[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 150 (Thursday, August 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47796-47797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-18951]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[OR-057-1040-PH-GPO-0300]


Proposed Information Collection--Program Evaluation for the 
National Riparian Service Team and Extended Riparian Network

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National 
Resource Conservation Service announce its intention to request 
approval for the collection of new information. The Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed 
collection of information, conducting surveys and interviews of 
individuals who work within or receive services from the interagency 
National Riparian Service Team (NRST) and the extended riparian 
network. The information will allow the BLM to measure satisfaction and 
program effectiveness, and comply with the requirements and spirit of 
the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 and Executive Order 
No. 12862.

DATES: BLM must receive comments on the proposed information collection 
by October 2, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Mail comments to: Director (630), Bureau of Land Management, 
1849 C Street, NW., Room 401LS, Washington, DC 20240.
    Send comments via Internet to: [email protected]. Please include 
``NRST Survey'' and your name and return address in your Internet 
message.
    You may hand-deliver comments to the Bureau of Land Management 
Administrative Record, Room 401, 1620 L Street, NW., Washington, DC.
    BLM will make comments available for public review at the L Street 
address during regular business hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.), Monday 
through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Van Riper, Bureua of Land 
Management, 541-416-6702.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320.12(a) BLM must 
provide 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning a proposed 
collection of information to solicit comments on (a) whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology. BLM will receive and analyze any comments sent in response 
to this notice and include them with its request for approval from the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

I. Background

    On March 20, 1996 the Agency heads of the USDI Bureau of Land 
Management and the USDA Forest Service signed a letter agreeing to 
aggressively implement a cooperative management strategy to accelerate 
the restoration and improved management of riparian-wetland areas in 
the western United States. The USDA Natural Resource Conservation 
Service is a principal partner in this strategy. The NRST, which is an 
interagency team that is service oriented and emphasizes collaboration 
to accomplish riparian-wetland restoration objectives, serves as a 
catalyst for this effort.
    In an effort to improve Federal program effectiveness and public 
accountability, the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 
(Sec. 2, Pub. L. 103-62) promotes a new focus on results, service 
quality, and customer satisfaction. This course of action is fortified 
by Executive Order Number 12862, signed by President Clinton on 
September 11, 1993, which is aimed at ensuring the Federal Government 
provides the highest quality service possible to the American people. 
In order to fulfill these responsibilities, the BLM is in the process 
of conducting a program evaluation of the NRST and the extended 
riparian network.
    Different program evaluation models exist within the field of 
evaluation research, and it is widely recognized that multiple 
approaches should be used in an attempt to increase the validity of the 
overall evaluation by balancing out the strengths and weaknesses of 
different approaches. This study will be divided into two stages, using 
two complementary approaches. The first will be a large scale, 
quantitative mail survey, designed to attain generalizable and 
objective measures of customer satisfaction and program effectiveness. 
The second stage will be a qualitative, in-depth analysis of two states 
that are part of the extended riparian network (case studies), with the 
goal of producing a comprehensive understanding of the factors that 
influence successful program implementation.
    Information will be collected on a biannual basis and the stages 
will be staggered. The results will be used internally, and summaries 
will be provided to the Office of Management and Budget.

II. Current Actions

    The request to OMB will be for a three-year clearance for the BLM 
to conduct surveys and interviews for the purposes of NRST program 
evaluation.

III. Methodology

    Stage one: Respondents will be individuals who have participated in 
Proper Functioning Condition (PFC) training sessions/service trips 
sponsored by the National Team and the State Cadres (members of the 
extended riparian network). A randomized sampling technique will be 
used.
    Respondents will be asked to voluntarily complete and return a mail 
survey. In an effort to achieve the goal of an 80% response rate, an 
advance-notice letter will be sent, followed by a questionnaire (with a 
cover letter and a prepaid return envelope), to each member of the 
sample. Approximately, one week later, a postcard reminder will be 
sent. Approximately two weeks later (three weeks from the initial 
mailing), another survey package will be sent to individuals who have 
not responded. A final reminder will be given after 30 days, either by 
mail or telephone.
    Stage two: The second stage of the program evaluation will focus on 
two case studies. A stratified, purposive sampling technique will be 
employed to ensure the sample is representative of the range of 
viewpoints. Approximately 15-20 respondents will be chosen from each 
state. Unlike stage one, the sampling strategy employed within stage 
two is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of representative 
types of individuals who work within or receive services from the NRST 
and the extended riparian network.
    Prospective respondents will be sent an advance-notice letter, 
introducing the study and requesting their participation in a voluntary 
face-to-face interview. These individuals will be contacted by phone 
and a time for conducting the interview will be established. Interviews

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will consist of primarily open-ended questions, and an interview guide 
will be used to ensure results are comparable across interviews. Given 
that this is a face-to-face interview, a 100% response rate is 
expected.
    Questions in both stages' one and two will address the following 
areas: (1) Satisfaction with the team as a facilitator of cooperative 
riparian restoration/management; (2) program effectiveness (e.g., on-
the-ground implementation and/or achievement of interim steps toward 
implementation of riparian management strategies; impact of thought 
process, PFC as a tool for creating a common vocabulary, for 
facilitating effective cooperation); and (3) general demographic 
information.
    Data gathered in this information collection is not available from 
other sources. Furthermore, the use of different methods will allow for 
the collection of different types of information. Unlike a quantitative 
approach, qualitative methods recognize the importance of background 
and context to the process of understanding interpreting data. The 
results generated from stage one (primarily quantitative--mail survey) 
will be generalizable, and will provide the opportunity to evaluate 
perceptions regarding customer satisfaction and program effectiveness. 
The results generated from stage two (primarily qualitative--
interviews) will be necessary to understand why different 
``representative types'' hold certain perceptions.

IV. Burden on Respondent

    A. Stage one: The average public reporting burden for the mail 
survey is estimated to be 25 minutes per respondent, and the frequency 
of response is once every other year. The number of responses is 
estimated to total 500. The estimated total annual burden is 
approximately 210 hours biannually (500 respondents every two years  x  
.42 hours per respondent = 210 hours biannually).
    B. Stage two: The average public reporting burden for an in-depth, 
face-to-face interview is 45 minutes per respondent. The respondents 
are both internal and external customers of the NRST. The frequency of 
response is once every other year. The number of responses is estimated 
to be between 30 and 40. The estimated total annual burden is 
approximately 22.5 hours biannually at a minimum, and 30 hours 
biannually at a maximum (30 respondents every other year  x  .75 hours 
per respondent = 22.5 hours biannually; 40 respondents every other year 
 x  .75 hours per respondent = 30 hours biannually).
    The total biannual response burden will be between 232.5 (minimum) 
and 240 (maximum) hours. BLM is specifically requesting your comments 
on these estimates.
    BLM will summarize all responses to this notice and include in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. Responses to this 
notice will also become a matter of public record.

    Dated: July 21, 2000.
Shirlean Beshir,
BLM Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-18951 Filed 8-2-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-84-M