[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 103 (Wednesday, May 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 30604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-11860]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35).
    Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
    Title: Coral Reef Valuation Study.
    OMB Approval Number: None.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular submission.
    Burden Hours: 990.
    Number of Respondents: 1,980.
    Average Hours Per Response: 30 minutes.
    Needs and Uses: This is a national survey using two independently 
recruited Internet panels: the American National Election Study (ANES) 
Internet Panel and Stanford's Major Research Instrumentation Panel 
(MRI) Internet Panel. The survey is designed to yield information that 
can be used to estimate total economic values for protection and 
restoration of Hawaii's coral reef ecosystems. The survey addresses the 
public's preferences and economic values for the use of no-take areas 
as a management tool and the public's preferences and economic values 
for restoring damaged coral reefs.
    NOAA is a member of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (CRTF), which 
was established in June 1998 through Executive Order (EO) 13089. As a 
member of the CRTF, and in support of the U.S. Coral Reef Initiative, 
NOAA has significant responsibilities for managing U.S. coral reef 
habitats and undertaking scientific studies to better manage the 
nation's coral reef resources. In March 2000, the task force approved 
the first-ever National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs pursuant to 
the Coral Reef Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 6401-6409). The Action Plan 
identifies 13 major goals, including five that the proposed research 
addresses: (1) Conduct strategic research, (2) understand the social 
and economic factors of coral reef ecosystems, (3) improve the use of 
marine protected areas (MPAs), (4) restore damaged reefs, and (5) 
improve outreach and education about coral reef ecosystems. In support 
of NOAA's fulfillment of these goals, this study is designed to develop 
a survey instrument to elicit economic values for Hawaiian coral reef 
ecosystems at the national level. The overall objective of this project 
is to develop economically valid and reliable national estimates of 
individuals' values for alternative Hawaiian coral reef protection and 
improvement options.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Frequency: One-time only.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, (202) 395-3897.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to David Rostker, OMB Desk Officer, FAX number (202) 395-7285, or 
[email protected].

    Dated: May 22, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-11860 Filed 5-27-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-JE-P