta.marisa@epa.gov.
within 100 miles of the Cape. We focus
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: on Cape Cod and its surrounding coastal
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Supporting documents which explain in areas both in order to limit the scope of
AGENCY detail the information that the EPA will the work to remain feasible within our
be collecting are available in the public research budget and to coordinate this
[EPA–HQ–ORD–2016–0632; FRL—9955–05– docket for this ICR. The docket can be
ORD] socio-economic analysis with extensive
viewed online at www.regulations.gov ecological research being conducted on
Proposed Information Collection or in person at the EPA Docket Center, the Cape by ORD researchers,
Request; Comment Request; WJC West, Room 3334, 1301 researchers at EPA’s Region 1 office, and
Willingness To Pay Survey To Evaluate Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, other external research groups. Cape
Recreational Benefits of Nutrient DC. The telephone number for the Cod is also in the midst of an extensive
Reductions in Coastal New England Docket Center is 202–566–1744. For regional planning effort related to its
Waters additional information about EPA’s coastal waters, and this research can
public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/ provide helpful socio-economic
AGENCY: Environmental Protection dockets. information to decision makers about
Agency (EPA). Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the use of those waters. Because the
ACTION: Notice. the PRA, EPA is soliciting comments 100-mile radius from Cape Cod includes
and information to enable it to: (i) a large area of southern New England
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Evaluate whether the proposed and the largest population centers in
Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an collection of information is necessary New England, the results will be more
information collection request (ICR), for the proper performance of the broadly applicable to residents of
‘‘Willingness to Pay Survey to Evaluate functions of the Agency, including southern New England.
Recreational Benefits of Nutrient whether the information will have One of the key water quality concerns
Reductions in Coastal New England practical utility; (ii) evaluate the on Cape Cod, and throughout New
Waters’’ (EPA ICR No. 2558.01, OMB accuracy of the Agency’s estimate of the England, is nonpoint sources of
Control No. 2080–NEW) to the Office of burden of the proposed collection of nitrogen, which lead to ecological
Management and Budget (OMB) for information, including the validity of impairments in estuaries, with resultant
review and approval in accordance with the methodology and assumptions used; socio-economic impacts. The decisions
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and needed to meet water quality standards
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, clarity of the information to be are highly complex and involve
EPA is soliciting public comments on collected; and (iv) minimize the burden significant cross-disciplinary challenges
specific aspects of the proposed of the collection of information on those
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
in identifying, implementing, and
information collection as described who are to respond, including through monitoring social and ecological
below. This is a request for approval of the use of appropriate automated management needs. We will focus on
a new collection. An Agency may not electronic, mechanical, or other understanding recreational uses as
conduct or sponsor and a person is not technological collection techniques or valued economic goods in coastal New
required to respond to a collection of other forms of information technology, England (including beachgoing,
information unless it displays a e.g., permitting electronic submission of swimming, fishing, shellfishing, and
currently valid OMB control number. responses. EPA will consider the boating).
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![78810 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 217 / Wednesday, November 9, 2016 / Notices
As a part of these efforts, EPA’s ORD/ data entry is complete, the surveys FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
AED is seeking approval to conduct a themselves will be destroyed and only COMMISSION
revealed preference survey to collect respondent codes will remain.
[CC Docket No. 92–237; DA 16–1240]
data on: People’s saltwater recreational Form Numbers: None.
activities; how recreational values are Respondents/affected entities: Eligible Next Meeting of the North American
related to water quality; how respondents for the survey are Numbering Council
perceptions of water quality relate to individuals 18 years of age or older who
objective measures; the connections AGENCY: Federal Communications
reside in counties where at least 25% of
between perceptions of water quality, Commission.
county’s geographic area falls within a
recreational choices and values, and ACTION: Notice.
100-mile radius of Cape Cod. This
sense of place; and demographic
includes coastal counties of New SUMMARY: In this document, the
information. If approved, the survey
Hampshire, the eastern half of Commission released a public notice
will be administered using a mixed-
Massachusetts, all of Rhode Island, and announcing the meeting and agenda of
mode approach that includes a mailed
the eastern part of Connecticut. The the North American Numbering Council
invitation to a web survey with an
sample will be stratified by geography, (NANC). The intended effect of this
optional paper survey for people who
with Barnstable County, Massachusetts action is to make the public aware of the
are unable or unwilling to answer the
sampled at a rate 3.06 times higher than NANC’s next meeting and agenda.
web survey. The survey will be sent to
a total of 8,400 residents living in the rest of the population in the study
DATES: Thursday, December 1, 2016,
counties where more than 25% of the area. Additionally, the sample will be a
10:00 a.m.
county’s geographic boundaries falls dual-frame sample, where the main
ADDRESSES: Requests to make an oral
within 100 miles of the Cape as frame is the general population address-
based frame of the U.S. Postal Service statement or provide written comments
measured from Bourne, Massachusetts, to the NANC should be sent to Carmell
which is the first town on Cape Cod Delivery Sequence File, and a
supplementary frame is the frame of Weathers, Competition Policy Division,
heading east. This area includes coastal Wireline Competition Bureau, Federal
counties of New Hampshire, the eastern shellfish license holder records.
Households will be selected randomly Communications Commission, Portals
half of Massachusetts, all of Rhode II, 445 12th Street SW., Room 5–C162,
Island, and the eastern part of from the DSF, which covers over 97%
of residences in the U.S. EPA will Washington, DC 20554.
Connecticut. In addition, we will FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
oversample two populations: residents request participation from a random
stratified sample of 10,270 households Carmell Weathers at (202) 418–2325 or
of Cape Cod and people who shellfish Carmell.Weathers@fcc.gov. The fax
recreationally. We will send 750 surveys in two phases. The first phase, a pretest,
will be sent to 370 addresses. The number is: (202) 418–1413. The TTY
to each of these groups. number is: (202) 418–0484.
ORD will use the survey responses to second phase, encompassing full survey
estimate willingness to pay for changes administration, will be administered to SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a
related to reductions in nutrient and an additional 9,900 addresses. In each summary of the Commission’s
pathogen loadings to coastal New phase, we anticipate a response rate of document in CC Docket No. 92–237, DA
England waters. The analysis relies on 27 percent, resulting in 90 and 2,365 16–1240 released November 1, 2016.
state of the art theoretical and statistical completed surveys, respectively, after The complete text in this document is
tools for non-market welfare analysis. A accounting for expected undeliverable available for public inspection and
non-response bias analysis will also be surveys. copying during normal business hours
conducted to inform the interpretation Respondent’s obligation to respond: in the FCC Reference Information
and validation of survey responses. voluntary. Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW.,
All responses to the survey will be Room CY–A257, Washington, DC 20554.
Estimated number of respondents:
kept confidential to the extent provided The North American Numbering
2,455 (total).
by law. To ensure that the final survey Council (NANC) has scheduled a
Frequency of response: The survey is meeting to be held Thursday, December
sample includes a representative and
diverse population of individuals, the a one-time data collection activity. 1, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
survey questionnaire will elicit basic Total estimated burden: 614 hours The meeting will be held at the Federal
demographic information, such as age, (total). Burden is defined at 5 CFR Communications Commission, Portals
race and ethnicity, number of children 1320.03(b). II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room TW–
under 18, type of employment, and Total estimated cost: Assuming 15 C305, Washington, DC. This meeting is
income. However, the survey minutes are needed to complete the open to members of the general public.
questionnaire will not ask respondents survey, the total respondent cost comes The FCC will attempt to accommodate
for personal identifying information, to $21,386 for the pre-test and main as many participants as possible. The
such as names or phone numbers. survey combined, using an average wage public may submit written statements to
Instead, each survey response will rate for New England of $34.83 from the the NANC, which must be received two
receive a unique identification number. United States Department of Labor. This business days before the meeting. In
Prior to taking the survey, respondents would be a one-time expenditure of addition, oral statements at the meeting
will be informed that their responses their time. by parties or entities not represented on
will be kept confidential to the extent Changes in Estimates: This is the first the NANC will be permitted to the
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
provided by law. The name and address notice; there is no change in estimates extent time permits. Such statements
of the respondent will not appear in the at this time. will be limited to five minutes in length
resulting database, preserving the by any one party or entity, and requests
Dated: October 31, 2016.
respondents’ identities. The survey data to make an oral statement must be
will be made public only after it has Wayne Munns, received two business days before the
been thoroughly vetted to ensure that all Division Director, Atlantic Ecology Division. meeting.
other potentially identifying [FR Doc. 2016–27075 Filed 11–8–16; 8:45 am] People with Disabilities: To request
information has been removed. After BILLING CODE 6560–50–P materials in accessible formats for
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Document Created: 2016-11-09 01:39:45
Document Modified: 2016-11-09 01:39:45
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice. | |
| Dates | Comments must be submitted on or before January 9, 2017. | |
| Contact | Marisa Mazzotta, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882; telephone number: 401-782-3026; fax number: 401-782-3139; email | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 78809 |
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