Overview
Title
Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The U.S. Corps of Engineers wants to ask people questions to see if they can do their job better and find out if answering has any problems or is useful. They hope 2,000 people will answer, and it will only take about 10 minutes each.
Summary AI
The U.S. Corps of Engineers is proposing to collect public information and is seeking comments on this plan by April 27, 2021. This collection is meant to judge whether the information is helpful for agency functions and accurately assesses any burden it might pose. The information will be used to improve regulatory services provided to the public by gathering feedback through a customer service survey. It will be a voluntary survey with an estimated 2,000 respondents, each taking about 10 minutes to complete, affecting various public and private groups.
Abstract
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Corps of Engineers announces a proposed public information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
The document from the Federal Register announces an important initiative by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, part of the Department of Defense, to collect public input on its services. This engagement is aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the agency’s functions and measuring the burden of information collection on the public. To achieve this, the agency plans to conduct a survey, known as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Customer Service Survey, targeting individuals or entities interacting with their regulatory services, particularly surrounding permits and wetland determinations.
General Summary
The Corps is seeking comments from the public by April 27, 2021, related to the proposed information collection's necessity, practical utility, and burden. The survey will solicit voluntary feedback from about 2,000 respondents, and each response is expected to take approximately 10 minutes. The aim is to collate data from various stakeholders including households, businesses, non-profits, and government entities, which will then inform potential revisions in the Corps' regulatory business practices.
Significant Issues or Concerns
Technical Jargon and Complexity:
The document is replete with technical terms and references to specific forms and numbers, such as the ENG Form 5065 and OMB Control Number 0710-0012. Such technical language can be challenging for the lay public to understand without additional context or explanation. Furthermore, terms like 'permit decision' and 'wetland determination' are not explained, potentially leading to confusion about their relevance or significance.
Lack of Legal Context:
While the document states that the Corps is mandated by three federal laws to regulate activities in U.S. waters, it does not specify these laws, leaving the reader without critical legal context or understanding of the authority under which the document is issued.
Impact on Public and Stakeholders:
Although it identifies affected groups such as individuals, businesses, and governments, it does not elaborate on how each group might experience the collection's impact, which could differ significantly across stakeholders.
Survey Efficacy Concerns:
There is no clarification on why the estimated 10 minutes per response is appropriate or what activities entail this time. Moreover, aspects like expected response rates or the survey's comprehensiveness as a feedback-gathering tool are not addressed, potentially leading to concerns about its efficiency.
Impact on the Public Broadly
For the general public, this information collection effort represents a means to influence how regulatory services are tailored or delivered by the Corps. Stakeholders can voice their opinions on existing processes, potentially affecting change that improves interactions with the agency. However, the complexity of the document may deter participation due to misunderstandings or lack of clarity about the purpose and requirements.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Individuals and households dealing with construction-related activities may view this as an opportunity to express concerns or satisfaction with regulatory dealings, possibly prompting enhancements that align more closely with their needs. For businesses, particularly those reliant on navigating permits for operational purposes, this survey could illuminate areas needing efficiency improvements, thereby aiding smoother compliance processes.
Conversely, the inherent burden of participating in the survey, albeit designed to be minimal, demands time and understanding from participants, which might challenge those less familiar with bureaucratic or regulatory language.
In summary, while the Corps of Engineers’ initiative has the potential to refine regulatory practices by incorporating public input, it must strive to ensure the communication around this survey is as accessible as possible to truly engage the diverse groups it aims to reach.
Issues
• The document uses technical jargon and references specific forms and control numbers (e.g., ENG Form 5065, OMB Control Number 0710-0012) that might not be easily understood by readers without prior knowledge.
• The document assumes familiarity with regulatory terms such as 'permit decision' and 'wetland determination', which may not be clear to all readers.
• The document refers to 'federal laws' requiring regulation of construction-related activities but does not specify which laws these are, which could lead to ambiguity about the legal context and authority.
• The document mentions various types of affected public, but it is not clear how each group will be affected differently by the information collection.
• The average burden per response is stated to be 10 minutes, but there is no explanation of what constitutes this time, which might require further transparency to ensure accurate public understanding.
• Concerns about the efficiency of using a survey to gather regulatory feedback are not addressed, such as potential response rates and whether it is a comprehensive method for obtaining input.