[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 231 (Tuesday, December 2, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67468-67470]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29887]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Minerals Management Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submitted for Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Minerals Management Service (MMS), Interior.

ACTION: Notice of new information collection survey.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: To comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), we 
are notifying the public that we have submitted to OMB an information 
collection request (ICR) to conduct a new survey on Potential Impacts 
of Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Activities on Bowhead Whale Hunting 
Activities in the Beaufort Sea. This notice also provides the public a 
second opportunity to comment on the paperwork burden of these 
regulatory requirements.

DATES: Submit written comments by January 2, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments either by fax (202) 395-6566 or 
email ([email protected]) directly to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department 
of the Interior (1010-NEW). Mail or hand carry a copy of your comments 
to the Department of the Interior; Minerals Management Service; 
Attention: Rules Processing Team; Mail Stop 4024; 381 Elden Street; 
Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. If you wish to e-mail your comments to 
MMS, the address is: [email protected]. Reference Information 
Collection 1010-NEW in your subject line and mark your message for 
return receipt. Include your name and return address in your message 
text.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arlene Bajusz, Rules Processing Team, 
at (703) 787-1600, to obtain a copy of the survey instruments. For more 
information on the survey itself, contact Dr. Dee Williams in the MMS 
Alaska Regional Office, at (907) 271-6680.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Survey Instruments--Quantitative Description of Potential 
Impacts of OCS Activities on Bowhead Whale Hunting Activities in the 
Beaufort Sea.
    OMB Control Number: 1010-NEW.
    Abstract: The Minerals Management Service (MMS) of the U.S. 
Department of the Interior (USDOI) is responsible for oil and gas 
leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) under the OCS Lands Act of 
1953, the OCS Lands Act Amendments of 1978 (OCSLA), and the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. OCSLA (Section 18) and NEPA 
(40 CFR 1500-1508) require assessment of the effects of OCS oil and gas 
activities on adjacent human and physical environments. Therefore, 
USDOI/MMS acquires and analyzes and/or oversees collection and analysis 
of environmental, socio-economic, and

[[Page 67469]]

socio-cultural information relevant to OCS decisions and uses that 
information in Environmental Assessments (EA) and Environmental Impact 
Statements (EIS).
    This study is responsive to concerns among North Slope Borough 
(NSB) residents that oil exploration and development activities in 
general, and OCS activities in particular, are having an adverse effect 
on whale hunting and Inupiat life. There are three general areas of 
concern. First are the worries over the physical effects of seismic 
testing; the movement of barges, aircraft, and other transport vessels; 
and the erection of platforms. Many think these disruptions alter the 
feeding and migration patterns of bowhead whales and other marine 
mammals. The result is that fall whaling crews must move further out to 
sea, thereby increasing both the danger and the costs of the hunt. 
There is also considerable anxiety over the contamination of wild foods 
and the environment from drilling cuts, mudflows, and production water 
wastes and petroleum discharges. Many of the residents in the smaller 
villages question the long-term consequences of altering freshwater 
habitats by draining lakes to build ice roads; the interference of oil 
well structures, fences, and pipeline on caribou crossings and the 
behavior of other land mammals; and the ability of local residents to 
continue to access marine and land mammals.
    Secondly, the social, cultural, and economic impact of energy 
development is a second area of interest and apprehension. There are 
the direct benefits of economic growth that many look forward to, such 
as more employment opportunities, more discretionary income, and 
improved public services. There are also negative trends associated 
with industrialization, such as general anomie, excessive alcohol and 
drug use, abusive and self-destructive behavior, higher accident rates, 
loss of territory, restrictions on land use, loss of language and 
subsistence skills, dissolution of family relations, decline in 
community rituals and festivities, and the dilution of cultural values 
such as sharing, reciprocity, respect for others, and consensual 
decision making.
    There is another, more intangible, worry about what some social 
scientists call an ``opportunity-threat impact'' or fears about what 
might happen to the health and well-being of one's family and 
community. The implications of economic and social change in the Arctic 
are not fully understood. Some welcome the transformation of the 
community and the availability of freshwater, sewers, and better 
housing. According to others, Inupiat peoples have ``over adapted'' to 
the new industrial economy, which can threaten the long-term survival 
of cultural traditions and a distinctive way of life.
    Finally, whether the changes that accompany economic development 
are positive or destructive depends heavily on the regulatory regimes 
and mitigation measures that are in place, a final area of contention. 
Here, complaints have been voiced about the pressure on the NSB to deal 
with the accidents and damages tied to development for which it is not 
responsible. This puts added stress on the capacity of the NSB to serve 
the needs of residents and is particularly troublesome in a time of 
declining revenues and personnel layoffs.
    MMS proposes to collect the information in this study: (1) To 
describe participation in bowhead whale hunting and its importance to 
and relationship with other traditional activities in three 
I[ntilde]upiat communities on Alaska's North Slope and one control 
community of similar size in the western part of the State; (2) to 
describe and analyze community assessments of the effects of oil and 
gas development and modernization on participation in traditional 
activities, especially bowhead whale hunting; (3) to describe and 
analyze community assessments of desired future conditions for whale 
hunting and related traditional activities; and (4) to describe how oil 
and gas development and other forces of modernization influence these 
desired future conditions for whaling and other traditional activities. 
The information collected will be used in regional EAs and EISs and 
will be used to make decisions on future oil and gas lease sales in the 
Beaufort Sea, currently scheduled for 2005 and 2007. These data will 
enhance the ability of MMS and the Secretary of the Interior to make 
fully informed leasing and development decisions about the Beaufort 
Sea.
    Survey Instruments: An integral aspect of the research effort is 
the development and administration of three survey instruments that 
will collect information about the North Slope communities of Barrow, 
Kaktovik, and Nuiqsut and the ``control community'' of Savoonga on St. 
Lawrence Island in the Bering Straits. The survey data are divided into 
five broad categories: demographic and economic characteristics; 
quantitative and qualitative summaries of participation in bowhead 
whaling and other subsistence activities; an assessment of residents' 
perceptions of the potential threats and benefits of OCS development to 
subsistence and other traditional activities, especially bowhead 
whaling; changes in the quality of life in each community, measured in 
both economic and cultural terms; and the way residents view the likely 
future of their communities.
    The information under this proposed collection will be obtained 
through personal interviews with three distinct groups: whaling 
captains, adult-headed households and elders, and high school juniors 
and seniors. A separate survey, based on previous studies, has been 
developed for each of these groups.
    The Whaling Captain Survey focuses on the patterns of participation 
in whale hunting activities and the possible impact of OCS development 
on these patterns. Demographic questions about age, length of time in 
the community, education, gender, shareholder status in village and 
regional corporations, and family relations will reveal, in part, a 
captain's experience, understanding, and perspectives on social change 
and resource development. The Household Survey focuses on the effects 
of offshore oil industry activities on individual residents, 
households, and groups in each community. Population characteristics 
such as age, number, and relationships of people in the household and 
level of education are related to changes in employment, income, and 
economic opportunity. Gender, ethnic background, length of residency, 
and corporate membership can also result in divergent views about 
subsistence, development, language, and many other factors. The Student 
Survey focuses on perceptions about the effects of OCS oil and gas 
activities, documents student attitudes about I[ntilde]upiat 
traditions, and tracks changes in student behaviors that help assess 
inter-generational continuities. Responses may vary depending on age, 
ethnicity, and gender.
    It is assumed in all three surveys that Native ancestry is 
predictably tied to participation in subsistence and other traditional 
cultural activities. Since only coastal Alaskan Natives can legally 
hunt bowhead whales and other marine mammals, the survey will include 
only Native residents. Variation of participation in subsistence and 
other traditional activities among groups, as well as over time, will 
be a key analytical focus.
    Interview Methods: The interviews for each survey will be done face 
to face in a setting that is most comfortable for the respondent. This 
personal method is more expensive and time consuming for the 
researchers, but these drawbacks are outweighed by improvements in the 
quality of information obtained and the rapport established between the

[[Page 67470]]

surveyor and the person interviewed. Telephone interviews have not been 
successful on the North Slope.
    Households in Barrow, Kaktovik, Nuiqsut, and Savoonga (control 
village) will be randomly chosen for interviews. To achieve the desired 
statistical confidence level, smaller communities are sampled at a 
higher rate than are larger ones. Respondents will be paid for taking 
part in the survey.
    Frequency: One-time survey.
    Estimated Number and Description of Respondents: Approximately 614 
respondents from Alaska's North Slope communities and a control group 
in western Alaska.
    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Hour'' Burden: The 
estimated annual ``hour'' burden for this information collection is a 
total of 474 hours. The following chart details the individual 
components and estimated hour burdens.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                    Estimated
                                                                                      Estimated      annual
          Respondent categories                     Estimated hour burden             number of   burden hours       Personal time value (estimated)
                                                                                     respondents    (rounded)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whaling Captains........................  ........................................  ............  ............  ($30/interview)
    Barrow..............................  50 minutes..............................       43            36       1290
    Kaktovik............................  50 minutes..............................       10             8       300
    Nuiqsut.............................  50 minutes..............................       10             8       300
    Savoonga............................  50 minutes..............................       28            23       840
          Subtotal......................  ........................................       91            75       $2,730
Households..............................  ........................................  ............  ............  ($20/interview)
    NSB.................................  45 minutes..............................      281           211       5620
    Control Village.....................  45 minutes..............................       70            53       1400
          Subtotal......................  ........................................      351           264       $7,020
Elders..................................  ........................................  ............  ............  ($30/interview)
NSB.....................................  50 minutes..............................       42            35       1260
Control Village.........................  50 minutes..............................       20            17       600
          Subtotal......................  ........................................       62            52       $1,860
High School (total).....................  ........................................  ............  ............  ($20/interview)
                                          45 minutes..............................      110            83       $2,200
          Grand Total...................  ........................................      614           474       $13,810
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ``Non-Hour Cost'' Burden: No 
non-hour cost burden has been identified.
    Public Disclosure Statement: The PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) 
provides that an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. 
Until OMB approves a collection of information, you are not obligated 
to respond.
    Comments: Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501, et 
seq.) requires each agency ``* * * to provide notice * * * and 
otherwise consult with members of the public and affected agencies 
concerning each proposed collection of information * * *'' Agencies 
must specifically solicit comments to: (a) Evaluate whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the agency to 
perform its duties, including whether the information is useful; (b) 
evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) enhance the quality, 
usefulness, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) 
minimize the burden on the respondents, including the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    To comply with the public consultation process, on July 14, 2003, 
we published a Federal Register notice (68 FR 41658) announcing that we 
would submit this ICR to OMB for approval. The notice provided the 
required 60-day comment period. This notice also informed the public 
that they may comment at any time on the collections of information and 
provided the address to which they should send comments. We have 
received no comments in response to these efforts.
    If you wish to comment in response to this notice, you may send 
your comments to the offices listed under the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice. OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information 
collection but may respond after 30 days. Therefore, to ensure maximum 
consideration, OMB should receive public comments by January 2, 2004.
    Public Comment Policy: MMS practice is to make comments, including 
names and home addresses of respondents, available for public review 
during regular business hours. If you wish your name and/or address to 
be withheld, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your 
comment. MMS will honor the request to the extent allowable by the law. 
However, anonymous comments will not be considered. All submissions 
from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, will be made available for public inspection in their 
entirety.
    MMS Federal Register Liaison Officer: Denise Johnson, (202) 208-
3976.

    Dated: September 16, 2003.
E.P. Danenberger,
Chief, Engineering and Operations Division.
[FR Doc. 03-29887 Filed 12-1-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P