Rental Agent Advance Letter

Department of Energy

Washington, DC 20585

[Date]

Dear Rental Agent:

In a few days, RTI International will contact you on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy asking for your help with the 2015 Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS). Through this study, we will learn how Americans use energy in their homes—information that is not available anywhere else. This information is critical to understanding future energy needs and improving efficiency.

We have selected a national sample of households to interview and gather information about energy characteristics of U.S. homes. Some respondents who rent their apartments may not be able to answer certain questions during the interview, such as the type of heating equipment or the ages of household appliances. For these households, landlords or rental agencies are being contacted to complete a questionnaire about energy use in the building.

Each questionnaire takes about 15 minutes to complete. Your identity and the information you provide will be held in strict confidence in accordance with the law as described on the reverse side of this letter.

If you have any questions or want more information about RECS, contact RTI toll-free at xxx-xxx-xxxx or by email at [email protected]. If you would like to speak to someone at the U.S. Department of Energy, please contact RECS manager Chip Berry at (202) 586-5543 or by email at [email protected]. You can also get more information about the RECS by visiting our web site at www.eia.gov/consumption/residential.

Thank you for your participation in the 2015 RECS!

S
incerely,

Tom Leckey

Director, Office of Energy Consumption and Efficiency Statistics

U.S. Energy Information Administration

United States Department of Energy

PRIVACY ACT NOTICE

The Residential Energy Consumption Survey is being conducted by RTI International for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). It is authorized under the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-275), as amended and the Energy Policy Act of 1992.

The purpose of this survey is to collect residential energy consumption statistical information to be used by the DOE and other Federal agencies to administer programs, monitor energy usage, and plan for our nations’ energy future.

As part of this survey, we are requesting permission from you to obtain your energy consumption and expenditures data from your fuel suppliers. RTI, or some other designee of DOE, will need to maintain your name and address in order to collect information from your fuel suppliers.

Your participation in this survey is voluntary.

The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only and is confidential by law. In accordance with the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 and other applicable Federal laws, your responses will not be disclosed in identifiable form without your consent. Per the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, Federal information systems are protected from malicious activities through cybersecurity screening of transmitted data. Every EIA employee, as well as every agent, is subject to a jail term, a fine, or both if he or she makes public ANY identifiable information you reported.

PUBLIC REPORTING BURDEN

You are not required to respond to this collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this data collection is 1905-0092. The reporting burden on the public for this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes for the interview. Send comments regarding the public reporting burden or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to:

U.S. Energy Information Administration

Office of Survey Development and Statistical Integration, EI-21

1000 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20585

and

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs

Office of Management and Budget

Washington, DC 20503