[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 24 (Monday, February 7, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6432-6433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2272]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy 
(DOE).

ACTION: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request.

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SUMMARY: The EIA is soliciting comments on the proposed three-year 
extension to the EIA-882T, ``Generic Clearance for Questionnaire 
Testing, Evaluation, and Research.''

DATES: Comments must be filed by April 8, 2005. If you anticipate 
difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the 
person listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Kara Norman. To ensure receipt of the 
comments by the due date, submission by FAX (202-287-1705) or e-mail 
([email protected]) is recommended. The mailing address is 
Statistics and Methods Group, EI-70, Forrestal Building, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20585. Alternatively, Kara Norman 
may be contacted by telephone at 202-287-1902.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of any forms and instructions should be directed to Kara Norman 
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. 93-275, 15 
U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. 95-91, 42 
U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) require the 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

[[Page 6433]]

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) under Section 
3507(a) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
    The EIA-882T is a generic clearance, which is a plan for conducting 
one or more customer surveys. A generic clearance is considered only 
when EIA is able to demonstrate that there is a need for multiple, 
similar collections, but that the specifics of each collection cannot 
be determined until shortly before the data are to be collected. The 
EIA-882T is used to conduct various projects, including pretest/pilot 
surveys (in-person interviews, telephone interviews, mail 
questionnaires, and electronic reporting options), focus groups, and 
cognitive interviews. The information collections that would be 
conducted as part of this approval will facilitate EIA's use of 
techniques to improve our current information collections and to 
develop new collections. Further goals are reduced respondent burden 
and improving the quality of the information collected. The number and 
type of respondents varies depending on the activities being conducted. 
The 882T was last extended for three years on August 16, 2002, and 
expires August 31, 2005.
    The information collections will include:
    1. Pretests. Pretest methods will include face-to-face interviews, 
telephone interviews, mail questionnaires, and electronic 
questionnaires. Pretests conducted will generally be methodological 
studies of limited size, normally involving either purposive or 
statistically representative samples. They will include a variety of 
surveys, the exact nature and sample designs will be determined at the 
time of development of the pretests. The samples will be designed to 
clarify particular issues rather than to be representative of the 
universe. Collection may be on the basis of convenience, e.g., limited 
to specific geographic locations. The needs of a particular sample will 
vary based on the content of the information collection being tested, 
but the selection of sample cases will be made using sound statistical 
procedures.
    2. Pilot surveys. Pilot surveys will generally be methodological 
studies of limited size, but will always employ statistically 
representative samples. The pilot surveys will replicate components of 
the methodological design, sampling procedures (where possible), and 
questionnaires of a full-scale survey. Pilot surveys may be utilized 
when EIA is undertaking a complete revamping of a survey methodology 
(e.g., moving to computer-assisted information collections) or when EIA 
is undertaking a new information collection.
    3. Focus groups. Focus groups involve group sessions guided by a 
monitor who follows a topical outline containing questions or topics 
focused on a particular issue, rather than adhering to a standardized 
questionnaire. Focus groups are useful for surfacing and exploring 
issues. Focus groups are typically used with specific groups of 
stakeholders.
    4. Cognitive interviews. Cognitive interviews are one-on-one 
interviews in which a respondent is typically asked to ``think aloud'' 
as he or she answers survey questions, reads survey materials, or 
completes other activities as part of a survey process. A number of 
different techniques may be involved, including asking respondents to 
paraphrase questions, probing questions to determine how respondents 
come up with their answers, and similar inquiries. The objective is to 
identify problems of ambiguity, misunderstanding, or other difficulties 
respondents have answering questions. This may be used as the first 
stage of questionnaire development.
    A wide variety of uses are 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 are broadening our involvement in testing, evaluation, 
and research, including working with staff at the National Science 
Foundation.

II. Current Actions

    EIA plans to request a three-year extension of the OMB approval for 
this collection. No changes are being proposed to the types of surveys 
being conducted under the generic clearance. For each information 
collection that EIA proposes to undertake under this generic clearance, 
OMB will be notified at least two weeks in advance, and provided with 
an information copy of the collection instrument and all other 
materials describing the testing activity. EIA will only undertake a 
collection if OMB does not object to EIA's proposal.

III. Request for Comments

    Prospective respondents and other interested parties should 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 information to or for an 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 to the Request for Information:
    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information to be 
collected?
    B. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to 
average .25 hours (15 minutes) per response. The estimated burden 
includes the total time necessary to provide the requested information. 
In your opinion, how accurate is this estimate?
    C. The agency estimates that the only cost to a respondent is for 
the time it will take to complete the collection. Will a respondent 
incur any start-up costs for reporting, or any recurring annual costs 
for operation, maintenance, and purchase of services associated with 
the information collection?
    As a Potential User of the Information To Be Collected:
    A. What actions could be taken to help ensure and maximize the 
quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of the information 
disseminated?
    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 3507(h)(1) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

    Issued in Washington, DC, February 1, 2005.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Statistics and Methods Group, Energy 
Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 05-2272 Filed 2-4-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P