Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Economic Value of the Reduction in the Risk of Whale Strikes in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, 11977 [2015-05003]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 43 (Thursday, March 5, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 11977]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05003]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Economic Value 
of the Reduction in the Risk of Whale Strikes in the Channel Islands 
National Marine Sanctuary

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing 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 May 4, 2015.

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 new information collection.
    NOAA is sponsoring a class project at the Bren School of Management 
& Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara to estimate 
the market and non-market economic values associated with the reduction 
in risk of whale strikes by different scenarios of changes in traffic 
lanes and/or vessel speeds for major commercial vessels operating in 
the region of southern California where the Channel Islands National 
Marine Sanctuary is located.
    NOAA will conduct surveys of the for hire operations that take 
people out for non-consumptive recreation to watch whales or other 
wildlife to obtain total use by type of activity (e.g., whale watching, 
and other wildlife observation) and the spatial use by type of 
activity. Information will also be obtained on costs-and-earnings of 
the operations and demographic information on owner/captains and crews. 
Surveys will also be conducted of the passengers aboard the for hire 
operation boats to obtain their market and non-market economic use 
values for the reduction in the risk of whale strikes. Additional 
information will be obtained on importance-satisfaction ratings of key 
natural resource attributes, facilities and services along with 
demographic profiles of passengers.

II. Method of Collection

    For the for hire operations, a team of students will go to the 
operations offices and collect the information. For the passengers, 
surveys will be conducted at the docks after the completion of their 
whale watching trip. Self-addressed, postage paid mail back 
questionnaires will be used for importance-satisfaction ratings and 
whale watching trip expenditures.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-xxxx.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (request for a new information 
collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; 
individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 25 for-hire operations and 500 
individuals.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours per for-hire operation; 20 
minutes each per on-site interview of passengers, importance-
satisfaction mail-back and expenditure mail-back.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 367: For-hire operations, 50 
hours; on-site survey of passengers, 167 hours; importance-satisfaction 
mail-back, 83 hours; expenditure mail-back, 67 hours.
    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: February 27, 2015.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-05003 Filed 3-4-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-NK-P