[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 57 (Monday, March 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15499-15501]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5867]


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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 May 23, 2008. If you anticipate 
difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the 
person listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Grace Sutherland. 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, Grace 
Sutherland may be contacted by telephone at 202-586-6264.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of any forms and instructions should be directed to Grace 
Sutherland 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. No. 93-275, 
15 U.S.C. 761 et seq.) and the DOE Organization Act (Pub. L. No. 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

[[Page 15500]]

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 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 of this collection of 
information by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under Section 
3507(a) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
    Form EIA-882T is a generic clearance, which is a plan for 
conducting one or more customer surveys. A generic clearance is 
considered by DOE only when DOE 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. Form 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. Other goals are to reduce respondent burden 
and improve the quality of the information collected. The number and 
type of respondents varies depending upon the activities being 
conducted. Form EIA-882T was last extended for three years on August 
17, 2005, and expires August 31, 2008.
    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 of interest. 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. No. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), 
Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L.

[[Page 15501]]

No. 93-275, 15 U.S.C. 761 et seq.), and the DOE Organization Act 
(Pub. L. No. 95-91, 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.).

    Issued in Washington, DC, March 19, 2008.
Jay H. Casselberry,
Agency Clearance Officer, Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-5867 Filed 3-21-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P