[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 194 (Tuesday, October 10, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46956-46957]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21681]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Urban Forest in Atlanta, GA

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the

[[Page 46957]]

Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and 
organizations on a renewal of the information collection, Environmental 
Justice and the Urban Forest in Atlanta, GA.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before December 11, 
2017 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to 
Cassandra Johnson Gaither, Forestry Sciences Lab, 320 Green St., 
Athens, GA 30602. Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to (706) 
559-4266 or by email to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7310191c1b1d001c1d434a3315005d1516175d0600"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="81e2ebeee9eff2eeefb1b8c1e7f2afe7e4e5aff4f2">[email protected]</span></a>.
    The public may inspect comments received at Forestry Sciences Lab, 
320 Green St., Athens, GA 30602 during normal business hours. Visitors 
are encouraged to call ahead to (706) 559-4264 to facilitate entry to 
the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cassandra Johnson Gaither, U.S. Forest 
Service, Southern Research Station, 706-559-4270. Individuals who use 
telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay 
Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 twenty-four hours a day, every day of 
the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Environmental Justice and the Urban Forest in Atlanta, GA.
    OMB Number: 0596-0237.
    Expiration Date of Approval:
    Type of Request: Renewal.
    Abstract: This information collection will gather data on city of 
Atlanta residents' interest in and engagement with the city's urban 
forest. The urban forest is defined as trees on both public spaces 
(e.g., parks) and on private residences. Engagement is defined as 
people's interest and awareness of city trees, interest in tree 
maintenance at both the household and community level, and their 
participation in decisions about whether trees should be maintained. 
The information collection also gathers data on social stressors such 
as crime rates, affordable housing, and stormwater management. The data 
is intended to provide information on the broader context from which 
people make decisions about engaging with city trees. If people lack 
basic needs such as access to healthy foods and safe neighborhoods, 
it's unlikely that they would demonstrate a high degree of engagement 
with the city's urban forest. Taken together, these data on people's 
ability to engage with the urban forest and constraints to doing so 
provide an indication of environmental justice with respect to 
Atlanta's urban forest. Environmental justice, in its broader sense, 
has to do with people's physical proximity to both environmental 
burdens and the access to environmental goods or amenities like urban 
parks and forests, and tree-lined streets.
    This information collection addresses environmental justice from 
the perspective of urban trees and how this resource may contribute to 
environmental justice in a given community or neighborhood.
    The survey will be conducted face-to-face at the household using 
electronic devices. Neighborhood residents trained in appropriate data 
collection techniques will collect the information. Data on city of 
Atlanta residents' interest in and engagement with city trees will be 
collected. This includes information about engagement at both the 
household and community level. For instance, at the household level, 
questions are asked about the ability and knowledge that people may 
have about city trees. And at the community level, questions are asked 
about a community's political strength and how this may affect that 
community's ability to command tree planting by the city.
    Data will be collected from residents in the city of Atlanta. If 
the information proposed herein is not collected, efforts to understand 
how urban dwellers in large, southern cities like Atlanta are connected 
to urban green spaces will be diminished.
    Type of Respondents: City of Atlanta residents.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 1900.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1 minute.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 212 hours.

Comment Is Invited

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

    Dated: September 27, 2017.
Felipe Sanchez,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, Research & Development.
[FR Doc. 2017-21681 Filed 10-6-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P


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