[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 52 (Monday, March 19, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12798-12799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4931]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OA-2006-0080; FRL-8289-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Valuing Reduced Asthma Episodes 
for Adults and Children--Focus Groups; EPA ICR No. 2215.01

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)(44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection 
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request for a new collection. 
The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the 
information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before April 18, 
2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-
2006-0080, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), by e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket 
Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental 
Information (OEI) Docket, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB by mail to: Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., 
Washington DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Chris Dockins, Office of Policy, 
Economics and Innovation, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 
1809T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington DC 20460; telephone 
number 202-566-2286; fax number 202-566-2338; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB 
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 
1320.12. On February 3, 2006 (71 FR 5834), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received one non-substantial 
comment during the comment period. Any additional comments on this ICR 
should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OA-2006-0080, which is available for online viewing at 
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of 
Environmental Information (OEI) Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/
DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. 
The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the 
Reading Room is 202-566-1744, and the telephone number for the Office 
of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket is 202-566-1752.
    Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at 
www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those 
documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the 
system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number 
identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public 
comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made 
available for public viewing at www.regulations.gov as EPA receives 
them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted 
material, CBI, or other information whose public disclosure is 
restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic 
docket, go to www.regulations.gov.
    Title: Valuing Reduced Asthma Episodes for Adults and Children--
Focus Groups.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2215.01.
    ICR Status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity. 
An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to 
respond to, a collection of information, unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations 
in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when 
approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by 
publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such 
as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The 
display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is 
consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: Asthma is one of the most common chronic illnesses in the 
United States, particularly among children. The disease is 
characterized by recurring episodes of symptoms like cough, shortness 
of breath, and wheezing. Epidemiological studies suggest that ambient 
air pollution may contribute to exacerbation of these episodes. Acute 
asthma episodes are a leading cause of work and school absence and 
contribute to the economic burden of the disease. The policies and 
programs of many public and private entities including EPA may affect 
the frequency and severity of asthma episodes, but economic analysis of 
these programs is hindered by inadequate information about the economic 
benefits of reduced asthma episodes. The proposed surveys would gather 
information to support estimation of willingness to pay (WTP) to avoid 
acute episodes of asthma exacerbation for adults and children.
    The survey research has three main objectives. The first is to 
estimate WTP to reduce frequency of asthma episodes. The second is to 
examine how the ``attributes'' of asthma episodes, such as their 
frequency, severity and symptoms, affect WTP. The third is to provide 
some evidence on the WTP to reduce the severity of asthma episodes, 
while

[[Page 12799]]

holding frequency constant. WTP would be estimated in the context of 
the severity of the individual's asthma and the activities taken to 
manage the disease. The results will help to provide researchers and 
policy analysts with evidence on the potential benefits of actions 
policies that influence acute asthma episodes.
    Through a cooperative agreement from EPA (R-83062801-0), 
researchers at the University of Central Florida (UCF) have designed 
and are proposing to conduct two surveys of adult individuals. One 
survey would be administered to a sample of adults with physician-
diagnosed asthma who have experienced asthma symptoms during the 12 
months preceding the survey. One survey focuses on eliciting adults' 
WTP to reduce the asthma episodes that they experience. A related 
survey would be administered to a sample of parents of children with 
physician-diagnosed asthma who have experienced asthma symptoms during 
the 12 months preceding the survey. In this case, the focus is on 
eliciting parents' WTP to reduce the asthma episodes that their 
children experience.
    The purpose of the proposed ICR is to gain approval for the conduct 
of a series of focus groups and individual interviews as part of the 
survey development process. Focus groups and cognitive interviews are a 
crucial component in the survey development process as they allow 
survey developers to identify problematic approaches, terminology, and 
graphics in the survey instrument. A total of 50 interviews are 
anticipated, including focus group responses and individual interviews.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2 
hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or 
disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This 
includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, 
install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of 
collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and 
maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; 
adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable 
instructions and requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to 
a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review 
the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the 
information.
    The only burden imposed by the interviews on respondents will be 
the time required to participate in focus group discussions and answer 
interview questions. The survey developers estimate that this will 
require an average of 2 hours per respondent. With a total of 50 
respondents this requires a total of 100 hours. Based on an average 
hourly rate of $27.31, including employer costs of all employee 
benefits, the survey developers expect that the average per-respondent 
cost for the pilot survey will be $54.62 and the corresponding one-time 
total cost to all respondents will be $2,731.00 (Employer costs per 
hour worked for employee compensation and costs as a percent of total 
compensation: Civilian workers, total compensation, December 2006 
http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.t02.htm). Since this information 
collection is voluntary and does not involve any special equipment, 
respondents will not incur any capital or operation and maintenance 
(O&M) costs.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Individuals or Households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 50.
    Frequency of Response: One-time.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 100.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $2,731.00, includes $0 annualized 
capital or O&M costs.

    Dated: March 12, 2007.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
 [FR Doc. E7-4931 Filed 3-16-07; 8:45 am]
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