Generic Clearance for NOAA Social, Behavioral, and Economic Science Studies for Weather, Water, and Climate

This revision is to request that OMB allow up to 5 IC submissions at a time for this generic request. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) products and services “support economic vitality and affect more than one-third of America’s gross domestic product.” The National Weather Service (NWS) is a critical component of this service and operates under the mission to “provide weather, water and climate data, forecasts, warnings, and impact-based decision support services for the protection of life and property and enhancement of the national economy.” Leveraging and integrating Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBES) methodologies and knowledge is crucial to meeting our mission. Similarly, the Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) NOAA line office conducts SBES research and development directly relevant to and in support of the NWS mission. If we are to effectively support public and partner decision making, build actionable tools and information, and evaluate our performance, then it’s imperative that the NWS/OAR collect key SBES data and fully engage with our audiences. Additionally, the NWS/OAR has articulated a priority to enhance services for historically underinvested and underserved communities and improve service equity across the board. These communities typically experience higher rates of poverty, homelessness, disabilities, and language barriers, which increase their vulnerability to hazard impacts. The generic clearance is an important planning and engagement tool for NWS/OAR. The procedures expected to be used include but are not limited to social network analysis, open, semi-structured and structured interviews, focus groups, surveys, and participant observation.

The latest form for Generic Clearance for NOAA Social, Behavioral, and Economic Science Studies for Weather, Water, and Climate expires 2028-06-30 and can be found here.

NWS Risk Communication, Evaluation, and Feedback Surveys

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Environmental Management - Environmental Monitoring and Forecasting

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