Justification - LiMPETS Network

Project Title: LiMPETS Network

Program Office Sponsoring or Conducting this CSC Project: NOS/ONMS

Authority for this CSC Project: NMSA and CCSA

Purpose of this CSC Project: National marine sanctuaries are living classrooms where people can see, touch and learn about the nation’s spectacular marine life. One of the ONMS mandates is to “enhance public awareness, understanding and appreciation of national marine sanctuaries and the system.” The LiMPETS network is one way that three national marine sanctuaries in California are working together to engage teachers, students and the community to conduct real science and promote ocean stewardship.

Type(s) of Information Collected and From Whom It Is Collected: This project collects counts and percent cover estimates of intertidal invertebrates and algae. Youth use transect tapes and quadrats to randomly survey species listed on different data sheets. The species monitored are considered indicators species that help NOS understand the long-term status and trends in intertidal regions.

Use of the Information: LiMPETS data have been used to assess damage to sandy beach and rocky intertidal ecosystems, and have the potential to address sanctuary, resource management issues, such as identify long-term status and trends in intertidal regions, detect emerging issues and inform resource management decisions.

Method(s) of Information Collection: The voluntary participants collect these data on paper and electronically.

Affected Public: Individuals including Federal and State resource protection managers, students and teachers

Estimated Average Annual Number of Participants: 6,800

Estimated Average Annual Number of Responses per Participant: 2.

Estimated Average Minutes per Response: 135

Estimated Average Annual Burden Hours: 30,600

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Participants in this CSC Project: $81,200 It is estimated that approximately 3% (198) of participants will purchase equipment each year. The basic equipment cost is $400. Of the participants who purchase equipment, it is estimated that only about 10 participants will purchase a maintenance contract (~$200/year) for the equipment.

198 * $400 = $79,200 10 * $200 = $2,000 Total Annual Cost = $81,200

Estimated Average Annual Costs to the Federal Government: $11,899

Estimated Average Annual Number of Federal Government Employees (FTEs): 0.05

Recruitment and Retention Methods for Voluntary Participants (SSA item 1): Teachers interested in participating in LIMPETS monitoring programs will need to register with their local LiMPETS Field Coordinator (for example: San Francisco – Greater Farallones Association, Monterey – Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara/Ventura – Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, Los Angeles area – USC Sea Grant). All teachers and educational leaders need to participate in a workshop to join the LiMPETS network. Teachers work with LiMPETS field coordinators to schedule classroom training and field monitoring events with their students each year. Registration information is available on the LiMPETS website https://limpets.org

Gifts or Payments (SSA Item 9): We do not plan to provide a gift or payment to the voluntary participants.

Annual and Multi-Year Schedules (SSA Item 16): LiMPETS monitoring is offered year-round. Rocky intertidal monitoring events occur around low tide schedules each month. Typically, fall and winter/early spring are the best times of year to conduct these monitoring events. We have more flexibility on when we conduct sandy beach monitoring. We typically monitor when the tide is rising and during the month when the tidal change is not as large. After each monitoring event, students and LiMPETS field coordinators enter data online. Data is available for analysis by students, and LiMPETS encourages sharing results through science blogs and the LiMPETS website https://limpets.org/field-blog/.

Display OMB Control No. and Expiration Date (SSA Item 17): This information will be provided when individuals sign up to participate in this CSC project.

Statistical Methods: This CSC project will not employ statistical methods.

Approval for Pretesting: This CSC project will not require additional pretesting with more than nine members of the public.

Supplemental Documents: There are two supplemental documents for this CSC project. One includes educational/recruitment information and the other provides screenshots of the rocky intertidal and sandy beach data management pages.

CERTIFICATION: I certify the following are 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 collection will not include highly influential scientific information, ,which is information NOAA or OMB determines: (i) could have a potential impact of more than $500 million in any year, or (ii) is novel, controversial, or precedent setting or has significant interagency interest.

5. The collection complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

6. The collection will provide qualitative and quantitative data that help inform scientific research and monitoring, validate models or tools, support STEM learning, and enhance the quantity and quality of data collected to support NOAA’s mission.

Name: Julie Bursek