0449 SS 121211 rev

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

DATA COLLECTION AND VERIFICATION FOR

THE MPAS INVENTORY

OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-0449

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.

This request is for revision and extension of this information collection. The data form has been revised, with instructions added and fewer open-ended questions, and response time is estimated to be less than previously estimated.

Executive Order 13158 (EO 13158) directs the Department of Commerce and the Department of the Interior (DOI) to work with partners to strengthen the protection of Unites States (U.S.) ocean and coastal resources by developing a national system of marine protected areas (MPAs). In order to develop that system, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and DOI have determined that it is necessary to first inventory those areas, in order to comply with EO 13158. The U.S. has different levels of protection and management regimes at many levels of government. State, local, territorial, and tribal governments have different ways in which they protect their marine environment through area-based management.

A comprehensive data collection effort has been completed to provide the federal government, its partners and the American people with information about their marine resources and the conservation and management of those resources. Information on MPAs throughout U.S. waters has now been centralized or organized in a coherent way into an online spatial database, the MPAs Inventory. This data collection effort has been in progress for the last nine years and will continue for another three years in order to complete and maintain the data set. Participants also provide updates or corrections to their data if it changes or as they see appropriate, including the establishment of new MPAs or revisions of existing areas. The number of federal programs, states, and territories submitting information is provided in table, below.

Number of Federal Agencies, States and Territories Reporting Through 12-10

Governmental Level	# of Respondents Through December 2010
Federal	2 federal agencies, 6 programs
States	29 coastal states
Territories	5 coastal territories
Partnerships	1 federal/state partnership program; state/local partnership programs in 7 states; territory/local partnership programs in 2 territories
Tribes	none
Local Governments	none

The online spatial database (MPA Inventory) provides information on MPAs nationwide and is the result of nine years of data gathering and initial quality assurance/quality control (QAQC). As the status of MPAs is constantly changing, NOAA intends for this database to be updated annually based on feedback from MPA programs and other state, federal, territorial, tribal and local partnerships. These updates will serve to improve the accuracy of the MPA Inventory products and will also provide a verification process to improve the quality and detail of the information provided. Every year, MPA Inventory staff conduct an update based on readily available public information, boundary or regulation changes noted in the Federal Register and state codes, and feedback from partners and programs. An online site data form can be filled out by any MPA Program interested in providing changes, updates or notifications to the current MPA Inventory database.

2. Explain how, by whom, how frequently, and for what purpose the information will be used. If the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to support information that will be disseminated to the public, then explain how the collection complies with all applicable Information Quality Guidelines.

The online site data form is used to assist the MPA Center in evaluating the accuracy of the MPA Inventory data and to provide a mechanism to receive updates, additions or changes to existing database information. The online form can be used to identify new sites that should be added to the database or to provide clarification on the data stored in the existing version of the online MPA Inventory. The existing MPA Inventory and any subsequent information gathered through the online site form is used: 1) by federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal governments as well as non-governmental organizations, universities, and individuals for scientific research, management, and operational purposes; 2) by industry when seeking federal licenses or permits or preparing environmental impact statements required for various offshore activities; 3) to glean basic information about the U.S.’ marine and coastal waters, such as the area that is explicitly managed or protected, what protections exist and where they are located, and how these management areas are related to each other; and 4) to improve management of these areas and allow for more efficient and effective communication and coordination between management entities.

The data will continue to be provided on the Web site, www.mpa.gov, where information from the federal programs areas and the several states and territories that have responded are available. Through an online data viewer, the general public can view, sort and query the information stored in the database on an interactive map. The MPA Inventory is also served in various spatial data formats for use in existing and planned data portals. The MPA Inventory will also be accessible through www.noaa.cmsp.gov and other relevant NOAA data portals. Other examples of how the data will be presented can be seen in the MPA Inventory section of mpa.gov at http://www.mpa.gov/dataanalysis/mpainventory/.

Specifically, the site data form asks for any relevant updates to a site’s existing classification or information and for wholly new sites, it collects: 1) general information about the site, such as name and year established; 2) information about each site’s conservation focus and regulatory scope; 3) information about the site’s management capabilities as provided through the site’s management plan; and 4) information about the availability of geographic information systems (GIS) shape files.

Collected information describes attributes of each MPA such as level of protection (e.g. ranging from whether it is a multiple-use area with limited protection to restriction of all uses); whether the protection exists year-round; whether it is focused on protecting natural resources, cultural resources or both; whether and how the site restricts fishing; and its planned management capabilities (e.g. does it have monitoring, research, education, permitting programs, etc.) When completed, the form provides information about each MPA for the database that is comparable across different programs (e.g. parks, refuges, sanctuaries) and levels of government (i.e., federal, state, territorial, partnership) and can be applied at local, state, regional, and national scales.

An additional nomination checklist form is also posted at www.mpa.gov to collect information from eligible federal, state, territorial, local and tribal governments seeking to nominate their MPA to be part of the national system of MPAs. MPA programs (approximately five each year) provide information on how their nominated sites meet the goals and objectives of the national system of MPAs (after their nominations have been reviewed and accepted, these programs continue to provide annual updates as needed for changes to the MPA attributes)

Metadata has been created to order to organize all of the MPA Inventory data, make it more easily retrievable, and further ensure its quality.

As explained in the preceding paragraphs, the information gathered has utility. NOAA’s Ocean Service will retain control over the information and safeguard it from improper access, modification, and destruction, consistent with NOAA standards for confidentiality, privacy, and electronic information. See response to Question10 of this Supporting Statement for more information on confidentiality and privacy. The information collection is designed to yield data that meet all applicable information quality guidelines. Prior to dissemination, the information will be subjected to quality control measures and a pre-dissemination review pursuant to Section 515 of Public Law 106-554.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological techniques or other forms of information technology.

The site data form and the nomination checklist can be accessed online or can be completed: 1) by a site’s (respondent) staff and sent via e-mail to the National MPA Center or 2) through the respondent’s telephone discussion with National MPA Center staff.

The online forms can be filled out electronically and then returned to MPA Center staff. The current version of the MPA Inventory database is accessible over the Internet at http://www.mpa.gov/helpful_resources/inventoryfiles/mpai_newsiteform.pdf.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.

The MPA Inventory is unique, and information is not being collected by other entities. The MPA Center conducts internet searches to determine that such a collection does not already exist. MPA Center staff are also working with the World Commission on Protected Areas’ World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) to ensure that information for U.S. MPAs within this global database is accurate and complete.

5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe the methods used to minimize burden.

The data collection involves federal agencies, all coastal state and territorial governments, and could involve a few coastal tribal and local governments. The collection does not involve small businesses. Small local governments are provided assistance in filling out the form, when requested, either by the National MPA Center and/or the appropriate state or territorial partner.

6. Describe the consequences to the Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently.

Data will be collected once for each site; however, respondents are able to provide updates or edits to their data as appropriate. If data are not collected, the public will not receive complete, vital information about their coastal and ocean resources and the protection and management of those resources, and the Federal government cannot proceed with identifying which existing MPAs are eligible to be a part of the National System of MPAs established under EO 13158.

7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.

The collection will be conducted consistent with OMB guidelines.

8. Provide information on the PRA Federal Register Notice that solicited public comments on the information collection prior to this submission. Summarize the public comments received in response to that notice and describe the actions taken by the agency in response to those comments. Describe the efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

A Federal Register Notice published on September 28, 2011 (76 FR 60004) solicited public comment on this collection. No comments were received.

Representatives from the Department of the Interior, other federal MPA programs, as well as members of regional fisheries offices have reviewed this form in the past. These representatives were encouraged to comment on the usability of the form.

9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

Gifts or payments are not currently planned.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

As stated on the data entry form, there is no assurance of confidentiality.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.

There are no questions of a sensitive nature.

12. Provide an estimate in hours of the burden of the collection of information.

The initial data collection effort was completed in the first nine years. The proposed extension is necessary to maintain accurate and current records and to ensure that all federal, state, commonwealth, and territorial governments, obtain information about new or modified sites. The total estimated responses are 300 for updates or additions of new sites in the next three years.

For new sites, it is estimated to take between 20-30 minutes to research and complete the form. For existing sites needing clarification or modification to one or two fields, this could be substantially less, usually 5-10 minutes. Assuming a conservative response time of 30 minutes, there will be an estimated 150 burden hours during this three year extension request, annualized to 50 hours. The total responses over the three-year period will be 300, annualized to 100.

13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to the respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection.

There will be no financial cost associated with completing the online site form.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.

There is no specific programmatic cost to the government. This survey is part of a greater Inventory effort, and as such it will fall under regularly scheduled Inventory activities.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported.

Program Change: Due to the revised instrument, average burden time per response has decreased from 1 hour and 30 minutes to 30 minutes; the time required to meet information collection needs will continue to be minimized as the process is simplified and perfected.

Adjustment: Due to the number of sites that have already been added to the MPA Inventory over the past decade, the number of responses has decreased from 750 from 2008-2011 to 300 from 2012-2015.

16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and publication.

Results from the first nine years of data collection are tallied and compiled in a database currently housed at the NOAA Ocean Service’s National MPA Center in Monterey, California. The information is currently available on the Web site, mpa.gov. New data collected during the extension will be added to this database and made available on the web.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons why display would be inappropriate.

NA.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement.

NA.

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

This data collection does not employ statistical methods.