Approval Justification

Justification for expeditious approval of OMB 0710-0015

“Assessing Human Response to Military Impulse Noise”

We would like to formally request approval for the extension of project associated with OMB control number 0710-0015 (Assessing Human Response to Military Impulse Noise). The package of documents submitted to ROCIS by Patricia Toppings of WHS on this date, is a request for extension of a project that has been ongoing for the last 3 years. No changes have been made to the protocol or the surveys being used since the original OMB approval. This request is time sensitive. Through an unfortunate series of events , our original request for the extension was never received by the ROCIS system and OMB, even though the package was prepared and forwarded on to OSD for submission back in February of this year. This important research, which looks into public opinion of the blast noise originating from military activities on a number of DOD installations across the country, will be used to update training guidelines used by the US Army in order to reduce the impact of blast noise on the public living in close proximity to DOD training lands. The information collect by the surveys will be used solely for the purpose of providing researchers with a better understanding of the surrounding community, so appropriate policy can be put in place that will lessen the burden of military blast noise on the public. Participation in this research is strictly voluntary, and participants may op-out at any time. We have a tight field schedule to meet beginning in January and a number of contractor that are currently on hold until approval by OMB is granted. Coordination with another on-going research project is also in jeopardy and any delays will be costly to the government, not only in terms of lost productivity, but also in terms of missed opportunities for data collection.

If, given that the extension date has past, an expeditious regular approval is not possible at this time, we would formally request that this be treated as an emergency renewal approval. Federal Register documentation for publication has been re-submitted and I will provide OMB with the publication date as soon as it becomes available. No public comment was submitted during the original 60 day notice published in the Federal Register.

Please contact Bruce MacAllister with any questions regarding this request.

Bruce MacAllister

Acoustics Group

US Army Engineer Research and Development Center

Construction Engineering Research Laboratory

Champaign, IL 61826

phone: (217) 373-4439

cell: (217) 841-5065