July 2, 2012 316(b) SP Survey – Northeast Survey Example| pg 1

Date July 2, 2012 

To The Section 316(b) Existing Facilities Rule Record 

From Erik Helm, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Subject 316(b) Stated Preference (SP) Survey – Northeast Survey Example

EPA published a Notice of Data Availability (NODA) on the 316(b) stated preference (SP) survey on 

June 12, 2012. EPA documented preliminary data, analysis, and results in the survey support document 

(DCN 11-4524) and the survey analysis memo to the record (DCN 11-4525). The SP survey included four 

survey regions and a separate national survey. Table 1 lists the states included in each survey region. The 

purpose of this memorandum is to provide state programs with an example of the Northeast SP survey.

Examples for other survey regions are provided in separate memoranda to the record.1

Table 1—Target Sample Sizes and Geographic Stratification Design 

Survey Region States Included 

Northeast CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT 

Southeast AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TX, VA 

Inland AR, AZ, CO, ID, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, NM, 

NV, OH, OK, SD, TN, UT, WI, WV, WY

Pacific CA, OR, WA 

National Survey Version U.S. (excluding AK and HI) 

The 316(b) SP survey was designed as a choice experiment in which each respondent is asked to answer 

three separate policy questions. Each policy question presents the current situation (no policy) and two 

new policy options (Option A and Option B). The respondent is asked to choose his or her preferred 

policy option. The current situation and new policy options are described in terms of five attributes: (1) 

commercial fish populations, (2) fish populations (all fish), (3) fish saved per year, (4) condition of 

aquatic ecosystems, and (5) household cost. EPA used an experimental design to specify attribute levels 

for the policy questions, to make the most efficient use of survey responses.2

 

The first step in creating the experimental design was to develop the possible attribute levels for inclusion 

in the survey. Table 2 summarizes the attribute levels used for the Northeast survey region. The 

experimental design included three different possible attribute levels for the environmental attributes (1 

through 4 above) and six possible attribute levels for household cost under the new policy options (Option 

A and Option B). EPA then used the experimental design to “mix and match” the attribute levels and 

create 72 unique policy questions, each characterized by the current situation and two new policy options. 

The experimental design for the Northeast survey version is presented in Table 3. Each row in Table 3 

corresponds to one of the 72 different policy questions. EPA created 24 different versions of the 

Northeast survey because each individual survey includes only three policy questions (3×24=72). Table 3 

 

1

 The record also includes example memoranda for the Southeast region (DCN 11-4537), Inland region (DCN 11-4538), Pacific 

region (DCN 11-4539), and national survey (DCN 11-4540). 

2

 Refer to Section A of the survey support document for additional detail regarding EPA’s method for generating the 

experimental design. 
July 2, 2012 316(b) SP Survey – Northeast Survey Example | pg 2

also lists the survey version to which each policy question was assigned. Choice questions 1, 2, and 3 

correspond to survey questions 4, 5, and 6, respectively. The only difference between the versions is the 

attribute levels presented in survey questions 4, 5, and 6. Version 1 of the Northeast survey is attached to 

this memorandum. All versions for the Northeast survey are available in the docket for the Section 316(b) 

existing facilities rule (DCN 11-4500). 

Table 2—Attribute Levels Assigned Across Policy Options and Survey Versions for the 

Northeast Survey Region 

Attribute Baseline 

(Status Quo)a Attribute Levels Assigned to Option A vs. Option B Pairs 

1 2 3 4 5 6 

Commercial Fish Populations 42% 43% 45% 48% - - -

Fish Populations (all fish) 26% 27% 28% 30% - - -

Fish Saved per Year 0% 5% 50% 95% - - -

Aquatic Ecosystem Condition 50% 51% 52% 54% - - -

Household Costs $0 $12 $24 $36 $48 $60 $72 a Each question includes a “no policy” option, characterized by the baseline levels for each attribute and a household cost of 

$0. The baseline levels are the same for all choice questions and all 24 versions of the Northeast survey. 
July 2, 2012 316(b) SP Survey – Northeast Survey Example | pg 3

Table 3—Experimental Design for the Northeast Survey Region 

Survey 

Version 

Policy 

Questiona

Option A Option B 

Com. 

Fish.b

Fish. 

Pop.c

Fish 

Saved 

Aq. 

Cond.d

 Cost 

Com. 

Fish. 

Fish. 

Pop 

Fish 

Saved 

Aq. 

Cond. Cost 

1 1 45% 30% 5% 52% $48 48% 27% 5% 54% $48 

1 2 48% 28% 50% 51% $60 48% 30% 95% 52% $72 

1 3 48% 27% 50% 52% $72 45% 27% 50% 51% $12 

2 1 48% 30% 5% 52% $48 43% 28% 50% 52% $12 

2 2 45% 28% 50% 54% $24 48% 27% 50% 51% $36 

2 3 43% 27% 5% 54% $36 45% 27% 95% 51% $24 

3 1 48% 30% 5% 51% $48 48% 27% 5% 54% $72 

3 2 45% 28% 95% 54% $60 45% 28% 95% 52% $12 

3 3 43% 28% 5% 54% $12 43% 30% 50% 54% $24 

4 1 45% 28% 95% 54% $72 43% 30% 5% 51% $72 

4 2 48% 30% 95% 52% $36 45% 28% 50% 54% $36 

4 3 45% 27% 50% 51% $60 43% 27% 95% 52% $48 

5 1 48% 27% 50% 52% $24 45% 30% 50% 54% $48 

5 2 45% 27% 5% 51% $36 43% 28% 5% 51% $36 

5 3 43% 30% 50% 54% $12 45% 28% 5% 51% $60 

6 1 43% 28% 95% 52% $36 43% 30% 5% 54% $72 

6 2 48% 27% 95% 54% $60 48% 28% 95% 52% $36 

6 3 43% 28% 50% 51% $48 45% 27% 50% 51% $24 

7 1 43% 30% 50% 54% $48 43% 30% 95% 51% $12 

7 2 48% 28% 95% 51% $24 45% 27% 5% 54% $60 

7 3 45% 27% 5% 51% $36 48% 28% 50% 52% $72 

8 1 45% 30% 5% 51% $36 45% 30% 95% 54% $72 

8 2 43% 28% 95% 51% $60 48% 28% 50% 51% $72 

8 3 45% 28% 50% 52% $60 43% 28% 5% 52% $24 

9 1 48% 27% 5% 54% $72 48% 28% 50% 51% $48 

9 2 43% 30% 50% 51% $24 45% 30% 95% 52% $72 

9 3 43% 28% 95% 52% $12 43% 27% 95% 54% $48 

10 1 48% 30% 50% 51% $60 43% 30% 50% 51% $24 

10 2 45% 28% 95% 54% $48 45% 30% 95% 52% $48 

10 3 43% 28% 50% 52% $36 48% 28% 95% 54% $72 

11 1 45% 28% 5% 51% $12 48% 30% 95% 52% $60 

11 2 48% 30% 95% 54% $60 43% 27% 5% 54% $24 

11 3 43% 30% 50% 52% $36 45% 28% 5% 51% $12 

12 1 48% 28% 95% 51% $36 48% 30% 50% 51% $48 

12 2 43% 27% 5% 54% $60 45% 27% 95% 52% $60 

12 3 43% 30% 50% 52% $72 43% 27% 50% 54% $72 

13 1 48% 27% 95% 54% $24 48% 30% 5% 52% $24 

13 2 45% 27% 50% 51% $12 43% 28% 95% 54% $48 

13 3 43% 30% 5% 52% $60 45% 30% 5% 51% $60 

14 1 45% 30% 50% 54% $36 48% 28% 95% 54% $24 

14 2 48% 28% 5% 52% $60 45% 27% 95% 52% $72 
July 2, 2012 316(b) SP Survey – Northeast Survey Example | pg 4

Table 3—Experimental Design for the Northeast Survey Region 

Survey 

Version 

Policy 

Questiona

Option A Option B 

Com. 

Fish.b

Fish. 

Pop.c

Fish 

Saved 

Aq. 

Cond.d

 Cost 

Com. 

Fish. 

Fish. 

Pop 

Fish 

Saved 

Aq. 

Cond. Cost 

14 3 48% 27% 95% 51% $48 43% 30% 50% 51% $60 

15 1 43% 27% 5% 54% $36 45% 30% 50% 52% $12 

15 2 45% 27% 50% 52% $48 48% 27% 5% 52% $24 

15 3 45% 30% 95% 51% $72 43% 28% 50% 54% $60 

16 1 43% 28% 5% 54% $48 48% 28% 50% 54% $60 

16 2 48% 30% 50% 54% $48 45% 28% 5% 51% $36 

16 3 45% 27% 5% 52% $72 43% 30% 95% 51% $24 

17 1 45% 27% 95% 54% $48 45% 28% 95% 51% $72 

17 2 45% 27% 95% 52% $24 45% 30% 50% 54% $12 

17 3 48% 28% 5% 54% $12 48% 27% 50% 52% $60 

18 1 43% 27% 95% 52% $48 43% 28% 5% 52% $36 

18 2 45% 27% 50% 54% $12 48% 30% 5% 54% $72 

18 3 43% 30% 5% 51% $24 48% 27% 95% 51% $12 

19 1 43% 30% 95% 51% $12 48% 30% 5% 52% $36 

19 2 45% 27% 95% 52% $60 43% 27% 95% 51% $36 

19 3 48% 28% 5% 52% $72 45% 28% 5% 52% $24 

20 1 43% 30% 5% 52% $60 48% 30% 5% 51% $48 

20 2 45% 30% 95% 51% $12 45% 28% 50% 52% $24 

20 3 48% 28% 50% 54% $36 43% 27% 5% 52% $12 

21 1 48% 27% 95% 51% $72 48% 27% 5% 54% $12 

21 2 45% 30% 5% 54% $24 43% 27% 50% 52% $36 

21 3 43% 28% 95% 52% $24 48% 28% 95% 51% $24 

22 1 43% 27% 50% 51% $60 43% 28% 5% 54% $12 

22 2 43% 30% 95% 54% $72 45% 27% 50% 52% $48 

22 3 48% 27% 5% 52% $12 43% 30% 95% 51% $36 

23 1 43% 27% 5% 51% $24 43% 28% 5% 52% $48 

23 2 48% 27% 95% 52% $12 48% 30% 95% 51% $12 

23 3 48% 28% 50% 51% $48 45% 30% 95% 54% $36 

24 1 45% 28% 50% 52% $12 48% 30% 50% 54% $60 

24 2 43% 27% 50% 54% $72 45% 27% 5% 51% $36 

24 3 48% 30% 5% 54% $24 43% 28% 95% 54% $72 

Notes: 

a

 Policy questions 1, 2, 3 correspond to survey questions 4,5, and 6, respectively. 

b

 “Com.fish” is an abbreviation for commercial fish populations score. c

 “Fish Pop.” is an abbreviation for the fish populations (all fish) score. d

 “Aq. Cond.” is an abbreviation for the aquatic ecosystem condition score. 
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