[Federal Register: June 28, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 123)]
[Notices]
[Page 36085-36086]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28jn04-60]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ORD-2004-0009, FRL-7778-7]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request: Inventory of Environmental Public Health Bio
Monitoring Programs and Health Surveillance Databases for the Mid
Atlantic Region, EPA ICR Number 2146.01
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
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 approved
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.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 27, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number ORD-2004-
0009, 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: Marsha Marsh, U.S. EPA /ORD/Mid
Atlantic Integrated Assessment Offices (MAIA), Research Triangle Park,
NC 27722, Mail Code E 343-03; telephone number: 919-541-2542; fax
number: 919-541-7588; e-mail address: marsh.marsha@epa.gov; or Patricia
Bradley, Director, U.S. EPA/ORD/Mid Atlantic Integrated Assessment
Office (MAIA), Environmental Science Center, 701 Mapes Road, Ft Meade,
MD 20755-5053; telephone: 410-305-2744; e-mail address:
bradley.patricia@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this
ICR under Docket ID number ORD-2004-0009, which is available for public
viewing at the Office of Environmental InformationDocket 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 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, 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
a broad brush of State/Federal/ environmental groups, private
environmental/health agencies, academic partners/institutions and
research bodies, both private and public. This is inclusive of but not
limited to specialities in the areas of ecology, genetics, chemistry ,
geology, hydrology, economics, sociology, psychology, political
science, statistics, information, GIS, and health science, public
health, medical and veterinary science, pharmacology, toxicology.
Title: Inventory Of Environmental Public Health Bio monitoring
Programs And Health Surveillance Databases For The Mid Atlantic Region.
Abstract: The overarching theme/rationale of the project is to
improve the linkages between human health and
[[Page 36086]]
environmental conditions in the Mid Atlantic Region.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working with Federal/
State/local and academic partners to produce an online interactive,
spatial inventory of public health bio monitoring databases within
environmental programs and health surveillance databases for the Mid
Atlantic region. Data identified by the inventory will contribute to
the Mid Atlantic Integrated Assessment (MAIA) experimental research and
monitoring effort that links human health and environmental condition
and will build upon the success of the MAIA regional scale geographic
assessment of ecological condition. The efforts will combine many
scientific disciplines including ecology , chemistry, geology,
hydrology, economics, sociology, psychology, political science,
statistics, informatics, GIS, and health science (e.g., public health,
medical and veterinary science, pharmacology, toxicology, etc) in an
effort to study the effects of the changed environment upon humans.
Data is to be collected by the individual interview (either in person
or by phone calls) on an unpaid voluntary basis. The data in the
inventory will be available electronically and on the Internet for use
by a variety of resource managers, regulators, the scientific community
and the informed public. The data will allow the user to identify the
location, purpose, agency/institution participation, parameter
characteristics (type, frequency, format) and data disposition for each
inventoried program. The inventory will contain information on program
design, program administration, and specific meta-data on parameters
that are monitored on environmental health. It will not include any
personal information or any confidential information.
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) enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (iii)
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 number of respondents will average some 75-85
respondents from multiple sources inclusive of public/private/State/
Federal and independent groups for issues of broad national interest
within public health and environmental bio-monitoring areas. It is
estimated to average 1 hour per respondent for completion of the survey
tool, which is voluntary. Frequency of this burden is only once until
the surveillance program is reorganized or altered. The total cost of
the start-up, capital, O & M should average approximately $2,000.00.
The survey tools are administered individually to each respondent, thus
there are no postage costs incurred or other related expenses for the
respondents within the survey sample to be pooled. Burden means the
total time, effort, or financial resources expended by person 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; search data sources;
complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or
otherwise disclose the information.
Dated: June 7, 2004.
Steve Hedtke,
Acting Director, National Health Environmental Effects Research
Laboratory.
[FR Doc. 04-14607 Filed 6-25-04; 8:45 am]
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