[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 10, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59521-59522]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8564]


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DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

National Park Service


60-Day Notice of Intention To Request Clearance of Collection of 
Information; Opportunity for Public Comment

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 
CFR part 1320, Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, the National 
Park Service (NPS) invites public comments on a proposed new collection 
of information (OMB  1024-XXXX),

DATES: Public comments will be accepted on or before December 11, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to: Susan Johnson, National Park Service Air 
Resources Division, U.S. National Park Service, 12795 W. Alameda 
Parkway, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, Colorado 80225; phone: (303) 987-6694; 
e-mail: [email protected]., or fax at 303/969-2822.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Megan McBride, National Park Service 
Social Science Program, 1201 ``Eye'' St., NW., Washington, DC 20016; 
phone: (202) 513-7190; e-mail: [email protected]., or 
fax at 202/371-2131.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Visibility Valuation in National 
Parks and Wilderness Areas: Pre-test and Pilot Test.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    OMB Number: To be requested.
    Expiration Date: To be requested.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Description of Need: The Clean Air Act includes provisions designed 
to maintain and enhance visibility at national parks and wilderness 
areas (Sections 169A, 169B, and 110(a)(2)(j)). The National Park 
Service is directed by its Organic Act to ``conserve the scenery * * * 
unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations'' (16 U.S.C. a-1); 
and the Clean Air Act charges the NPS with an ``affirmative 
responsibility to protect air quality related values (including 
visibility)'' (42 U.S.C. 7475(d)(2)(B)). Therefore, the NPS believes it 
is imperative that the value of visibility changes is adequately 
represented in cost-benefit analyses related to state and federal 
efforts that may affect visibility (including the Regional Haze Rule, 
40 CFR part 51). Although several studies were conducted to estimate 
visibility benefits in the 1970s and 1980s, methodologies for 
estimating the benefits of improvements in environmental goods have 
advanced significantly since that time. Furthermore, baseline 
visibility conditions in national parks and wilderness areas have 
changed significantly over the last few decades. As a result, updated 
estimates of visibility benefits are required.
    NPS plans to conduct a nationwide stated-preference survey to 
estimate the value of visibility changes in national parks and 
wilderness areas. Stated-preference surveys use carefully designed 
questions to elicit respondents' willingness to pay for improvements in 
environmental quality. A general population stated-preference survey is 
required in this case, as many U.S. citizens may be willing to pay to 
improve or maintain visibility at national parks and wilderness areas, 
even if they do not use these areas. Stated-preference surveys are the 
only methodology available to estimate these non-market-based values. 
But to ensure that the nationwide survey is unbiased and readily 
understood by respondents and that the likely effect of non-response on 
benefit estimates is known, the pre-test and pilot test must first be 
conducted.
    The pre-testing will be done through focus groups, which will be 
used to develop and refine a survey instrument for the pilot study. 
Twelve focus groups will be conducted, with approximately 10 
participants in each group (120 in total). Thus, a sufficient number of 
responses will be gathered to evaluate the information presentation, 
reliability, internal consistency, response variability, and other 
properties of the draft survey. Results will be used to make 
improvements to the survey instrument. NPS will proceed iteratively, 
modifying the draft survey instrument after each focus group to ensure 
that the wording of the questions is clear and unbiased and effectively 
addresses the relevant issues.
    The pilot study will be designed to account for the potential 
impact of mail survey non-response on benefit estimates. The pilot 
study will involve a split-sample comparison between a mail and an in-
person survey. Respondents will be asked to complete the survey 
instrument developed during the pre-testing stage. The results will 
ultimately be used to adjust the benefit estimates obtained in the 
nationwide survey for potential non-response bias. The final content of 
the pilot survey instrument will depend on the pre-testing results. At 
a minimum, the survey will describe the characteristics of various 
visibility improvement programs and ask respondents to select a 
preferred program. The survey will also include socio-demographic 
questions and questions designed to evaluate the respondents' 
motivation in selecting a preferred program. Surveys will be conducted 
with approximately 800 individuals.
    For this pilot study, 16 neighborhoods will be selected in two 
metropolitan areas (Phoenix, AZ and Syracuse, NY). Each neighborhood 
sample will be split into two groups, with 50 households assigned to a 
mail survey group and 50 households assigned to an in-person survey 
group. The in-person survey will be conducted in a manner that 
minimizes the differences between the two survey modes. NPS 
specifically requests comments on: (1) The practical utility of the 
information being gathered; (2) the accuracy of the burden hour 
estimate; (3) ways to enhance the

[[Page 59522]]

quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
(4) ways to minimize the burden to respondents, including use of 
automated information collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Automated data collection: No automated data collection will be 
used in this study.
    Description of respondents: Pre-test--adults from Atlanta, GA, 
Sacramento, CA, and Chicago, IL who are contacted by telephone and 
agree to participate in focus groups in those cities. Pilot test--adult 
residents of 16 neighborhoods in Phoenix, AZ and Syracuse, NY who live 
in owner-occupied homes.
    Estimated average number of respondents: 920 (120 for focus groups; 
800 for pilot survey).
    Estimated average number of responses: 920 (120 for focus groups; 
800 for pilot survey).
    Estimated average burden hours per response: 2.5 hours for focus 
group respondents, \1/3\ hour for pilot survey respondents.
    Frequency of response: 1 time per respondent.
    Estimated annual reporting burden: 567 hours.

    Dated: September 27, 2006.
Leonard E. Stowe,
NPS, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 06-8564 Filed 10-6-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-M0