[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 72 (Wednesday, April 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18439-18440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9969]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of a new information collection.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, MMS invites the public and other Federal agencies to 
comment on a proposal to request approval of the new collection of 
information discussed below. The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) 
provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 
required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

DATES: Submit written comments by June 15, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to the Rules Processing Team, 
Minerals Management Service, Mail Stop 4024, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, 
Virginia 20170-4817.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexis London, Rules Processing Team, 
telephone (703) 787-1600. You may contact Alexis London to obtain a 
copy of the proposed collection of information at no cost.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Survey--Testing and Calibrating the Measurement of Nonmarket 
Values for Natural Resources via the Contingent Valuation Methods.
    Abstract: The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act, as amended, 
directs the Secretary of the Interior to prepare a ``5-Year Program'' 
that specifies the schedule of offshore natural gas and oil lease sales 
for the 5-year period covered by the document. The MMS prepares the 5-
Year Program for the Secretary. The key analytical support for the 
Secretary's decision is a cost-benefit analysis of all size, timing, 
and location alternatives for all lease sales being considered. The 
MMS's 5-year cost-benefit analysis is an almost complete accounting of 
all the costs and benefits attributable to the offshore natural gas and 
oil leasing and development process. However, the cost-benefit

[[Page 18440]]

analysis has one major exclusion. MMS does not account fully for the 
existence values (also called passive enjoyment values) of resources 
that might be damaged or lost through offshore activities. Existence 
values include the values people might place on a resource just by 
knowing it exists, or by having the option of using it at some future 
date, or by being able to bequeath it to future generations.
    The only way currently available to measure existence values is 
through the use of the contingent valuation method (CVA). CVA consists 
of carefully constructed questionnaires which are used in interviews 
that elicit from people their estimate of what they would be willing to 
pay to avoid the loss or damage. The MMS has two major reasons why it 
has not funded CVA studies to provide estimates of existence values to 
complete its cost-benefit analysis: First, the methodology for CVA 
studies is still somewhat controversial in the economics profession. 
Second, CVA studies for a program covering as vast an array of 
environmental resources across the entire outer continental shelf would 
be prohibitively expensive.
    The work proposed here is part of a research plan designed to come 
to grips with both of these problems. This project focuses on improving 
the methodology of CVA and its acceptance by the economics profession. 
A follow-on project would build on the results of this project to test 
a less expensive way of gathering estimates of peoples' willingness to 
pay for environmental resource protection. This new approach is 
expected to cut the cost of CVA studies to one-third the present cost. 
With these improvements, MMS should be able to complete its 5-year 
cost-benefit analysis using methodology acceptable to a majority of the 
economics profession.
    Frequency: This is a one-time voluntary survey.
    Estimated number and description of respondents and reporting and 
recordkeeping ``hour'' burden: Approximately 1,200 American adults will 
be asked four questions, averaging about 4 minutes per respondent.
    Estimated reporting and recordkeeping ``cost'' burden: The PRA 
requires agencies to estimate the total annual cost burden to 
respondents as a direct result of this collection of information. This 
is a one-time survey. There are no questions asked which would require 
review of such detailed records as capital or operating expenditures of 
businesses or individuals. There is no cost burden on the respondents 
associated with this collection of information.
    Comments: The MMS will summarize written responses to this notice 
and address them in its submission for OMB approval. All comments will 
become a matter of public record. In calculating the burden, MMS has 
assumed that information requested from respondents will not require 
the reviewing of detailed records. Questions have been designed to 
elicit information which would reasonably be recalled by respondents or 
quickly estimated. The MMS specifically solicits comments on the 
following questions:
    (a) Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the 
proper performance of MMS's functions, and will it be useful?
    (b) Are the estimates of the burden hours of the proposed 
collection reasonable?
    (c) Do you have any suggestions that would enhance the quality, 
clarity, or usefulness of the information to be collected?
    (d) Is there a way to minimize the information collection burden on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information 
technology?
    MMS Information Collection Clearance Officer: Jo Ann Lauterbach, 
(202) 208-7744.

    Dated: April 7, 1998.
John Mirabella,
Acting Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 98-9969 Filed 4-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P