[Federal Register: July 10, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 131)]
[Notices]
[Page 38878-38879]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10jy06-54]
[[Page 38878]]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OA-2006-0566; FRL-8193-3]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Assessment of EPA Partnership Programs, EPA ICR Number
2225.01, OMB Control No: New
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to
submit a request for a new Information Collection Request (ICR) to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 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 September 8, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-
2006-0566 by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: oei.docket@epa.gov.
Fax: (202) 566-1753.
Mail: OEI Docket, Environmental Protection Agency,
Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Hand Delivery: OEI Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/
DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC.
Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of
operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of
boxed information.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-2006-
0566. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in
the public docket without change and may be made available online at
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site
is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of
your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without
going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of
any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public
docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm
.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jamie Burnett, Office of Policy,
Economics, and Innovation, Mail Code: 1807T, Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number: (202) 566-2205; fax number: (202) 566-2200; e-mail address:
burnett.jamie@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OA-2006-0566, which is available for online viewing at
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the OEI Docket in
the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from
8 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 OEI Docket is (202) 566-1752.
Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the
index listing of the contents of the 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 in this document.
What Information Is EPA Particularly Interested In?
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically
solicits comments and information to enable it 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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.
What Should I Consider When I Prepare My Comments for EPA?
You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your
comments:
(1) Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific
examples.
(2) Describe any assumptions that you used.
(3) Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you
used that support your views.
(4) If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
(5) Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
(6) Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified
under DATES.
(7) To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page
of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal
Register citation.
What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?
Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-2006-0566.
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
participants
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in all of EPA's Partnership Programs, including businesses,
governments, and members of the community.
Title: Assessment of EPA Partnership Programs.
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2225.01, OMB Control No: New.
ICR status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity.
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 title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when
approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by
publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such
as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The
display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is
consolidated in 40 CFR Part 9.
Abstract: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking
approval for a three-year generic clearance from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) to develop a generic ICR to collect data to
be used for performance measurement of EPA Partnership Programs. This
will be a voluntary collection of information to assess the activities
of EPA Partnership Programs. The proposed generic measurement ICR will
involve voluntary collections of information via surveys to assess the
results of EPA Partnership Programs. Performance measurement data
collected will detail awareness of associated environmental activities,
behavior change, and associated environmental results. EPA proposes to
use surveys and questionnaires to assess activities for program purpose
and design, strategic planning, program management, and program results
to determine if the goals of the program are being met.
All assessments undertaken under this ICR will follow stringent
procedures to ensure that data are collected and used properly and
efficiently. This ICR will provide anecdotal data for the purpose of
informing EPA of the perceived effectiveness of partnership programs
and will also allow partnership programs to collect data on the
environmental results of partner activities due to participation. The
information collection is voluntary, and will be limited to non-
sensitive data concerning participation in partnership programs.
To help fulfill the broad mandate of protecting human health and
the environment, EPA works with businesses, communities, State and
local governments, and other organizations to achieve environmental
goals through partnership programs. Partnership programs provide
organizations with the information and assistance necessary to achieve
and maintain various environmental goals.
EPA believes that measuring the performance of partnership programs
is important to ensure that partnership programs are reaching the
intended audience, providing valuable resources, and achieving the
desired environmental results. Understanding this will allow EPA to
better design and manage these partnership programs to meet the needs
of the participants and to meet EPA's environmental goals. A generic
measurement ICR will significantly increase the ability of EPA
Partnership Programs to: Determine and evaluate the effectiveness of
these partnership programs as well as help the programs obtain data to
successfully complete PART reviews; increase the consistency of program
performance data as an alternative/adjunct to traditional regulatory
approaches for achieving environmental results; minimize approval
burden on OMB as submissions will be shorter and of higher quality via
the generic measurement ICR process; and reduce burden on potential
respondents by limiting the number of requests for information.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2.2
hours per response. 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 which have subsequently changed; 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.
The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate,
which is only briefly summarized here:
Estimated total number of potential respondents: 16,000.
Frequency of response: On occasion.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1-
2.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 11,556 hours.
Estimated total annual costs: $769,702.
There are no costs for capital investment or maintenance and
operation associated with this ICR.
What Is the Next Step in the Process for This ICR?
EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any
questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Dated: June 22, 2006.
David Widawsky,
Acting Director, Office of Environmental Policy Innovation, Office of
Policy, Economics and Innovation, Office of the Administrator.
[FR Doc. E6-10737 Filed 7-7-06; 8:45 am]
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