Justification

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 2010-0042)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: EPA Water Quality Standards Academy Student Course Evaluation

PURPOSE:

The WQS Academy (WQSA) provides technology transfer, training and outreach to WQS professionals associated with the federal, state, tribal and local agencies as well as the private sector. This highly structured training course covers all aspects of the water quality standards regulations, including the technical, scientific, administrative and procedural aspects.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

The WQSA classroom academy is the introductory course designed for those with six months to one year experience with water quality standards and criteria programs. However, others may benefit from the course, including veterans of the water quality standards program who want a refresher course. Attendees typically include WQS professionals associated with the federal, state, tribal and local agencies as well as the private sector and various offices within EPA. Registration for the WQSA is open to the public.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [ X] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software) [ ] Small Discussion Group

[ ] Focus Group [ ] Other: ______________________

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name :______Melissa Dreyfus OW/OST/SHPD______________________________

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [ X ] No

2. If Yes, is the information that will be collected included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [ X] No

3. If Applicable, has a System or Records Notice been published? [ ] Yes [ X ] No

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [ ] Yes [ X] No

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden Hours
Individual WQSA attendee Spring WQSA	75 per session	10 min	12.5 hrs
Individual WQSA attendee Winter WQSA	75 per session	10 min	12.5 hrs
Possible 2nd Spring WQSA	75 per session	10 min	12.5 hrs
Totals	225 per year	10 min per session	37.5 total hrs per year

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is __$0____________

EPA plans to conduct at least 2 sessions of the WQSA each year, typically in the spring and winter, held in Washington, DC or online. (~75 participants per session). Additional sessions in DC or in an EPA region may also be conducted. There is no additional cost incurred by utilizing this customer satisfaction survey, as it is given to students already attending the session.

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions: Not applicable

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [ X] Yes [ ] No

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

Survey respondents will be limited to the student attendees of each in-person or online WQSA session.

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[X ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[X ] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ X] Other, Explain

EPA could choose to provide the survey to attendees via electronic means such as a web-based platform, email or PDF form or in-person depending on the format of the session.

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [ ] Yes [X ] No

Please make sure that all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the request.

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