This ICR is
approved. The Supporting Statement (p 8) lists two specific
purposes for the survey: 1)to individually describe the major urban
environmental cncerns in each of the 86 MSAs, in order to provide
MSA-specific information for a number of planning purposes and 2)
to benchmark citizen environmental concerns regionally and across
all 86 MSAs. The Survey design and methodology are sufficient for
the first of these purposes. We urge caution, however, in using the
results for the second purpose. We note that the sample size of 100
respondents per MSA is only designed to obtain a precision of plus
or minus 10 percent (with 95% confidence) for the proportions of
respondents providing specific answers to multiple choice
questions. Further, asking people how high or low a priority they
place on specific issues may lead them to indicate a higher or
lower priority than they actually feel, based on what they perceive
to be the socially "correct" answer (eg, many people may be
reluctant to say they don't place a high priority on certain
environmental issues). As the Agency recognizes, the sample size is
not adequate to support demographic analyses within MSAs. We are
also concerned, however, that the context and significance of local
issues may vary sufficiently from one MSA to the next that it will
be difficult to interpret any apparent consistencies within
demographic groups across MSAs. In short, the survey is sufficient
to satisfy the planning and project prioritization needs of the
EMPACT program, but not to provide detailed statistical analyses of
citizen environmental attitudes. The Supporting Statement mentions
that additional pretesting and possible adjustments to the survey
instrument will be preformed following OMB approval of this ICR. If
this results in any substantive revisions to the survey, they must
be approved by OMB. Finally, the Agency should provide OMB with a
copy of any report(s) prepared from the survey results.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
02/28/2002
02/28/2002
8,600
0
0
1,720
0
0
0
0
0
The study will identify the primary
local environmental issues of greatest interest to citizens within
the 86 designated EMPACT cities. This will provide for each of the
86 metropolitan areas information specific to the needs and
interests of their citizens, which can then be used by the EMPACT
Program and funded EMPACT projects to develop new programs and
approaches for providing individuals with the kinds of
time-relevant local environmental information they want.
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.
EPA EMPACT Urban Environmental Issues Study of 86 Cities