[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 217 (Monday, November 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 52297]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24446]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-ORD-2016-0632; FRL-9959-51-OEI]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; Willingness To Pay Survey To Evaluate 
Recreational Benefits of Nutrient Reductions in Coastal New England 
Waters (New)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Willingness to Pay Survey to 
Evaluate Recreational Benefits of Nutrient Reductions in Coastal New 
England Waters (New)'' (EPA ICR No. 2558.01, OMB Control No. 2080-NEW) 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a request for 
approval of a new collection. Public comments were previously requested 
via the Federal Register (81 FR 78809) on 11/09/2016 during a 60-day 
comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public 
comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its 
estimated burden and cost to the public. 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.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before December 13, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
ORD-2016-0632, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA 
Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via email to 
[email protected]. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for 
EPA.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marisa Mazzotta, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Atlantic Ecology 
Division, 27 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882; 
telephone number: 401-782-3026; fax number: 401-782-3139; email 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Abstract: Researchers at the EPA's Office of Research and 
Development (ORD), Atlantic Ecology Division (AED) are piloting an 
effort to better understand how reduced water quality due to nutrient 
enrichment affects the economic prosperity, social capacity, and 
ecological integrity of coastal New England communities. This project 
proposes a survey to collect data for a case study of changes in 
recreation demand and values due to changes in nutrients in 
northeastern coastal waters. This includes the development of methods 
and tools for estimating recreational values that can be applied in 
other locations, either by EPA researchers, EPA's regional offices or 
state partners. Cape Cod is in the midst of an extensive regional 
planning effort related to its coastal waters, and this research can 
provide helpful socio-economic information to decision makers about the 
use of those waters. Because the 100-mile radius from Cape Cod includes 
a large area of southern New England and the largest population centers 
in New England, the results will be more broadly applicable to 
residents of southern New England.
    One of the key water quality concerns on Cape Cod, and throughout 
New England, is nonpoint sources of nitrogen, which lead to ecological 
impairments in estuaries, with resultant socio-economic impacts. The 
decisions needed to meet water quality standards are highly complex and 
involve significant cross-disciplinary challenges in identifying, 
implementing, and monitoring social and ecological management needs. We 
will focus on understanding recreational uses as valued economic goods 
in coastal New England (including beachgoing, swimming, fishing, 
shellfishing, and boating).
    Form Numbers: 6000-02 and 6000-03.
    Respondents/affected entities: Individuals and Households.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 2,455 (total).
    Frequency of response: Once.
    Total estimated burden: 205 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 
5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $7,129 (per year), includes $0 annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: This is a new collection.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2017-24446 Filed 11-9-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


