[Federal Register: October 5, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 192)]
[Notices]               
[Page 53400-53401]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05oc98-53]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
RIN 1904-AA67

 
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. 
L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), the Office of Codes and Standards 
(OCS) in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE) 
invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on the 
proposed information collection. OCS is soliciting

[[Page 53401]]

comments concerning the collecting of consumer data to determine the 
value consumers place on clothes washer attributes, such as cycle 
options, door placement, temperature options, etc. The information 
collection request describes the nature of the information collection 
and the expected burden and cost.

DATES: Consideration will be given to comments submitted by December 4, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted to: Department of Energy, 
Attn: Bryan Berringer, Office of Codes and Standards (EE-43), 1J-018/
Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20585-
0121.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bryan Berringer, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Forrestal 
Building, Mail Station EE-431, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, 
Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-0371, E-mail: 
Bryan.Berringer@HQ.DOE.GOV

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Collection title: Proposed Clothes Washer Consumer Impact Analysis.
    OMB Number: None.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Abstract: OCS is collecting consumer data to determine the value 
consumers place on clothes washer attributes, such as cycle options, 
door placement, temperature options, etc. Legislation requires that 
``the Secretary consider, among other factors, * * * if any lessening 
of the utility or performance of the products is likely to result from 
the imposition of the standard,'' (42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(I)(IV)). OCS 
will analyze the data to determine if the new efficiency standard 
negatively impacts any of the attributes highly valued by consumers.
    OCS will hire a marketing research firm that will collect clothes 
washer consumer data in a two-phase process. In the first phase, the 
research firm will interview 10 focus groups comprised of 8-10 
individuals (sample of 100 respondents) to be held at five different 
geographic sites in the United States (the exact sites for holding the 
focus groups has yet to be determined). The focus groups will refine 
the initial list of 32 clothes washer attributes that were developed by 
OCS with input from manufacturers, trade groups, and other 
stakeholders. The goal is to refine the initial list to 8-12 attributes 
for use in a conjoint analysis survey that will be given to a 
representative sample of 500 respondents at five sites in the United 
States (sites-to-be-determined). Conjoint analysis is a method that 
permits OCS to identify the value a respondent places on a particular 
attribute of a clothes washer. This utility analysis is accomplished 
through a trade-off procedure in which the respondents are asked to 
give up various attribute levels to achieve other attribute levels. The 
attributes data are collected through personal interviews with the 
respondents interacting with a pre-programmed microcomputer. A company 
that specializes in conjoint analysis will be hired to complete the 
survey and provide a report to OCS summarizing the findings. Survey 
respondents will be obtained through intercepts in shopping malls.
    Current Actions: OCS is proposing a new information collection and 
is requesting comment on the proposal.
    Type of request: Approval of new collection.
    Type of respondents: Individuals or households.
    Estimated number of respondents: 600.
    Estimated burden hours per respondent: 2 hours.
    Frequency of response: 1.
    Estimated total reporting burden: 1,200 hours.
    Estimate cost burden to respondents: No monetary burden.
    Request for comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice 
will be summarized and/or included in the request for the Office of 
Management and Budget's (OMB) approval. All comments will become a 
matter of public record. Comments are invited on: (1) whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of OCS; (2) proposed method for 
determining the value consumers place on clothes washer attributes; and 
(3) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 29, 1998.
Dan W. Reicher,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 98-26592 Filed 10-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P