Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Recreation Survey Questions

AGENCY:

Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), are proposing to renew an information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before August 2, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Please provide a copy of your comments to Ronnie Baca, Bureau of Reclamation, Asset Management Division, 86-67200, P.O. Box 25007, Denver, CO 80225-0007; or by email to rbaca@usbr.gov. Please reference OMB Control Number 1006-0028 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information about this information collection request (ICR), contact Ronnie Baca by email at rbaca@usbr.gov, or by telephone at (303) 445-3257. Individuals who are hearing or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 for TTY assistance. You may also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), we provide the general public and other Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format.

A Federal Register notice was published on January 15, 2021 (86 FR 4118), that allowed for a 60-day public comment period. Two comments were received during the public comment period. One comment did not address the information collection requirements; therefore, no response is required. The second comment and response are summarized as follows:

Comment: The survey is biased as it is used by recreationists at reservoirs and not by the entire United States population. Reservoirs are not to be used as wholesale “recreation” and should be used as drinking water without the risk of waste.

Response: The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. Reclamation operates and maintains its lands and waterbodies as directed by law. As such, Public Law 89-72, Federal Water Project Recreation Act of 1965, as amended, states “it is the policy of Congress and the intent of this Act that in investigating and planning any Federal navigation, flood control, reclamation, hydroelectric, or multipurpose water resource project that consideration shall be given to the opportunities, if any, which the project affords for outdoor recreation and for fish and wildlife enhancement and that, wherever any such project can reasonably serve either or both of these purposes consistently with the provisions of this part, it shall be constructed, operated, and maintained accordingly.”. The intent of this survey and its renewal is to provide the public a voice on how Reclamation recreation areas can be improved to better suit public need and demand.

As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the following:

(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether or not the information will have practical utility;

(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this 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) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of response.

Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Abstract: Reclamation is responsible for recreation development at all of its reservoirs. Presently, there are more than 240 designated recreation areas on our lands within the 17 Western States hosting approximately 40 million visitors annually. As a result, we must be able to respond to emerging trends, changes in the demographic profile of users, changing values, needs, wants, and desires, and conflicts between user groups. Statistically valid and up-to-date data derived from the user is essential to developing and providing recreation programs relevant to today's visitor. Reclamation is requesting re-approval for the collection of data from recreational users on Reclamation lands and waterbodies. To meet our needs for the collection of visitor use data, we will be requesting OMB to authorize a two-part request: Survey questions for our regional offices to choose from, and a survey form template. This will allow for a custom designed survey instrument to fit a specific activity or recreation site. The custom designed survey would be created by extracting questions from the approved list of survey questions that are applicable to the recreation area and issue being evaluated. Only questions included in the pre-approved list of survey questions will be used.

Title of Collection: Recreation Survey Questions.

OMB Control Number: 1006-0028.

Form Number: 7-2675, Recreation Survey Questions.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Respondents to the surveys will be members of the public engaged in recreational activities on Reclamation lands and waterbodies. Visitors will primarily consist of local residents, people from large metropolitan areas in the vicinity of the lake/reservoir, and people from out of state.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 696.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 696.

Estimated Completion Time per Response: 15 minutes per survey (an average of 20 questions will be used on each survey; each question will take approximately 45 seconds to complete on average).

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 140.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

Frequency of Collection: Twice annually.

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden cost: None.

It is estimated that there will be a total of 140 out of 696 contacts that choose not to respond to the survey. These non-respondents account for 1 burden hour per year.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).