Focus Groups

Resident Perceptions of Offshore Wind Energy Development off the Gulf of Mexico (OMB Control No. 0648-0744)

1. Introductions (10 min)

   1. Introduce NCCOS team and purpose

      • Who we are and who we represent

      • Study sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (or NOAA)

      • Introduce moderator

   2. Why you have been asked to participate

      • You are a resident of the Gulf Coast and may have opinions on offshore wind energy development off the Gulf Coast

      • You are here today to help pilot test an upcoming NOAA survey, and share your feedback

      • We’d like to know how you interpret and understand questions and would like to gain perspectives into the types of responses that might be received

      • Pilot studies are a crucial element of good study design, and while conducting such pilot studies do not guarantee success in the main study, it does increase the likelihood of success

   3. How the discussion will work

      • Session will last about an hour

      • We will write a summary report based on the discussion, but no names will be used

      • Discussion will be open and informal

      • We will hear from everyone in the group

      • One person talks at a time

      • No right or wrong answers or ideas - We want YOUR opinions

      • Silence or turn off cell phones

      • Although we are talking about topics related to offshore wind energy, I am not an expert, so I may not be able to answer all of your questions

   4. Participant introductions

      • First name or pseudonym, where you are from, and how you relate, professionally or personally, to outdoor recreation

2. Survey (20 min)

   1. You will answer a series of questions related to offshore wind energy development off the Gulf Coast

   2. The information from the survey will help inform decision making about offshore wind energy development

   3. Complete the survey as you would in an everyday setting

   4. We will have a discussion when you finish

   5. This is not a test and you will not be quizzed when finished, so please just navigate through the questions and respond as you would if you were doing this on your own

   6. If you have any questions as you are taking the survey, jot it down and hold your question until after you are done taking the survey

   7. We will have time to walk through the questions at the end.

   8. Any questions? [If none] Please read the instructions and begin!

[Monitor completion times and watch participants to see which questions take the greatest effort]

3. Review of Questions (30 minutes)

   1. Let’s go over a few of the questions.

   2. Questions 5, 6, and 7 ask about items that may be impacted by offshore wind energy development.

      • Did each of these items make sense to you? Would you rephrase any of them?

        • [If not mentioned] Did you understand what affordability and reliability of electricity mean?

        • [If not mentioned] Do you think the distinction between commercial versus recreational fishing grounds is important?

        • [If not mentioned] How did you interpret “Whales, dolphins, and sea turtles”?

        • [If not mentioned] How did you interpret “Migratory birds and seabirds”?

        • [If not mentioned] How did you interpret “Tribal way of life”?

      • Were there any items you expected to see, but didn’t?

      • If you were unsure about any of the impacts, what specifically were you unsure about?

        • [If not mentioned] Were you unsure about whether there would be an impact or the direction of the impact?

   3. Question 9 asks how important it is for the electricity produced by offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Mexico to be used in certain ways.

      • Were you aware that electricity could go to non-residential uses?

      • Did you understand the difference between industrial and commercial use? Would you have preferred the term “non-residential”?

   4. Question 10 asks about preferences for energy sources.

      • Were you familiar with each of these energy sources?

      • Were any energy sources confusing to you?

      • Were there any energy sources you were expecting to see, but didn’t?

   5. Question 18 asks about a series of goals of public participation.

      • Did you understand each of the goals listed?

      • Are there any important goals that are missing?

   6. [If there is time remaining] With the time remaining, let’s open the discussion up to the rest of the survey. Are there any questions, comments, or suggestions you’d like to share?

      • [If not mentioned] Did you need to read any questions more than once because you weren’t sure what they were asking?

      • [If not mentioned] Were any particularly difficult to answer?

      • [If not mentioned] Did we use the correct terminology?

      • [If not mentioned] Did the scales make sense?

   7. Close out

      • Is there anything else you wanted to share today?

      • Thank you for your time

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Recruitment: Logistical plans

• Option A (OMB Clearance)

  • Two TX locations, two LA locations - one near wind energy, one not

  • Two focus groups per location - AM/PM

  • ~8 people per group

  • Recruit through stakeholder groups (e.g., fish, enviro) to aim for equal representation between groups

• Option B (No Clearance)

  • Split script in two (or three)

  • Two TX locations, two LA locations

  • One focus group per location

  • ~9 people per state (~4-5 per group)

  • Recruit through stakeholder groups (e.g., fish, enviro) to aim for equal representation between groups

• Option C (No Clearance)

  • Share survey with (up to 9) stakeholder groups with specific questions for feedback, aim for equal representation between group types

  • Could be used in combination with Option B