Focus Groups As Used By EPA For Economics Projects

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
SS_generic ICR_042007.doc Supporting Statement A	2007-05-01

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
181969	Arsenic in Drinking Water - Avoiding Exposure Other-Supporting Statement	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 2090-0028	ICR Reference No: 200610-2090-003
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: EPA/AdmO	Agency Tracking No: 2205.01
Title: Focus Groups As Used By EPA For Economics Projects
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 05/01/2007
	Date Received in OIRA: 01/16/2007
Terms of Clearance: Approved consistent with the following terms: EPA will submit all packages under this generic clearance to OMB. All items submitted must be approved by OMB prior to use. EPA will provide a report to OMB on this generic clearance detailing all collections of information under this generic, and the total number of approved burden hours used for each. In each submission under this clearance EPA must provide the burden requested, the total burden used by the Agency under the generic as a whole, and the approved burden for the generic clearance.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	11/30/2008	36 Months From Approved
Responses	626	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	1,000	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

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Abstract: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking approval for a generic information collection request (ICR) for the conduct of focus groups and protocol interviews (hereafter jointly referred to as focus groups) related to economics projects. Over the next three years, the Agency anticipates embarking on a number of survey development efforts associated with a variety of economics projects including those related to valuation of ecosystems, children’s health risks, improvements to coastal waters, and invasive species to name a few. Focus groups are an important part of any survey development process, allowing for researchers to directly gauge what specific issues are important to the public and providing a means for explicitly testing draft survey materials. Through these focus groups, the Agency will be able to gain a more in-depth understanding of the public’s attitudes, beliefs, motivations and feelings regarding specific issues and will provide valuable information regarding the quality of draft survey instruments. The information collected in the focus groups will be used to develop and improve economics-related surveys. To the extent that these surveys are ultimately successfully administered, they will serve to expand the Agencies understanding of benefits and costs of a variety of actions and could provide the means to quantitatively assess the effects of others. Participation in the focus groups will be voluntary and the identity of the participants will be kept confidential.

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Authorizing Statute(s): None

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	70 FR 67163	11/04/2005
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	72 FR 1511	01/12/2007
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Arsenic in Drinking Water - Avoiding Exposure

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	626	0	0	626	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	1,000	0	0	1,000	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: New generic collection for focus groups for economics projects. OMB is approving 1500 burden hours for the duration of the approval period of 18 months.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $2,363,493

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002? No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? Uncollected

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? Uncollected

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? Uncollected

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 01/16/2007

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