SFSN Request Submission Document

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback”

(OMB Control Number 0690-0030)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Stakeholder Feedback on the Selection of NOAA Candidate Habitat Focus Area(s) in California

PURPOSE:

Over the next five years, NOAA will direct an increasing portion of its efforts and resources into priority coastal and marine areas to produce the greatest impact on habitat-related objectives. The amount and type of resources allocated within these habitat focus areas will vary depending on the area and the specific conservation objectives, but may include focusing research studies, prioritizing consultations, and directing grant funding. These habitat focus areas will not encompass all of NOAA's habitat conservation work, but will enable NOAA to more effectively leverage resources and create synergies to meet its multiple habitat conservation goals.

In each region, experts representing NOAA habitat-related programs will select at least one habitat focus area in each of the seven coastal NOAA Regional Collaboration regions by the end of FY 2013. NOAA is soliciting input from key stakeholders during the selection process to inform NOAA’s selection of habitat focus areas.

This request for approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” is focused on soliciting input from stakeholders in the California Region, which is the pilot region for the national strategy. The purpose of engaging stakeholders is to inform them of NOAA’s Habitat Focus Area strategy and solicit input on candidate focus areas that NOAA has identified as to whether:

1. we can reasonably expect to make progress in conserving habitat,

2. we can demonstrate progress in three-five years; and

3. the candidate areas have the ability to attract partners.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

The approximately 90 respondents were selected by NOAA regional staff in the National Marine Fisheries Service and the National Ocean Service who is intimately familiar with stakeholders who work with and manage the use of California’s coastal resources. The respondents include representatives from each Federal agency with a coastal mission (U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. EPA, U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Border Patrol), State agency representatives including the California Coastal Commission, Bay Area Conservation and Development Commission, California Coastal Conservancy, Port Commissions, National Estuarine Research Reserves, among others), NGOs (Sport fishing Association of California, Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman’s Association, Save the San Francisco Bay Association, Water 4 Fish, Trout Unlimited, Surfriders, among others), and individuals that are leaders in their communities (Recreational Fishing Charter Boat Operator, Marine Biologist).

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software [ ] Small Discussion Group

[ ] Focus Group [x ] Other: This is a virtual focus group of key stakeholders. They will be reached through e-mail and asked to provide comments by e-mail or by submitting comments directly on-line.

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name:___Dan Farrow_____________________________________________

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [ x] No

2. If Yes, will any information that is collected be included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [ ] No

3. If Yes, has an up-to-date System of Records Notice (SORN) been published? [ ] Yes [ ] No

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [ ] Yes [ x ] No

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Federal	11	30 minutes	5.5
State, local, tribal	22	30 minutes	11
NGOs, Private	57	30 Minutes	28.5
Totals	90	30 Minutes	45

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is ____0________

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [ ] Yes [x] No

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

NOAA regional staff work with coastal stakeholders on a daily basis and is intimately familiar with the universe of state, NGO, Tribal, Federal, and private sector stakeholders. The National Ocean Service has been engaged with stakeholders through the National Marine Sanctuary, National Estuarine Research Reserve Program, and the Coastal Zone Management Program and their associated place-based non-profits, programmatic committees, and friends groups. These groups include a broad suite of coastal and marine stakeholders. The National Marine Sanctuaries manage a broad swath of marine waters and as such, have science and engagement sub-committees comprised of key ocean stakeholders. The California Coastal Program is a partnership between NOAA and the State of California. Through this partnership, NOAA staff is intimately familiar with coastal constituents. The National Marine Fisheries Service engages with key stakeholders in the restoration and commercial and recreational fishing communities.

Our regional staff generated a list of key stakeholders who are actively engaged in industries that rely on coastal and marine resources. From the list, key opinion leaders were identified who will be contacted by phone or in person to inform them of the Habitat Focus Area strategy, solicit their input on the process, and identify any other stakeholders that the regional team may have overlooked that should be part of this process.

All stakeholders identified, including the opinion leaders will be provided with the list of candidate Habitat Focus Areas and contextual information on a web site developed to support stakeholder engagement. The web site will provide spatial data that includes the location of the candidate focus areas, base maps of California, county and block level population data, location of marine protected areas, coastal watershed boundaries, essential fish habitat and other information that is intended to provide context for understanding the opportunities and constraints associated with each candidate focus area. A pdf version of the candidate focus area will also be provided.

There will be a link on the web site in which stakeholders can submit their comments on any or all candidate focus areas. They will also have the option to submit their comments by e-mail. They will be asked which candidate focus areas they believe can successfully meet their stated objectives, which ones are positioned to leverage partnerships, and which ones may have constraints that would impact success of meeting stated objectives.

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[ x ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[ ] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ x ] Other, Explain – E-mails to stakeholders – there will be an initial letter introducing the initiative and letting the stakeholders know that they will be receiving an e-mail with a link to a web site in which they explore the Candidate Habitat Focus Areas and provide input. Both letters are attached to this request.

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [ ] Yes [ x ] No

Please submit all instruments, instructions, correspondences (emails, letters, etc.) to respondents, and scripts as separate documents along with this request document.

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