[Federal Register: February 1, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 20)]
[Notices]
[Page 5178-5179]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01fe05-54]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OAR-2004-0491, FRL-7865-9]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; General Conformity of Federal Actions to State
Implementation Plans, EPA ICR Number 1637.06, OMB Control Number 2060-
0279
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 and continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an
existing approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on April
30, 2005. 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 April 4, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OAR-2004-
0491, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to
a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental
Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket, 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Annie Nikbakht, Ozone Policy and
Strategies Group, Mail Drop C539-02, Environmental Protection Agency,
109 T.W. Alexander Drive, RTP, North Carolina 27711; telephone number:
(919) 541-5246 ; fax number: (919) 541-0824 ; e-mail address:
nikbakht.annie@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this
ICR under Docket ID number OAR-2004-0491, which is available for public
viewing at the Air and Radiation Docket
[[Page 5179]]
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 Air and
Radiation Docket is (202) 566-1742. 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
those which take Federal actions, or are subject to Federal actions,
and emit pollutants above de minimis levels.
Title: General Conformity of Federal Actions to State
Implementation Plans.
Abstract: Before any agency, department, or instrumentality of the
Federal government engages in, supports in any way, provides financial
assistance for, licenses, permits, approves any activity, that agency
has the affirmative responsibility to ensure that such action conforms
to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the attainment and
maintenance of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). 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. Section 176(c) of the Clean Air
Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) requires that all Federal Actions conform
with the SIPs to attain and maintain the NAAQS. The EPA's implementing
regulations require Federal entities to make a conformity determination
for all actions which will impact areas designated as nonattainment or
maintenance for the NAAQS and which will result in total direct and
indirect emissions in excess of de minimis levels. The Federal entities
must collect information themselves, hire consultants to collect the
information or require applicants/sponsors of the Federal action to
provide the information.
The type and quantity of information required will depend on the
circumstances surrounding the action. First, the entity must make an
applicability determination. If the net total direct and indirect
emissions do not exceed de minimis levels established in the
regulations or if the action meets certain criteria for an exemption, a
conformity determination is not required. Actions requiring conformity
determinations vary from straightforward, requiring minimal information
to complex, requiring significant amounts of information. The Federal
entity must determine the type and quantity of information on a case-
by-case basis. State and local air pollution control agencies are
usually requested to provide information to the Federal entities making
a conformity determination and are provided opportunities to comment on
the proposed determinations. The public is also provided an opportunity
to comment on the proposed determinations.
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 estimated total annual projected burden to
respondents of Federal Agencies is 64,174 hours, with a cost of
$2,327,690. The estimated total annual projected burden to non-Federal
agency respondents is 9,000 hours and $538,829. The estimated total
annual projected burden for the EPA is 5,355 hours and $264,480. The
estimated total annual projected burden for States and local agencies
is 1,246 hours and $61,579. The total annual burden is estimated to be
79,775 hours and $3,192,578. For the 3 years covered by this ICR, the
total burden is estimated to be 239,324 hours and $9,577,734. 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: January 25, 2005.
Gregory A. Green,
Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 05-1863 Filed 1-31-05; 8:45 am]
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