[Federal Register: June 7, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 109)]
[Notices]               
[Page 31818-31819]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07jn04-45]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OEI-2004-0001; FRL-7670-7]

 
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment National Survey of Successful Waste Disposal Programs in Rural 
Areas in the United States, EPA ICR Number 2142.01

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a 
proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request for a new collection. 
Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is 
soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information 
collection as described below.

[[Page 31819]]


DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 6, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OEI-2004-
01, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to 
oei.docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 

Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information Docket, Mail 
Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Newman, Region 5 Air and 
Radiation Division (AR-18J), Environmental Protection Agency, 77 West 
Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604; telephone number: 312-886-
4587; fax number: 312-886-0617; e-mail address: newman.erin@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OEI-2004-001, which is available for public 
viewing at the Office of Environmental Information Docket in the EPA 
Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open 
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, 
and the telephone number for the Office of Environmental Information 
Docket is (202) 566-1752. An electronic version of the public docket is 
available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. 

Use EDOCKET to obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, 
submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the 
contents of the public docket, and to access those documents in the 
public docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, 
select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number identified above.
    Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA within 
60 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments, whether 
submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public 
viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the 
comment contains copyrighted material, Confidential Business 
Information (CBI), or other information whose public disclosure is 
restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment containing 
copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that material in 
the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The entire 
printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be available 
in the public docket. Although identified as an item in the official 
docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise 
restricted by statute, is not included in the official public docket, 
and will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET. For further 
information about the electronic docket, see EPA's Federal Register 
notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002), 
or go to http://www.epa.gov./edocket.

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
State, local, and tribal environmental officials, soil and water 
conservation districts, and fire departments.
    Title: National Survey of Successful Waste Disposal Programs in 
Rural Areas in the United States.
    Abstract: Under a USEPA grant, the Research Foundation for Health 
and Environmental Effects (RFHEE) will conduct a survey of household 
waste disposal options. In conjunction with the Rural Community 
Assistance Program and the National Volunteer Fire Council, RFHEE will 
develop a targeted survey to find successful methods of household trash 
disposal in rural areas besides burning, which releases toxics 
chemicals into the environment. The Partners will conduct telephone 
interviews with state officials who have trash burning bans (25 states) 
or who are concerned about the issue. In addition, a sample of local 
officials, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and local volunteer 
firefighters will be surveyed as well. The purpose of the survey is to 
find alternative, economically-feasible options for disposal. The 
results of the survey will be available to the public. This survey will 
not be used for any federal regulatory purposes. An agency may not 
conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations in 40 CFR 
are listed in 40 CFR part 9.
    The EPA would like to solicit comments to:
    (i) 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;
    (ii) 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;
    (iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    (iv) 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 
submission of responses.
    Burden Statement: The survey will be shared with approximately 100 
respondents and is expect to take 20 minutes to complete. Participation 
is strictly voluntary and will be a one time occurance. Burden means 
the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to 
generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or 
for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review 
instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and 
systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying 
information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and 
providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any 
previously applicable instructions and requirements; train personnel to 
be able to respond to a collection of information; search data sources; 
complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or 
otherwise disclose the information.

    Dated: May 19, 2004.
Norman Niedergang,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 5.
[FR Doc. 04-12777 Filed 6-4-04; 8:45 am]

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