[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 15 (Friday, January 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3549-3550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01080]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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: Contingent Valuation/Choice Experiment Surveys for Hurricane 
Sandy Restoration Efforts in Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in New 
Jersey and Jamaica Bay, NY.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-xxxx.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (request for a new information 
collection).
    Number of Respondents: 1,035.

[[Page 3550]]

    Average Hours per Response: Forsyth Refuge survey, 20 minutes; 
Jamaica Bay Survey, 25 minutes.
    Burden Hours: 389.
    Needs and Uses: This request is for a new information collection.
    Superstorm Sandy caused significant damage to the New York and New 
Jersey coast. There are numerous ongoing and planned projects to repair 
the damage caused by the storm. The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act 
of 2012 provided NOAA with funding to assess the ecosystem service 
values associated with restoration options being considered in the wake 
of Sandy. Two geographic areas that were particularly impacted by the 
Storm were the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey and 
Jamaica Bay in New York. Under this collection effort, the NOAA Office 
for Coastal Management will implement a contingent valuation survey to 
assess the value of the ecosystem services that will be generated by 
restoration projects being implemented in both areas. Data will be 
collected from individuals who reside in the New York and New Jersey 
areas. NOAA will implement two separate surveys: One for each 
geographic area.
    There are a number of restoration projects that are ongoing in the 
Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge and in Jamaica Bay. After reviewing 
the scope and focus of many of those restoration projects, NOAA has 
decided to focus on two specific projects. For the Forsythe National 
Wildlife Refuge, NOAA will focus on the work being done under a $15 
million project being conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 
The Forsythe project will focus on restoring and enhancing the salt 
marsh at the Refuge to act as a natural protection from storms and to 
act as a habitat for wildlife. In assessing ecosystem service benefits 
for the Forsythe restoration work, NOAA will focus on the value of the 
salt marsh for storm protection, habitat, and recreation, as well as 
other possible ecosystem services.
    The Jamaica Bay area has a number of planned and ongoing projects. 
NOAA has decided to focus on work being conducted at Spring Creek Park 
on the northern point of Jamaica Bay. The restoration work at the park 
will involve improving habitat and storm and flood protection. NOAA 
will focus on the associated ecosystem services from habitat 
improvements and the added storm and flood protection.
    NOAA is currently contacting and working with partners and 
stakeholders at each site to ensure the relevancy of this work.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Frequency: One time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    This information collection request may be viewed at reginfo.gov. 
Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce collections 
currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to [email protected] or fax to (202) 395-5806.

    Dated: January 16, 2015.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-01080 Filed 1-22-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-JS-P