This study is about Puerto Rico's
coral reef ecosystems and will estimate the use of the reefs by
activity and region; spending associated with the reef use and
corresponding economic impact on the Puerto Rican economy in terms
of sales/output, value-added, income and employment; the non-market
economic use value and how that value changes with changes in user
and reef characteristics; importance-satisfaction ratings for 25
natural resource attributes, facilities and services; and special
local and national issues. Separate surveys of residents and
visitors to Puerto Rico who use Puerto Rico's coral reef ecosystems
for recreation-tourist activities will be the population sampled. A
pre-test is first required to assist with dollar bid amounts for
the non-market economic valuation questions and for estimating the
percents of the populations that use coral reef ecosystems. Using
pre-test results, the final bid amounts and sample sizes will be
determined for the full surveys. The Internet Survey was not
successful and will be replaced with an On-site Survey. The On-site
Survey asks all the same questions, except the non-market economic
value choice questions were reduced from four choices per
respondent to two choices to reduce time burden. Also, the
expenditure and importance-satisfaction questions were moved to the
Airport Survey as mailbacks. They were already mailbacks as
secondary back-ups to the Internet Survey for visitors that did not
join the Internet Panel; now they are the primary source of this
information. 2. Total burden hours for the Visitor Survey changes
were due to a combination of decreases for the on-site airport
survey and increases in the on-site survey outside the airports. We
reduced the number of airport surveys required to obtain enough
recruits into the Internet Survey from 1,500 per season to 750 per
season. With two seasons that is a reduction from 3,000 to 1,500 of
these 5-minute responses. Also, we were not able to obtain funding
for the Puerto Rico segment, so those hours have been
removed.
US Code:
33
USC 1342 Name of Law: Clean Water Act
US Code: 16
USC 1456c Name of Law: Coastal Zone Management Act
Overall, the full visit or
survey increased from 900 to 1,319 hours. 5. Due to lack of
funding, we are not able to do the pre-test or the full survey for
the Residents of Puerto Rico, so we are dropping this from the
current request. This results in a decrease in our overall burden
hour request from 2,200 hours to 1,319 hours.
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.