0648-0661 SUPPORTING STATEMENT Part B

SUPPORTING STATEMENT B

U.S. Department of Commerce

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

Evaluations of Coastal Zone Management Act Programs – State Coastal Management Programs and National Estuarine Research Reserve

OMB Control No. 0648-0661

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

This information collection does not employ statistical methods. However, two of the four information requests that are a part of this total information request package are in the form of surveys, so according to the OMB guidance for completion of this section, the following responses pertain to those two surveys only. The responses below do not pertain to the information requests for state coastal program and research reserve managers.

1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sampling or other respondent selection method to be used. Data on the number of entities (e.g., establishments, State and local government units, households, or persons) in the universe covered by the collection and in the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form for the universe as a whole and for each of the strata in the proposed sample. Indicate expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection had been conducted previously, include the actual response rate achieved during the last collection.

One of the information requests to a manager whose CZMA program is being evaluated is to provide names and contact information for 20-30 stakeholders and partners with whom the program coordinated or collaborated on projects and activities. The manager should include at least one contact from each of the requested categories, if applicable. The OCM program specialist who works with the particular CZMA program will also provide names and contact information based on his/her knowledge of the program’s partners and stakeholders during the evaluation period and these lists will be merged and finalized by the evaluator and program specialist. Stakeholders and partners for this exploratory survey are chosen for their knowledge of the program’s implementation and coastal management issues. For reserves the categories, if applicable, include other parts of the reserve’s lead state agency or organization; other state agencies; federal agencies; gubernatorial offices and staff; legislative representatives and staff; local government elected officials and staff; regional planning organizations; non-governmental organizations (e.g., chambers of commerce, trade associations); non-profit organizations (e.g., environmental groups); land management partners; local businesses and industry; and academia. The stakeholders and partners should also include, if applicable: Coastal Training Program participants, Coastal Training Program partner providers, educators and/or school district staff whose students have participated in reserve education events, stewardship partners, and researchers who have conducted research projects at the reserve. For coastal programs the categories include, if applicable, other parts of the coastal management program’s lead state agency; other state agencies; federal agencies; gubernatorial offices and staff; legislative representatives and staff; local government elected officials and staff; regional planning organizations; non-governmental organizations (e.g., chambers of commerce, trade associations); non-profit organizations (e.g., environmental groups); local businesses and industry; the permit-regulated community; and academia.

Based on the previous three years of data, an estimated 360 surveys will be sent for the 12 CZMA programs evaluated annually (an average of 30 partners/stakeholders per program). Because each of the partners/stakeholders chosen to respond to a survey coordinates or collaborates from a unique perspective with the program being evaluated, all will be asked to complete the survey, and OCM will send reminder e-mails to those not responding to as high a response rate as possible. The overall response rate for the research reserve and coastal program stakeholder surveys is about 50 percent.

2. Describe the procedures for the collection of information including:

No statistical methodology has been applied to stratify either of the two surveys, there will be no sampling, and because the respondents are asked to provide opinions, the degree of accuracy is not relevant. Because each CZMA program will be evaluated approximately every five to six years, each partner/stakeholder survey will occur only once every five to six years for the partners and stakeholders of a single program.

3. Describe methods to maximize response rates and to deal with issues of non-response. The accuracy and reliability of information collected must be shown to be adequate for intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be provided for any collection that will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe studied.

This information collection does not employ statistical methods. The survey has been designed to use the minimum number of questions necessary to solicit the respondent’s opinions. Since each of the partners and stakeholders chosen to respond to the survey coordinates or collaborates from a unique perspective with the program being evaluated, there will likely be one or more questions in the survey that do not apply to a particular respondent or which the respondent will not feel qualified to express an opinion. For example, a representative of a non-profit organization may have collaborated with a coastal management program on a particular project but has no involvement in the coastal permitting process. Therefore, the representative need not respond to permit questions.

The initial contact with both the research reserve and coastal program partner/stakeholder survey participants will consist of an e-mail inviting participation, explaining the purpose of the survey, and providing a link to the survey instrument and instructions. The survey participants will have an approximately 15-day period during which to complete the web-based survey using survey software. Because of the unique perspective and collaboration of each partner/stakeholder, OCM will send up to two e-mail reminders to those not responding after 1 week and the day before the survey closes to achieve as high a response rate as possible.

4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Testing is encouraged as an effective means of refining collections of information to minimize burden and improve utility. Tests must be approved if they call for answers to identical questions from 10 or more respondents. A proposed test or set of tests may be submitted for approval separately or in combination with the main collection of information.

No additional tests of procedures or methods will be undertaken.

5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on statistical aspects of the design and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or other person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.

No statistical methods were used in the design of this information collection. At the time of this PRA submission, the people who will conduct evaluations are Becky Allee, Ralph Cantral, Carrie Hall, Susie Holst, Pam Kylstra, and Michael Migliori, who are OCM evaluators. Each evaluator assigned to conduct a particular program evaluation will administer the survey and use the information as one source to inform those particular program evaluation findings.