[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13011-13012]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-6326]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration, DOE.

ACTION: Agency information collection activities: Proposed collection; 
comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting 
comments on the proposed extension to the EIA-882T, ``Generic Clearance 
for Questionnaire Testing, Evaluation and Research.''

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before May 17, 1999. If 
you anticipate difficulty in submitting comments within the 60 days, 
contact the person identified below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Herbert Miller, Statistics and Methods 
Group, EI-70, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20585. Alternatively, Mr. 
Miller may be reached by phone at 202-426-1103, by e-mail 
([email protected]), or by FAX (202-426-1083).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Mr. Miller at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    I. Background
    II. Current Actions
    III. Request for Comments

I. Background

    The Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-275, 
15 U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the Department of Energy Organization Act 
(Pub. L. No. 94-91, 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) requires the Energy 
Information Administration (EIA) to carry out a centralized, 
comprehensive, and unified energy information program. This program 
collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates information 
on energy resource reserves, production, demand, technology, and 
related economic and statistical information. This information is used 
to assess the adequacy of energy resources to meet near and longer term 
domestic demands.
    The EIA, as part of its effort to comply with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), provides 
the general public and other Federal agencies with opportunities to 
comment on collections of energy information conducted by or in 
conjunction with the EIA. Any comments received help the EIA to prepare 
data requests that maximize the utility of the information collected, 
and to assess the impact of collection requirements on the public. 
Also, the EIA will later seek approval by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) of the collections under Section 3507(h) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.
    On June 21, 1993, the EIA-882T, ``Generic Clearance of 
Questionnaire Testing, Evaluation and Research'' (OMB No. 1905-0185) 
was approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for three 
years. Eleven studies were conducted (or proposed to be conducted). The 
testing activities included several methods: focus group, mail 
questionnaire, telephone questionnaires, and personal interviews. The 
main focus of these efforts was pretesting activities to improve 
questionnaires. A survey was conducted to pretest activities on a new 
data collection to improve the collection of data on solar thermal 
collectors and photovoltaic devices. A follow-up study was conducted to 
see why energy supplies completed most of the questionnaires, after the 
due date on an energy consumption survey. Another energy consumption 
survey conducted a pilot study to assess the methodological and 
performance aspects of the effectiveness of random-digit-dialing (RDD) 
and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). Also, a telephone 
survey for evaluating the effectiveness of an effort to improve 
response on a natural gas survey was conducted. As agreed to between 
EIA and OMB, OMB was provided a summary of the results of the 
activities conducted under this generic clearance.
    The EIA-882T approval was extended for three years on July 12, 
1996, and expires July 31, 1999. During the past three years, another 8 
surveys were conducted under the generic clearance. As requested by 
OMB, two surveys were conducted that collected information to assess 
recent changes in electric industry structure and operations and to 
determine what electric power data the states collect, and the 
confidentiality provisions of the data collected by the states. EIA 
conducted roundtable meetings with groups of EIA customers to solicit 
input on the main themes that should be pursued in our analysis agenda. 
A study was completed to test the effectiveness of a computer-assisted 
personal interviewing (CAPI) field activities for a residential survey 
that was previously conducted through personal interviews. Selected 
natural gas questions were pretested on a manufacturing survey. A 
telephone survey was conducted to see if detailed building 
characteristics can be collected using CATI techniques, and whether 
energy consumption expenditures can be collected from building owners, 
managers, or tenants, rather than from the building's energy suppliers. 
A related telephone survey was conducted to verify whether data 
provided by the building owners, managers, or tenants was accurate.
    A wide variety of uses were made of the data obtained through this 
generic clearance. These projects represent significant strides in our 
efforts to improve the pretesting of EIA surveys. As EIA gains more 
experience, we hope to broaden involvement in testing, evaluation, and 
research that meet the criteria for the clearance.

II. Current Actions

    EIA plans to request a 3-year extension of the OMB approval for 
this collection. For each study that EIA intends to undertake under 
this generic clearance, OMB will be notified, at least two weeks in 
advance, and provided with an information copy of the questionnaire (if 
one is used), and all other materials describing the testing activity.

III. Request for Comments

    Prospective respondents and other interested persons are invited to 
comment on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines 
are provided to assist in the preparation of comments.

General Issues

    A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency and does the 
information have practical utility? Practical utility is defined as the 
actual usefulness of

[[Page 13012]]

information to or for any agency, taking into account its accuracy, 
adequacy, reliability, timeliness, and the agency's ability to process 
the information it collects.
    B. What enhancements can be made to the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent

    A. Public reporting burden for collections under the generic 
clearance are estimated to average 25 minutes per response. The range 
for burden varies significantly depending on the particular type of 
testing activity undertaken. The estimated burden for each response 
includes the total time, effort, or financial resources expended to 
generate, maintain, retain, disclose and provide the information.
    Please comment on (1) the accuracy of the agency's estimate and (2) 
how the agency could minimize the burden of collecting this 
information, including the use of information technology.
    B. The agency estimates respondents will incur no additional costs 
for reporting other than the hours required to complete the collection. 
What is estimated: (1) total dollar amount annualized for capital and 
start-up costs; and (2) recurring annual costs of operation and 
maintenance, and purchase of services associated with these data 
collections?
    C. Does any other Federal, state, or local agency collect similar 
information? If so, specify the agency, the data element(s), and the 
method of collection.

As a Potential User

    A. Are there alternate sources for the information and are they 
useful? If so, what are their deficiencies and/or strengths?
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also 
will become a matter of public record.

    Statutory Authority: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

    Issued in Washington, D.C. March 9, 1999.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy 
Information Administration.
[FR Doc 99-6326 Filed 3-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-M