[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 151 (Monday, August 8, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45645-45646]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15642]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Request for Comment; National Survey on 
Recreation and the Environment

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 revised information collection, National Survey on 
Recreation and the Environment.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before October 7, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to H. 
Ken Cordell, Southern Research Station, Forest Service, USDA, 320 Green 
Street, Athens, GA 30602-2044.
    Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to (706)559-4266 or by 
e-mail to: [email protected]
    The public may inspect comments received at Research Work Unit SRS-
4901, Room 233, Forest Service, USDA, 320 Green Street, Athens, GA, 
during normal business hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to 
(706) 559-4262 to facilitate entry to the building. FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT: H. Ken Cordell, Research Work Unit SRS-4901, 706-
559-4263. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf 
(TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339, 24 
hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: National Survey on Recreation and the 
Environment.
    OMB Number: 0596-0127.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 08/31/2007.
    Type of Request: Renewal.
    Abstract: The Forest Service intends to revise this information 
collection. Because more sponsors have requested use of the National 
Survey on Recreation and the Environment (NSRE) for their government 
research needs, additional modules by the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA), United States Coast Guard, and Forest Service have been 
included. These additional modules have been balanced with existing or 
shortened modules to stay within the specified time frame for all 
versions.
    Federal land managing agencies are responsible for the management 
of over 650 million acres of public lands. These lands are managed 
according to the legislation and overall mission pertaining to each 
agency. For all federal agencies, this includes management for 
recreation opportunities. To manage well and wisely, knowledge of 
recreation demands, opinions, preferences and attitudes regarding the 
management of these lands is imperative. Understanding these dimensions 
of public demand is important, expected, and necessary to the 
development of effective policy, planning, and on-the-ground 
management. For all federal agencies, input from and knowledge about 
the public is mandatory. For the non-land managing agencies as well, 
the collection and analysis of public demand data is vital to defining 
effective policies and to implementation of programs affecting the 
management and use of water, forest and wildlife resources. Recreation 
choice behavior has been identified as an effective measure of the 
value of natural resources. The Forest and Rangeland Renewable 
Resources Planning Act (RPA) (PL 93-378) was enacted in 1974 and 
directed the Secretary of Agriculture to assess periodically the status 
of the nation's forest and range lands and to recommend a Forest 
Service program for their sustained management and use. Among the 
program areas included in the Forest Service assessment are outdoor 
recreation and wilderness.
    This collection is a multi-agency partnership with the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and the U.S. Department of 
Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as the 
lead agencies. NSRE 2005 will be the eighth time this survey has been 
conducted since 1960. The survey is used to measure the demands the 
public makes on the Nation's land, water, and other natural resources 
for outdoor recreation; to identify the public perceptions of 
accessibility to recreational sites, especially those of persons with 
disabilities; to gain feedback from the public about the management of 
public recreation sites and natural resources; to ask the public how 
they think public agencies could improve management of public 
recreation areas and natural resources; to understand public attitudes 
about the environment and preferences of visitors for public and 
private recreational sites; and to keep abreast of shifts in 
recreational demands that might influence the delivery of recreational 
services.
    The NSRE 2005 will be implemented by a telephone survey of 75,000 
individuals, age 16 or older, residing in the United States. The survey 
will be conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) 
technology. A CATI system is efficient because it enables a series of 
``skips'' so that respondents are not asked questions that do not apply 
to them. Sample elements will be selected by means of a Random Digit 
Dialing technique, permitting a natural stratification of the sample by 
state, county, and area code. This represents the civilian, non-
institutionalized population, 16 years of age or older in the U.S. The 
Human Dimensions Research Laboratory at the University of Tennessee in 
Knoxville, Tennessee will conduct the telephone interviews and data 
collection. Analysis will be conducted by a board of research scientist 
who represent the main federal agencies involved in the NSRE.
    The telephone surveys are stratified random samples done in 
versions. Each version consists of modules of questions. Activity 
Participation and demographics make up the CORE of the survey and are 
asked of all those in the sample. Other sets of questions (modules) are 
included in each version. Each version is tested to ensure an average 
time of 15 minutes to complete. Approximately 5,000 people are surveyed 
in each version; each group is a nationally representative sample. 
Research scientist will use U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the

[[Page 45646]]

Census, 2000 Census data to construct post-sample weights to correct 
for over-sampling. Both English and Spanish versions of the 
questionnaires are used and interviews are conducted bilingually to 
overcome language barriers.
    For the U.S. Coast Guard and NOAA the information is critical to 
assessing the recreational boating community's knowledge and use of 
available products and services that promote safe navigation, which are 
important missions of both agencies. The Government Performance Results 
Act of 1993 (GPRA) requires that public input be considered when the 
Forest Service Strategic Plan is revised. Not collecting the data will 
hinder the ability of the Forest Service to comply with the 
requirements of GPRA. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is presently 
revising its overall mission and strategic goals for which it requires 
public input, but the BLM has no overarching national-level data on the 
public knowledge and awareness of (and management references for) BLM 
lands. The EPA is concerned that in most benefit estimations, the 
recreation value of a water resource is assumed to be its ``use'' 
value. Unfortunately, when estimating the benefits of regulatory water 
quality changes, the regulatory deadlines EPA faces often do not leave 
enough time to collect the appropriate data to do original studies 
specific to the water resources in question. Because of this, EPA is 
generally forced to rely on benefit transfer methods to value 
resources. The NSRE offers a cost effective way to collect a nationwide 
freshwater recreation revealed preference data set that could help 
address this problem. EPA intends to use the collected data as a 
readily available resource that will enable EPA and others to estimate 
original recreation demand models in support of proposed regulations 
and in the evaluation of other government proposed projects. The issues 
facing many federal agencies are current and need to be addressed. 
Because environmental and social conditions are changing rapidly, old 
information will no longer suffice as the basis for decision-making. 
Timing is also an issue as the NSRE is only conducted every five years.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: 15 minutes.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals, age 16 or older, residing in the 
United States.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 25,000.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,915 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 request for Office of 
Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: August 2, 2005.
Ann M. Bartuska,
Deputy Chief for Research & Development.
[FR Doc. 05-15642 Filed 8-5-05; 8:45 am]
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