From: Subject: FR Doc E8-368 Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:01:52 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-368.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 FR Doc E8-368 
[Federal Register: January 14, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 9)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 2212-2213]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14ja08-29]                        =20

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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules =

or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings =

and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,=20
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and =
agency=20
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents=20
appearing in this section.

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

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Information Collection; Perceptions of Risk, Trust,=20
Responsibility, and Management Preferences Among Fire-Prone Communities=20
in the Western United States

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; Request for Comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the=20
Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and=20
organizations on the extension with revision of a currently approved=20
information collection, Perceptions of Risk, Trust, Responsibility, and=20
Management Preferences among Fire-Prone Communities in the Western=20
United States.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before March 14, 2008=20
to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will=20
be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to=20
Patricia L. Winter, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service,=20
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 4955 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, CA=20
92507.
    Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to 951-680-1501 or by=20
e-mail to: pwinter@fs.fed.us.
    The public may inspect comments received at Building One Reception,=20
4955 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, CA 92507, during normal business=20
hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to (951) 680-1500 to=20
facilitate entry to the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia L. Winter, Pacific Southwest=20
Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 951-
680-1557. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf=20
(TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339, 24=20
hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Perceptions of Risk, Trust, Responsibility, and Management=20
Preferences among Fire-Prone Communities in the Western United States.
    OMB Number: 0596-0186.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: July 31, 2008.
    Type of Request: Extension with revision of a currently approved=20
collection.
    Abstract: The purpose of this survey is to determine the=20
perceptions of risk, trust, responsibility, and management preferences=20
among individuals residing in fire-prone communities in the Western=20
United States.
    Forest Service and university researchers will contact community=20
residents within or adjacent to national forests in the Western United=20
States. Through those contacts, researchers will evaluate concerns=20
about fire and fire risk; knowledge about fire; values focused on fire=20
management; trust, objectives, and alternatives for fire management;=20
personal experiences with fire; stressors associated with fire and fire=20
risk; responsibility and accomplishments for fire management; sources=20
of concern about fire; future orientation; and socio-demographics.
    The results will help researchers improve the ability to provide=20
information to natural resource managers on public perceptions of fire=20
and fire management. To gather the information, residents within, or=20
adjacent to, national forests in the Western United States will be=20
contacted through mailed or e-mail correspondence or by telephone=20
inviting their participation in a focus group study. Willing or=20
interested parties will contact the researcher and be scheduled into=20
sessions in their community. Those agreeing to participate will be=20
involved in a focus group discussion and complete a self-administered=20
survey.
    A Forest Service researcher and analyst/technicians will collect=20
and analyze the information with the assistance of a cooperating=20
university researcher. Both researchers are experts in applied social=20
psychology and survey research.
    Participants will first complete a questionnaire focused on the=20
individual's concern about fire, knowledge about fire, values=20
similarity with the Forest Service, trust, objectives for fire=20
management, personal experience with fire, stressors of fire and fire=20
risk, responsibility for risk reduction, accomplishment of risk=20
reduction, sources of concern about fire, future orientation, and=20
sociodemographics. Participants (age 18 or older) residing in the=20
selected communities are then invited via mail, e-mail, or telephone to=20
participate in a discussion on the following topics: objectives,=20
values, and concerns in fire management; alternatives for accomplishing=20
objectives; values/goals and trust; and information needs and=20
interests. When possible, multiple sessions will be held in each=20
community to accommodate as many participants as are interested.=20
Responses will be voluntary and anonymous.
    Responses will be used to evaluate the values linked to fire and=20
fire management among forest community residents, personal experiences=20
with fire and how participants have addressed fire risk, perceived=20
responsibility and accomplishments in addressing fire risk, and=20
personal characteristics that might influence these responses. The data=20
collected will assist researchers in determining public perception and=20
expectations regarding fire management and risk, as well as providing=20
information on how residents address these issues. Such data is=20
valuable to forest resource managers, who use the information when=20
selecting long and short-term fire management strategies, and in=20
developing public information strategies on fire and fire management.
    Without this information, managers will have to rely on the scant=20
information otherwise available on current and changing public views=20
regarding fire and fire management, and the anecdotal information=20
collected through direct experiences with the public regarding impacts=20
of fire and fire risk. The intent is to share the collected data with=20
other researchers studying fire management, and other natural resource=20
management values and objectives.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: 2.3 hours.
    Type of Respondents: Respondents are community residents in various=20
locations within or adjacent to national forests in the Western United=20
States.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 200.

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    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 460.

Comment is Invited:

    Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information=20
is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the=20
functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have=20
practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the Agency's=20
estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the=20
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance=20
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;=20
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on=20
respondents, including the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or=20
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information=20
technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names=20
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record.=20
Comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of=20
Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: January 3, 2008.
 Ann M. Bartuska,
Deputy Chief for Research & Development.
 [FR Doc. E8-368 Filed 1-11-08; 8:45 am]

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