[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 160 (Thursday, August 19, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51449-51450]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-19042]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Request for Comment; Assessing and 
Extending the Utility of The Natural Inquirer

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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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 the new information collection entitled, ``Assessing 
and Extending the Utility of The Natural Inquirer.''

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before October 18, 
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 Dr. 
Barbara McDonald, Resource Valuation and Use Research, Forestry 
Sciences Laboratory, Forest Service, USDA, 320 Green Street, Athens, GA 
30602-2044.
    Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to (706) 559-4245 or 
by e-mail to [email protected].
    The public may inspect comments received at Forestry Sciences 
Laboratory, Forest Service, USDA, 320 Green Street, Athens, Georgia, 
during normal business hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to 
(706) 559-4224 to facilitate entry to the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Barbara McDonald, Resource 
Valuation and Use Research, at (706) 559-4224.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 twenty-four 
hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Assessing and Extending the Utility of The Natural Inquirer.
    OMB Number: 0596-New.
    Expiration Date of Approval: N/A.
    Type of Request: New.
    Abstract: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) created 
guidelines for information quality in accordance with Section 515 of 
Public Law 106-554. That section is known as the Data Quality Act. OMB 
published guidelines that require all federal government agencies to 
create their own agency-specific guidelines to ensure compliance with 
the Data Quality Act. Hence, the United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) created detailed guidelines for the quality of 
information disseminated by its agencies and offices. As an agency of 
the USDA, the Forest Service is subject to these guidelines.
    The USDA guidelines state that the USDA ``will strive to ensure and 
maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the 
information that its agencies and offices disseminate to the public.'' 
Specifically, the utility standard provides that agencies and offices 
should assess the usefulness of information disseminated to its 
intended users as well as the public.
    Forest Service Research and Development (R&D) annually publishes a 
science journal for middle and high school students called The Natural 
Inquirer. The Natural Inquirer makes Forest Service research accessible 
and

[[Page 51450]]

interesting to middle and high school students. The distribution for 
the newest Natural Inquirer, which includes both national and 
international destinations, will be over 500,000. Formal, non-formal, 
and informal educators, as well as the general public, receive this 
journal through the Forest Service Conservation Education network, 
federal and state partners, and through The Natural Inquirer Web site. 
The Natural Inquirer provides a new benchmark for the utility of Forest 
Service research, as it extends the utility of the research to an 
educational resource meant to increase scientific literacy in middle 
and high school students.
    Current evaluation of The Natural Inquirer by its users is not 
systematic or scientifically valid and provides only anecdotal 
information about the utility of the Forest Service research being 
presented. The Forest Service, therefore, needs a systematic and 
scientifically valid way of assessing the usefulness of the journal in 
accordance with USDA guidelines for implementing the Data Quality Act. 
Further, such systematic assessment should be the basis for extending 
the utility of information dissemination via The Natural Inquirer.
    Five hundred respondents will be selected using a random sample 
based on addresses of individuals who have ordered The Natural Inquirer 
publication within the United States. They will be asked to respond to 
questions in the following categories: (1) The utility of The Natural 
Inquirer journal; (2) the utility of The Natural Inquirer Web site; (3) 
suggestions for improvement of utility of The Natural Inquirer; and (4) 
selected demographic information regarding teaching experience.
    The majority of information will be collected using the Dillman 
method through a mail survey instrument. Some personal interviews with 
a small sample of educators, and classroom observations will also be 
employed to assess how The Natural Inquirer is used in the classroom. A 
graduate student at the University of Georgia will collect the 
information. The graduate student will contact potential respondents 
via a postcard, then with the survey, follow-up postcards as necessary, 
and follow-up with a thank you note. A Forest Service social scientist 
will supervise the data collection.
    A graduate student from the University of Georgia and a Forest 
Service social scientist will analyze and evaluate the collected 
information. The information collected will be used to increase 
accountability of Forest Service information outreach and to extend the 
utility of The Natural Inquirer publication and Web site for educators 
and students.
    The Forest Service has invested heavily in producing timely, 
relevant, and credible forest science across a wide range of natural 
resource disciplines. This information should be readily accessible to 
the general public, including non-traditional audiences such as 
students. The Natural Inquirer extends the utility of Forest Service 
research by making it accessible to a middle school audience. This 
information collection will enable the Forest Service to extend the 
utility of The Natural Inquirer, increase accountability regarding 
federal information outreach, and provide the most useful information 
possible to the public by gathering feedback on how to improve the 
journal for the use of its intended audience.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: 20 minutes.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals in the United States who have 
ordered The Natural Inquirer.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 400.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 133.33 hours.
    Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information 
is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the 
functions 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 for 
Office of Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: August 13, 2004.
Bov B. Eav,
Associate Deputy Chief for Research & Development.
[FR Doc. 04-19042 Filed 8-18-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P