Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Economic Value of Puerto Rico's Coral Reef Ecosystems for Recreation-Tourism, 1630-1631 [2014-00120]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 6 (Thursday, January 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1630-1631]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-00120]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Economic Value 
of Puerto Rico's Coral Reef Ecosystems for Recreation-Tourism

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing

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effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment 
on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before March 10, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at JJessup@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Dr. Vernon R. (Bob) Leeworthy, (301) 713-7261 or 
Bob.Leeworthy@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for a regular submission (new information 
collection).
    NOAA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have 
entered a partnership to estimate the market and non-market economic 
values of Puerto Rico's coral reef ecosystems. Estimates will be made 
for all ecosystem services for the Guanica Bay Watershed and for 
recreation-tourism for all of Puerto Rico's coral reef ecosystems.
    We will conduct surveys of visitors to Puerto Rico and residents of 
Puerto Rico who use the coral reef ecosystems to estimate the amount 
and type of use, their spending while undertaking coral reef use 
activities, the economic value of reef attributes (e.g. water clarity/
visibility, coral abundance and diversity, fish and invertebrate 
abundance and diversity, and opportunity to see large wildlife) and how 
economic value changes with changes in reef attributes.

II. Method of Collection

    Visitors to the island will be recruited into an Internet Panel via 
stratified random sampling at the various access modes of 
transportation to the island (e.g. airports, cruise ship docks and 
ferries). The panel recruitment surveys will use a short-form (5 to 10 
minutes) to gather information of place of permanent residence, length 
of stay in Puerto Rico, activities participated in while on their stay, 
and demographic information. A tally sheet will be used to screen 
survey participants for coral reef use. This will then allow for 
connection to air enplanement data, cruise ship passenger data, and 
ferry passenger data to estimate the total number of reef users. Those 
who agree to the Internet Panel will then be asked more detailed 
questions on intensity of coral reef use (person-days of reef activity 
by type of activity), spending while doing reef activities, and 
economic value of reef attributes. For those who do not want to join 
the Internet Panel, they will be offered mail back surveys to gather 
the information that would be gathered in the Internet Panels.
    Residents of the island will be surveyed face-to-face in the home. 
Information on activity participation and use of the coral reefs, 
demographics, and economic value of coral reefs and how those values 
change with changes in reef attributes will be gathered in the face-to-
face in-home surveys. Additional mail backs will be used for 
importance-satisfaction ratings and spending while recreating on the 
coral reefs.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: None.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (new information collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours per individual/household.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: January 3, 2014.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-00120 Filed 1-8-14; 8:45 am]
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