The Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended (CZMA; 16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.) requires that state coastal management programs and national estuarine research reserves developed pursuant to the CZMA and approved by the Secretary of Commerce be evaluated periodically. This request is for to collect information to accomplish those evaluations. NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) conducts periodic evaluations of the 34 coastal management programs and 28 research reserves and produces written findings for each evaluation. OCRM has access to some documentation regarding each program. However, additional information from each coastal management program and research reserve, as well as information from the program and reserve partners and stakeholders with whom each works, is necessary to evaluate against statutory and regulatory requirements. Different information collection subsets are necessary for 1) coastal management programs, 2) their partners and stakeholders, 3) research reserves, and 4) their partners and stakeholders.
US Code:
16 USC 1451 et seq.
Name of Law: Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended
The OCM has not conducted more than 12 evaluations per year in the past three years and will continue to conduct 12 or fewer for the next three years. The previous PRA request used an estimate from program managers for completing the information submittal, as it was a new form and no manager had experience in completing the form. Based on feedback from five CZMA managers who have now completed the information submittal, the average was 71 hours to complete the information submittal. The time estimate has been modified to use 71 hours as the estimated time to complete the information submittal.
For the survey of stakeholders, the scope of questions has been reduced by 4 questions for the reserve survey and 9 questions for the coastal program surveys. The surveys have been shortened so that respondents and OCM can focus on the questions that provide the most useful information while reducing the time burden for survey respondents. In addition, the questions remaining in the survey are of a more general nature and respondents can answer without providing identifying information if they so choose.
Due to the reduction in the scope of the survey, the estimated time to complete the survey has been reduced to 15 minutes, from 30 minutes. The estimate is based on a similar shortened survey to solicit feedback from partners and stakeholders used in 2015.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Stakeholder surveys
0661 FRN pub 122315_79863.pdf
0661 SS Part A 032116.doc
0661 SS Part B 032116.docx
Stakeholder surveys