[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 24, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67019-67020]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25636]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

[OMB No. 0596-0189]


Information Collection; Understanding Value Trade-Offs Regarding 
Fire Hazard Reduction Programs in the Wildland-Urban Interface

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and 
organizations on the renewal of a currently approved information 
collection, Understanding Value Trade-offs regarding Fire Hazard 
Reduction Programs in the Wildland-Urban Interface.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before January 24, 
2022 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to 
Jos[eacute] S[aacute]nchez, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest 
Research Station, 4955 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, California 92507. 
Comments may also be submitted via facsimile to 951-680-1501, or by 
email to [email protected].
    The public may inspect comments received at the Pacific Southwest 
Research Station, during normal business hours. Visitors are encouraged 
to call ahead to facilitate entry to the building at 951-680-1560.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jos[eacute] S[aacute]nchez, by phone 
at 951-680-1560. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the 
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 67020]]

    Title: Understanding Value Trade-offs Regarding Fire Hazard 
Reduction Programs in the Wildland-Urban Interface.
    OMB Number: 0596-0189.
    Expiration Date of Approval: February 28, 2022.
    Type of Request: Renewal.
    Abstract: Forest Service and university researchers will collect 
information from members of the public via a brief phone questionnaire 
followed by the respondent's choice of a mail questionnaire or an 
online questionnaire to help forest and fire managers understand value 
trade-offs regarding fire hazard reduction programs in the wildland-
urban interface. Researchers will evaluate the responses of Florida, 
New Mexico, Oregon, and Texas residents to different scenarios related 
to fire-hazard reduction programs, determine how effective residents 
think the programs are, and calculate how much residents would be 
willing to pay to implement the alternatives presented to them. This 
information will help researchers provide better information to natural 
resource, forest, and fire managers when they are contemplating the 
type of fire-hazard reduction program to implement to achieve 
forestland management planning objectives.
    A random sample of residents of Florida, New Mexico, Oregon, and 
Texas will be contacted via random-digit dialed telephone calls and 
asked to participate in the research study. If they are willing to 
participate in the study, they will select to receive an online or 
paper questionnaire and will provide the appropriate address. Though 
different forms, these questionnaires have the same set of questions. 
In this initial call, we will also ask those willing to participate a 
brief set of questions to determine pre-existing knowledge of fuels 
reduction treatments. After completion of the mail or online 
questionnaire, no further contact with the participants will occur.
    A university research-survey center will collect the information 
for the mail and online questionnaires. A Forest Service researcher and 
collaborators at a cooperating university will analyze the data 
collected. Researchers are experienced in applied economic non-market 
valuation research and survey research methods.
    The Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as 
many state agencies with fire protection responsibilities will benefit 
from this information collection. At present, many of these agencies 
with fire protection responsibilities continue an ambitious and costly 
fuels reduction program for fire risk reduction and will benefit from 
public opinion on which treatments are most effective or desirable.
    Estimate of Annual Burden per Respondent: 40 minutes.
    Type of Respondents: Members of the public.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 1,675.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 690 hours.
    Comment is Invited: Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this 
collection of information is necessary for the stated purposes and the 
proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether 
the information will have practical or scientific utility; (2) the 
accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including the use of 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission request 
toward Office of Management and Budget approval.

Alexander L. Friend,
Deputy Chief, Research & Development.
[FR Doc. 2021-25636 Filed 11-23-21; 8:45 am]
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