Focus Groups As Used By EPA For Economics Projects

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
2205ss02 - v2.doc Supporting Statement A	2009-03-02

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
197538	Exploratory Analysis of Ex Ante Regulatory Cost Estimates Other-Sample questions	New
192435	Estimating the Social Benefits of 316(b) Requirements for Cooling Water Intake Structures under the NPDES Permit Program Other-draft survey	New
191298	Public Values Related to the Santa Cruz River in Southern Arizona Other-Justification & Focus Group Script	New
190774	Leaking Underground Storage Tank Study Other-Focus Group Script	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 2090-0028	ICR Reference No: 200811-2090-001
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 200610-2090-003
Agency/Subagency: EPA/AdmO	Agency Tracking No: 2205.02
Title: Focus Groups As Used By EPA For Economics Projects
Type of Information Collection: Extension without change of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 03/03/2009
	Date Received in OIRA: 11/26/2008
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, and the total number of approved burden hours used for each collection. In each submission under this clearance EPA must provide the burden requested, the total burden used by the Agency under the generic clearance as a whole, and the approved burden for the generic clearance.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	03/31/2012	36 Months From Approved	03/31/2009
Responses	337	0	626
Time Burden (Hours)	786	0	1,000
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:
	73 FR 54798	09/23/2008
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	73 FR 71643	11/25/2008
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 4

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Estimating the Social Benefits of 316(b) Requirements for Cooling Water Intake Structures under the NPDES Permit Program
Exploratory Analysis of Ex Ante Regulatory Cost Estimates
Leaking Underground Storage Tank Study
Public Values Related to the Santa Cruz River in Southern Arizona

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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	337	626	0	0	-289	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	786	1,000	0	0	-214	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

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

Burden Increase Due to:

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

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement:

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $697,500

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: 11/26/2008

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