[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56482-56483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15773]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request--Consumer Opinion 
Forum

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On May 1, 2006, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC 
or Commission) published a notice in accordance with provisions of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) (PRA), to 
announce the agency's intention to seek approval for a collection of 
information to be conducted through a Consumer Opinion Forum (Forum) 
posted on the CPSC Web site, http://www.cpsc.gov. 71 FR 25570. The 
Commission now announces that it has submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) a request for approval of that collection 
of information.
    The Commission received two comments. One commentor, Safe Kids 
Worldwide (Safe Kids), supported the collection of information because 
it believes that direct consumer input on specific consumer products 
would be beneficial to the Commission in its efforts to improve the 
safety of consumer products and improve the effectiveness of product 
recall campaigns. Safe Kids recommended that the Commission make public 
the participant responses on the Forum. Staff will evaluate whether 
posting summaries of participant responses on certain Forum topics or 
questions may be useful after the program is fully operational.
    Another commentor, the Consumer Specialty Products Association 
(CSPA), questioned how the comments would be solicited and verified. In 
addition, CSPA

[[Page 56483]]

asked whether product-specific information would be kept confidential, 
and what role a manufacturer would have in such a Forum.
    In the first Federal Register notice, 71 FR 25570, the Commission 
explained in detail how information would be collected through the 
Forum. Any individual at least 18 years old who has access to the 
Internet and to e-mail may voluntarily register to participate in the 
Forum through the CPSC Web site. During the registration process, 
participants will be asked to provide an e-mail address and personal 
password to access the Forum. When a new question is posted in the 
Forum, registered participants may be invited via e-mail to log into 
the Forum and to provide responses to the posted question(s). Since the 
purpose of the Forum is to solicit consumer opinions and perceptions, 
the staff will not verify the responses provided by participants. 
Although questions related to certain product classes or categories 
might be posted in the Forum, staff does not intend to pose questions 
that are specific to a particular brand or model of product. Such 
information, however, may be received inadvertently through the Forum 
even if it is not solicited. To the extent that any information is 
obtained that could identify a specific product brand or model, such 
information will be kept confidential and will not be released.
    The information collected via the Forum will help Commission staff 
evaluate consumer products and product use by providing insight and 
information into consumer perceptions and usage patterns. Such 
information may also assist the staff in its efforts to support 
voluntary standards activities, and help the staff identify areas 
regarding consumer safety issues that need additional research. In 
addition, based on the information obtained, the staff may be able to 
provide safety information to the public that is easier to read and is 
more readily understood by a wider range of consumers. The Forum may 
also be used to solicit consumer opinions and feedback regarding the 
effectiveness of product recall communications and to determine what 
action is being taken by consumers in response to such communications 
and why. This may aid in tailoring future recall activities to increase 
the success of those activities. If this information is not collected, 
the Commission would not have available useful information regarding 
consumer experiences, opinions, and perceptions related to specific 
product use, which the Commission relies on in its ongoing efforts to 
improve the safety of consumer products on behalf of consumers.

Additional Information About the Request for Approval of a Collection 
of Information

    Agency address: Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West 
Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814.
    Title of information collection: Consumer Opinion Forum.
    Type of request: Approval of collection of information.
    General description of respondents: Consumers at least 18 years of 
age.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 5,000.
    Estimated average number of hours per respondent: 3.16 per year.
    Estimated number of hours for all respondents: 15,833 per year.
    Estimated cost per hour to respond: $28.75
    Estimated cost of collection for all respondents: $455,000.
    Comments: Comments on this request for approval of information 
collection requirements should be submitted by October 27, 2006 to (1) 
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk 
Officer for CPSC, Office of Management and Budget, Washington DC 20503; 
telephone: (202) 395-7340, and (2) to the Office of the Secretary by e-
mail at [email protected], or mailed to the Office of the Secretary, 
Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, 
MD 20814. Comments may also be sent via facsimile at (301) 504-0127.
    Copies of this request for approval of information collection 
requirements and supporting documentation are available from Linda 
Glatz, Management and Program Analyst, Office of Planning and 
Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, 
Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone: (301) 504-7671.

    Dated: September 21, 2006.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
 [FR Doc. E6-15773 Filed 9-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P