[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 217 (Wednesday, November 10, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69128-69129]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-28364]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of Labor Statistics


Proposed Collection, Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The 
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the 
proposed new collection of the ``Quarterly Census of Employment and 
Wages Green Goods and Services Survey.'' A copy of the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the 
individual listed below in the Addresses section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
Addresses section of this notice on or before January 10, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Washington, DC 20212. Written comments 
also may be transmitted by fax to 202-691-5111 (this is not a toll free 
number).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, at 
202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See ADDRESSES section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

[[Page 69129]]

I. Background

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is seeking clearance for the 
collection of data on employment related to the production of green 
goods and services. The new Green Goods and Services (GGS) survey will 
collect data on employment, fiscal year, and the share of revenue or 
employment associated with production of green goods or services at the 
establishment. Additionally, BLS will expand the existing Occupational 
Employment Statistics (OES) survey to collect data on occupational 
employment and wages in establishments included in the GGS survey. The 
expansion of the existing OES survey will be handled through a separate 
nonsubstantive change request.
    As the chief source of government data on employment, BLS will 
produce data on green goods and services businesses' employment as 
tasked by the 2010 Congressional Appropriation. This initiative will 
produce regular tabulations of aggregate employment for businesses 
whose primary activities fall into green goods and services as defined 
by BLS. This series will be key to analyzing workforce trends in this 
area. In addition, data will be published on occupational employment 
and wages related to these establishments through the OES expansion.

II. Current Action

    Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the 
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages Green Goods and Services 
Survey.
    From the GGS survey, BLS intends to publish a quarterly count of 
employment associated with the output of green goods and services at 
U.S. business establishments to meet the requirement outlined in the 
2010 Congressional Appropriation. BLS plans to publish detailed 
industry data for the U.S. and limited data for States.
    This survey will use the business register, Quarterly Census of 
Employment and Wages (QCEW), maintained by BLS as its sampling frame. 
The register contains employment information on establishments in the 
U.S. subject to unemployment insurance taxes. This register covers 98 
percent of U.S. jobs, available at the county, Metropolitan Statistical 
Area (MSA), State, and national levels by industry. The sampling frame 
for the GGS survey will be restricted to those establishments 
classified in NAICS codes that are determined to be in scope in the BLS 
definition of green goods and services.
    BLS undertook extensive research to develop data collection forms 
and methodology and to understand the collection environment related to 
green goods and services. This research was outlined in a prior Federal 
Register Notice (75 FR 3926). The research was completed in September 
2010; the forms put forth for clearance in this package were field-
tested and incorporate the research and lessons learned from field 
testing of earlier versions of the survey form. The survey will collect 
data on employment, fiscal year, and revenue or employment share 
related to green goods and services at each establishment surveyed. The 
share of revenue will be used to estimate employment when employment 
share is not reported. BLS determined from prior research and from the 
recent forms development research that businesses have difficulty 
providing employment associated with the production of green goods and 
services while revenue is readily available and less burdensome for the 
respondent to report.

III. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in 
comments that:
    <bullet> Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility.
    <bullet> Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used.
    <bullet> Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
    <bullet> Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.
    Type of Review: New Collection.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: Green Goods and Services Survey.
    OMB Number: 1220-NEW.
    Affected Public: Private sector businesses or other for-profits, 
not-for-profit institutions, farms; Federal Government; State and local 
governments.
    Total Respondents: 120,000.
    Frequency: Annual.
    Total Responses: 120,000.
    Average Time per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 30,000.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): 482,400.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): 482,400.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they also will become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 5th day of November 2010.
Kimberley Hill,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[FR Doc. 2010-28364 Filed 11-9-10; 8:45 am]
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