[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