[Federal Register: September 25, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 185)]
[Notices]
[Page 54444-54445]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25se07-44]
[[Page 54444]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OA-2007-0706; FRL-8472-8]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; State Small Business Stationary Source Technical and
Environmental Compliance Assistance Programs (SBTCP) Annual Reporting
Form; EPA ICR No. 1748.05, OMB Control No. 2060-0337
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 to renew an existing approved Information Collection
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is
scheduled to expire on November 30, 2007. 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 November 26, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-
2007-0706, by one of the following methods:
www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for
submitting comments.
E-mail: oei.docket@epa.gov
Fax: 202 566-9744.
Mail: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Docket Center,
Office of Environmental Information Docket (2822T), 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Office of Environmental
Information Docket, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20004.
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-2007-
0706. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in
the public docket without change and may be made available online at
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 www.regulations.gov or e-mail.
The 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 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: Angela Suber, Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business Utilization, 1230T, Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number: 202 566-2827; fax number: 202 566-1505; e-mail address:
suber.angela@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-2007-0706, which is available for online viewing at
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of
Environmental Information Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA
West, Room 3334, 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 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.
[[Page 54445]]
What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
the State Small Business Stationary Source Technical and Environmental
Compliance Assistances Programs (SBTCP).
Title: State Small Business Stationary Source Technical and
Environmental Compliance Assistances Programs (SBTCP) Annual Reporting
Form
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1748.05, OMB Control No. 2060-0337.
ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on November
30, 2007. 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: As part of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, the U.S.
Congress included, as part of Section 507, the requirement that each
state establish a Small Business Stationary Source Technical and
Environmental Compliance Assistance Program to assist small businesses
in complying with the Act. These programs are generally known as Small
Business Environmental Assistance Programs (SBEAP). EPA must provide
the Congress with periodic reports from the EPA Small Business
Ombudsman (SBO) on these programs, including their effectiveness,
difficulties encountered, and other relevant information. Each state
assistance program will submit requested information to EPA for
compilation and summarization. This collection of information is
mandatory under Section 507(a), (d), and (e) of the Clean Air Act as
amended in 1990, Public Law 101-549, November 15, 1990. This Act
directs EPA to monitor the SBTCPs and to provide a report to Congress.
This responsibility has been delegated to the EPA SBO. Response to the
collection is not required to obtain or retain a benefit. Information
in the annual Report to Congress is aggregated and is not of a
confidential nature. None of the information collected by this action
results in/or requests sensitive information of any nature from the
states.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 80
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: 53.
Frequency of response: Annual.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1
per year.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 4561.
Estimated total annual costs: $163,111.95. This includes an
estimated burden cost of $163,111.95 and an estimated cost of $0 for
capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.
Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval?
There is an increase of 2015 hours in the total estimated
respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently
approved by OMB. This increase reflects EPA's and the SBEAPs' desire to
make useful data available to the public. The trend among government
agencies is towards outcome measures; in the past the data collected
through this ICR was of limited use in providing measures of this type.
Therefore, the EPA, in consultation with representatives from the state
programs, has decided that improved data quality and usefulness is
worth the burden increase.
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: September 13, 2007.
Jeanette L. Brown,
Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.
[FR Doc. E7-18873 Filed 9-24-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P