Annotated Version of Survey

OMB Control #: 1028-New

Expiration Date: Under Review at OMB

Instructions for Reviewers of the Project Summary Survey

This survey is one of two surveys associated with DOI’s study on the economic contribution of restoration. This survey will be completed by the project manager for each restoration project. The purpose is to gather background information that will be used to classify and describe the restoration project. The survey is also designed so that the USGS may acquire the background and contact information of each contractor hired in completing each restoration project. It is important that the USGS know the contact information of all hired contractors of a project so that the second survey may be administered.

This survey will be conducted online, providing an opportunity to tailor the questions to each respondent. All respondents will answer questions 1 through 35, but based on the structure of their restoration project, respondents will then be directed to answer either questions 36 through 39 or questions 40 and 41. The survey software (Key Survey™) will automate the skipping process so that the respondents will not have to take the time to navigate the skipping pattern. In this annotated version of the survey there are arrows next to answers that will direct the reviewer to the next question in the skipping sequence.

In response to question 2 in the PRA Supporting Statement Part A, we have justified the questions in this survey. Throughout the survey we have included text in shaded boxes. These boxes provide the required justification and additional information for groups of questions or individual questions.

Project Summary Survey

All respondents will receive the same instructions and will answer questions 1 through 35 below. Based on the structure of their restoration project, respondents will then be directed to answer either questions 36-39 or questions 40-41.

Introduction

Thank you for agreeing to include your restoration project in our study of the economic contributions of restoration. Your responses to this survey will give us the background information that we need to get started with our analysis. Following this survey, we will send you and the contractors that you identify an expenditure survey. The expenditure survey will ask each participant about their expenditures on labor, equipment, repairs and maintenance, materials and supplies, overhead, and travel for this restoration project. We will use this information to estimate the employment impacts of this restoration project.

This initial project summary survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. You can pause at any time; simply close the window and your answers will be saved. To resume and complete the survey, you will need to click on the link to the survey in the email you received. At that point, you can answer any remaining questions and/or edit any of your previous responses. At the end of the survey, click on the “Submit” button to finish the survey.

If you have any questions about the survey or the case study, please contact me at 970-226-9164 or [email protected].

Thank you,

Cathy Thomas

Economist

U.S. Geological Survey

This survey was approved by the Office of Management and Budget (1028-XXXX).

Question 1 will be used to identify the name of the restoration project being surveyed. This question is important so that the NRDA Restoration Program and the USGS can address the restoration project by the name given by the project manager. It is also important to the NRDA Restoration Program to be able to link each project to the NRDA case it is associated with.

1. Name of restoration project: __________________________________

Name of NRDA case and state (if project is funded by more than one case settlement, please list additional case names): ______________________________

Questions 2-30 are descriptive questions about the restoration actions involved in completion of the project. The NRDA Restoration Program does not have all of this information about each action. These same descriptive/categorizing questions will be standardized in the Restoration Program’s project tracking database and will allow the program to search for restoration actions that meet certain criteria. These questions will also be used to write the narratives for the case studies. The descriptive questions include questions about the type of injury to the land, the restoration actions that took place, land ownership and reality changes on restored lands, the type of land cover that was restored, the focus of the restoration, and any cultural or tribal resources that were affected.

2. Indicate the cause of the injury to land that required restoration actions: (Check all that apply) →Directed to Question 4 for all responses except for “Other,” which is directed to Question 3

_____Oil (OPA)

_____Hazardous substances (CERCLA)/hazardous materials (RCRA)

_____Fire

_____Human-built, temporary or permanent structures (such as roads, dams,

buildings, pipelines)

_____Natural processes/hazards (e.g., flooding, landslide, mudslide, earthquake,

hurricane)

_____Mining

_____Other →Directed to Question 3

3. Please describe the “Other” class of injury to lands that required restoration actions: (Open-ended; response limited to 1500 words)

4. Please identify the location of the restoration actions (Check all that apply):

_____U.S. Department of the Interior land (e.g., National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service)

_____Other U.S. Government land

_____State land

_____Land held by other levels of government

_____Tribal land

_____Private land

_____Land outside the U.S.

5. Please indicate how the restoration actions were accomplished: (Check all that apply)

_____Realty actions (i.e., purchased or acquired easements or otherwise acquired land for U.S. Department of the Interior Land or other U.S. Government land, private land, or land outside the U.S.) →Directed to Question 6

_____Enhancement of existing (improve baseline conditions) →Directed to Question 8

_____Creation/conversion of existing (change baseline conditions) →Directed to Question 8

6. As part of the restoration project, indicate any realty actions (i.e., purchased or acquired easements or otherwise acquired land for U.S. Department of the Interior Land or other U.S. Government land, private land, or land outside the U.S.): (Check all that apply) →Directed to Question 8 for all responses except for “Other,” which is directed to Question 7

_____Conservation easement

_____Land acquisition

_____Direct land swap

_____Transfer to third party for conservation

_____Other →Directed to Question 7

7. Please describe “Other” realty changes for U.S. Department of the Interior land (or Other U.S. Government Land, Private Land, or Land outside the U.S.): (Open-ended; response limited to 1500 words)

8. Please identify the restoration site land cover: (check one)

_____Primarily terrestrial →Directed to answer Question 9 only

_____Primarily aquatic →Directed to answer Question 11 only

_____Both aquatic and terrestrial →Directed to answer both Questions 9 and 11

9. Please indicate the land cover type or condition using the following terrestrial categories: (Check all that apply)

_____Mostly broadleaf

_____Mostly conifer

_____Mostly shrub/scrub

_____Mostly herbaceous (grass, sedge, forb)

_____Barren/rock

_____Arid/desert

_____Waste/impaired for organismal life

_____Built (human-based structures and roads)

_____Other →Directed to answer Question 10

10. Please describe “Other” terrestrial categories that were part of this restoration project: (Open-ended; response limited to 1500 words)

11. Please indicate the land cover type or condition using the following aquatic categories: (select all that apply) → Directed to answer Questions 12 and 13 if “Other” and “Riverine” are selected, respectively. Respondent will be directed to Question 15 otherwise.

_____Riverine (non-tidal)→Directed to answer Question 13

_____Lacustrine (lake environment)

_____Marine

_____Tidally influenced/coastal/beach

_____Wetland

_____Spring/fen (groundwater influenced)

_____Other →Directed to answer Question 12

12. Please describe “Other” aquatic categories that were part of this restoration project: (Open-ended; response limited to 1500 words)

13. Please indicate the type of riverine system using these sub-categories:

_____Perennial stream/river

_____Intermittent stream/creek

_____Headwater channel

_____Other →Directed to answer Question 14

14. Please describe “Other” riverine system-related sub-categories that were part of this restoration project: (Open-ended; response limited to 1500 words)

15. Please select the restoration focus that applies to this specific action. Please note that restoration intended to benefit specific organisms primarily through habitat work should be considered habitat-based: (Check all that apply)

_____Habitat-based only	→Directed to answer Questions 17
_____Organism-based only	→ Directed to answer Question 18
_____Both habitat and organism-based	→ Directed to answer Questions 17 and 18
_____Non-biotic human use and/or cultural (non-Tribal)	→ Directed to answer Questions 26 and 27
_____Tribal	→ Directed to answer Question 29
_____Other	→ Directed to answer Question 16

16. Please describe “Other” restoration focuses that were part of this restoration project: (Open-ended; response limited to 1500 words)

17. Please indicate the habitat-based restoration actions using the following categories: (Check all that apply)

_____Planting

_____Seeding

_____Propagating

_____Storage (e.g., seed banking)

_____Invasive species control

_____Cropland conversion

_____Woody fuels management

_____Herbaceous fuels management

_____Vegetation management

_____Debris addition (e.g., coarse woody)

_____Bank stabilization/erosion control

_____Contouring

_____Dam removal

_____Channelization

_____De-channelization

_____Erosion control

_____Sediment removal

_____Coral reef

_____Wetland creation

_____Marsh creation

_____Shoreline

_____Other

18. Please indicate which of the following were included in the organism-based restoration actions: (Check all that apply)

_____Bird → Directed to Questions 20 and 22

_____Fish → Directed to Questions 20 and 22

_____Mammal → Directed to Questions 20 and 22

_____Amphibian → Directed to Questions 20 and 22

_____Reptile → Directed to Questions 20 and 22

_____Mollusc → Directed to Questions 20 and 22

_____Invertebrate (not including mollusc) → Directed to Questions 20 and 22

_____Grass → Directed to Questions 20 and 24

_____Forb → Directed to Questions 20 and 24

_____Shrub → Directed to Questions 20 and 24

_____Tree → Directed to Questions 20 and 24

_____Other (e.g., lichen, moss, etc.) → Question 19

19. Please describe the “Other” organism-based restoration actions: (Open-ended; response limited to 1500 words)

20. Please indicate the listing status of the organism on which the restoration actions were focused: (Check all that apply)

_____Federally threatened or endangered species

_____State threatened or endangered species

_____Non-listed species

_____Other special concerns → Question 21

21. Please describe the “Other special concerns” for the organism on which the restoration actions were focused: (Open-ended; response limited to 1500 words)

22. Please indicate the faunal organism-based restoration actions: (Check all that apply)

_____Protection

_____Breeding/Hatching/Rearing

_____Nest creation/inserts

_____Reintroduction/translocation

_____Other → Question 23

23. Please describe the “Other” faunal organism-based restoration action(s) of this project: (Open-ended; response limited to 1500 words)

24. Please indicate the floral organism-based restoration actions: (Check all that apply)

_____Protection

_____Plant propagation

_____Seeding

_____Planting

_____Storage (e.g., seed banking)

_____Other → Question 25

25. Please describe the “Other” floral organism-based restoration actions for this project: (Open-ended; response limited to 1500 words)

26. Please indicate the non-biotic human use restoration actions of this project: (Check all that apply)

    _____Built/replaced/repaired (e.g., buildings, boat ramps, trails)

    _____Education (e.g., signage, visitor center, audio/visual materials, social media, classes)

    _____Stakeholder involvement (e.g., communication, guidance, decision support)

    _____Removal (e.g., dam, building, road)

    _____Other → Question 28

    
    

27. If applicable, please indicate the non-biotic human use restoration actions that were conducted for cultural, non-tribal purposes and provide a brief description of this purpose (e.g., archaeological, historical significance): (Check all that apply, plus open-ended response for each checked action)

_____Built/replaced/repaired (e.g., buildings, boat ramps, trails)

_____Education (e.g., signage, visitor center, audio/visual materials, social media, classes)

_____Stakeholder involvement (e.g., communication, guidance, decision support)

_____Removal (e.g., dam, building, road)

_____Other → Question 28

28. Please describe the “Other” non-biotic human use and/or cultural restoration actions for this project, and, if applicable, describe the cultural, non-tribal purposes for these actions: (Open-ended; response limited to 1500 words)

29. Please indicate the tribal restoration actions of this project: (Check all that apply)

    _____Cultural/religious/spiritual

    _____Ecological (habitat and/or organism-based not already addressed in Q’s 17-25)

    _____Societal (e.g., health care facilities, job training, scholarships)

    _____Interpretation/education/signage

    _____Environmental quality (e.g., clean water, air, subsistence-based food sources)

    _____Economic (e.g., commercial fishery, tourism)

    _____Other → Question 30

    
    

30. Please describe the “Other” tribal restoration actions for this project: (Open-ended; response limited to 1500 words)

Questions 31 and 32 ask for the duration and the total cost of the restoration project. These two pieces of information will be important in order for the USGS to conduct an economic impact analysis of the restoration project.

31. What were the starting and ending dates for this specific restoration project (mm/dd/yyy)? The starting date is the date the contract was signed, and the ending date is the date the project was completed.

Starting date: _____/_____/________

Ending date: _____/_____/________

32. What was the total project cost for this specific project? $______________

Question 33 asks for total contracting expenditures. This amount will then be used in combination with questions 39 or 41 (depending on the answer to question 35) to ensure/check that all contracting costs are accounted for.

33. Of the total project cost ($XX.XX), how much was spent on contracting? (Contracting expenditures include the total amount to hire firms to perform and conduct components of this restoration project.)

$______________

Question 34 asks the respondent if there were any non-monetary transactions for goods or services during the project. In order to estimate the economic impacts of the project, all transaction expenditures need to be accounted for, including non-monetary exchanges.

34. Non-monetary exchanges: Were any non-monetary exchanges included in the project? An example of a non-monetary exchange would be paying a contractor with timber removed from the restoration site as part of the larger restoration project. If yes, please provide any additional information on the exchange and how the products of the exchange may be used (e.g., biomass for energy production, timber likely destined for a pulp mill or furniture production). Please be as specific as possible.

Question 35: Some restoration projects span many years, with the majority of project expenditures and resultant economic impacts occurring only during a short implementation phase of the project. This question enables the USGS to break the analysis into project phases so as to more accurately estimate the economic impacts associated with the project.

35. Were there multiple phases in completing this project (i.e., planning, implementation, and/or monitoring/post-implementation phases)?

_____Yes → Respondent will be directed to complete questions 36-39

_____No → Respondent will be directed to complete questions 40-41

Question 36 will allow the USGS to identify the timeline for each phase of the project. For the economic modeling, it is essential that the USGS knows the timing phases in order to appropriately account for and accurately discount the expenditures within each respective phase.

36. Please indicate the starting and ending dates for the respective phases of this specific project, if applicable.

Phase:	Starting date:	Ending date:
Planning
Implementation
Monitoring or post-implementation

Question 37 asks the respondent to break total project costs into the respective phases of the project. This information will be used in sections of the follow-up expenditure survey where respondents will be asked to further break down individual expenditures within each phase of the project.

37. Please use the table below to indicate how much of the total project cost was spent in each phase of the project. If this project did not include one of the phases listed in the table, please enter $0 for that phase. (Note: the sum of the costs from each phase should equal the total project cost of $X.)

Phase:	Phase Costs ($):
Planning
Implementation
Monitoring/post-implementation
Total Project Costs	=sum of column $X

Question 38 asks the respondent to indicate how many contractors were hired for this project, and question 39 asks the respondent to provide details about each contractor. The survey software will be directed in question 39 to ask for information from the number of contractors identified in question 38. For each contractor hired, respondents will be asked to provide contact information, payment amount, timeline of employment, and the phase(s) of the project the contractor was employed, along with a brief discussion of the type of work conducted. The reported information is essential for the USGS in order to contact the hired contractors of the project and ask them to complete the expenditure survey. The amount paid to each contractor and the phase(s) of work will be used in the expenditure survey administered to each contractor.

38. How many different contractors were hired to work on this restoration project? (Can be any whole number)

_______

39. Please provide contact information, payment amount, and starting and ending dates for each contractor hired for this restoration project. Additionally, please indicate which phase(s) of the project each contractor was hired for, and briefly describe the type of work conducted by each contractor for each phase they were involved in.

Contractor information:

Name of firm: ___________________________________________________

Point of contact: _______________________________________________

Phone number: ___________________________________________________

Email address: __________________________________________________

Amount paid: $___________

Starting and ending dates of contract (mm/dd/yyyy):

From ____________ to ____________

Phases of the project this contractor worked in:

______ planning

______ implementation

______ monitoring/post implementation

Please indicate the restoration action(s) that this contractor was involved in, and mark the phase(s) they worked on for each action:

	Restoration Action	Planning	Implementation	Monitoring
Action 1:
Action 2:
Action 3:
Action 4:
Action 5:

This is the end of the survey. Thank you for taking the time to provide this information about your restoration project.

Skipping from Question 35, question 40 asks the respondent to indicate how many contractors were hired for this project, and question 41 asks the respondent to provide details about each contractor. For each contractor hired, respondents will be asked to provide contact information, payment amount, and timeline of employment, along with a brief discussion on the type of work conducted. The reported information is essential for the USGS in order to contact the hired contractors of the project and ask them to complete the expenditure survey. The amount paid to each contractor will then be used in the survey administered to each contractor.

40. How many different contractors were hired to work on this restoration project? (Can be any whole number)

_______

41. Please provide contact information, payment amount, and starting and ending dates for each contractor hired for this restoration project. Additionally, briefly describe the type of work conducted by each contractor.

Contractor Contact Information:

Name of firm: ___________________________________________________

Point of contact: _______________________________________________

Phone number: ___________________________________________________

Email address: __________________________________________________

Amount paid: $___________

Starting and ending dates of contract (mm/dd/yyyy):

From ____________ to ____________

Please indicate the restoration action(s) that this contractor was involved in: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This is the end of the survey. Thank you for taking the time to provide this information about your restoration project.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT: The Paperwork Reduction Act requires us to tell you why we are collecting this information, how we will use it, and whether or not you have to respond. The information that we collect in this survey will help improve agency decision making on individual restoration projects, help prioritize spending across restoration projects, and meet internal guidelines for credible economic analysis. Your response is voluntary. An agency may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB Control Number. We estimate it will take an average of 15 minutes to complete this survey. You may send comments concerning the burden estimate or any aspect of the survey to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive MS 807, Reston, VA 20192. OMB CONTROL #1028-XXXX EXPIRATION DATE XX/XX/201X.