[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 122 (Friday, June 25, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35576-35577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-14389]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Understanding Value Trade-Offs Regarding 
Fire Hazard Reduction Programs in the Wildland-Urban Interface

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and 
organizations on a new research study for developing a better 
understanding of communities' perceived risk of losses from wildfire in 
the wildland-urban interface and their willingness to pay for fuels 
reduction programs to reduce the risk of wildfires.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before August 24, 
2004, to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to 
Armando Gonzalez-Caban, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest 
Service, USDA, 4955 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, CA 92507.
    Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to (909) 680-1501, or 
by e-mail to [email protected].
    The public may inspect comments received at 4955 Canyon Crest 
Drive, Riverside, CA 92507, building one reception area during normal 
business hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to (909) 680-1500 
to facilitate entry to the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Armando Gonzalez-Caban, Pacific 
Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, USDA, (909) 680-1525.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Understanding Value Trade-offs Regarding Fire Hazard 
Reduction

[[Page 35577]]

Programs in the Wildland-Urban Interface.
    OMB Number: 0596-New.
    Expiration date of approval: N/A.
    Type of request: New.
    Abstract: Forest Service and university researchers will contact 
recipients of a mail-phone-mail questionnaire to solicit information 
designed to help forest and fire managers understand value trade-offs 
regarding fire hazard reduction programs in the wildland-urban 
interface. Through those contacts researchers will evaluate the 
responses of Florida residents to different scenarios related to fire 
hazard reduction programs, determine how effective residents think the 
programs are, and calculate how much residents would be willing to pay 
to implement the alternatives presented to them. This will help 
researchers provide better information to natural resource, forest, and 
fire managers when they are contemplating the kind and type of fire 
hazard reduction program to implement to achieve forest land management 
planning objectives.
    To gather the information, a stratified random sample of Florida 
residents will be contacted through a random digit dialing process to 
seek participation in the research study. Those who agree to 
participate will then be informed that a questionnaire will be sent to 
them and asked to provide an address to which to mail the 
questionnaire; they will be asked to answer a minimal set of questions 
to determine their pre-existing knowledge of fuels reduction 
treatments. They will also be asked to agree to a date and time for an 
in-depth interview related to the questionnaire mailed to them. Once 
the in-depth interview is completed no further contact will take place 
with participants.
    The information will be collected by a university research survey 
center and will be analyzed by a Forest Service researcher and a 
researcher at a cooperating university who are experienced in applied 
economic nonmarket valuation research and survey research.
    At present the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and 
many State agencies with fire protection responsibilities are planning 
to embark on an ambitious and costly fuels reduction program for fire 
risk reduction without a clear understanding of the public's opinion on 
which treatments are most effective or even desirable. Information 
collected in this research will help natural resource and fire managers 
to better understand the public's opinions on fuels reduction 
activities.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: The average annual burden estimated per 
respondent is 30 minutes, based on 1000 respondents at 5 minutes for 
the initial screener interview and 25 minutes of the in-depth 
interview.
    Type of Respondents: Respondents will be a stratified random sample 
of heads of households.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: Only one 
response per respondent will be requested.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The annual burden on 
respondents that is estimated for this information collection is 30 
minutes.

Comment Is Invited

    Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information 
is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the 
function of the agency, including whether the information will have 
practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's 
estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission request 
toward Office of Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: June 18, 2004.
Barbara C. Weber,
Associate Deputy Chief, Research & Development.
[FR Doc. 04-14389 Filed 6-24-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P