[Federal Register: December 27, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 247)]
[Notices]
[Page 73344-73346]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27de07-52]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-SFUND-2007-0707, FRL-8511-2]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; National Oil and Hazardous
Substance Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) (Renewal), EPA ICR Number
1463.07, OMB Control Number 2050-0096
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 an Information Collection
Request
[[Page 73345]]
(ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing
approved collection. This ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the
nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.
DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before January 31,
2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number EPA-HQ-
SFUND-2007-0707 to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our
preferred method), or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental
Protection Agency, Superfund Docket, Mail Code 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB at: Office of Information
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB),
Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC
20503.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: S. Steven Chang, Assessment and
Remediation Division, Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology
Innovation, Mail Code 5204P, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number:703-603-
9017; fax number: 703-603-9112; e-mail address: chang.steven@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR
1320.12. On August 22, 2007 (72 FR 46991), EPA sought comments on this
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any
additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB
within 30 days of this notice.
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-SFUND-2007-0707, which is available for online viewing at
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Superfund 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
8:30 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 Superfund Docket is 202-566-0276.
Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at
http://www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those
documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the
system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number
identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public
comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made
available for public viewing at http://www.regulations.gov 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. For further
information about the electronic docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
Title: National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency
Plan (NCP) (Renewal).
ICR Numbers: EPA ICR Number 1463.07, OMB Control No. 2050-0096.
ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2008.
Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor
the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB.
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: This Information Collection Request is a renewal ICR that
covers the remedial portion of the Superfund Program, as specified in
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act of 1980 as amended (CERCLA) and the National Oil and Hazardous
Substance Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). All remedial actions
covered by this ICR (e.g., Remedial Investigations/Feasibility Studies)
are stipulated in the statute (CERCLA) and are instrumental in the
process of cleaning up National Priority List (NPL) sites to be
protective of human health and the environment. Some community
involvement activities covered by this ICR are not required at every
site (e.g., Technical Assistance Grants) and depend very much on the
community and the nature of the site and cleanup. All community
activities seek to involve the public in the cleanup of the sites, gain
the input of community members, and include the community's perspective
on the potential future reuse of Superfund NPL sites. Community
involvement activities can enhance the remedial process and increase
community acceptance and the potential for productive and useful reuse
of the sites.
The respondents on whom a burden is placed include State (and
Tribal) governments and communities. Potential Responsible Parties
(PRPs) are not addressed in this ICR because the Paperwork Reduction
Act [5 CFR part 1320 (Controlling Paperwork Burdens on the Public, FRN
8/29/1995) Sect. 1320.4 (a)] does not require the inclusion of those
entities that are the subject of administrative or civil action by the
Agency. The ICR reports the estimated reporting and recordkeeping
burden hours and costs expected to be incurred by these entities and by
the Federal government in its oversight capacities of State action and
administration of community activities at Fund-lead NPL sites. Remedial
activities undertaken by States at NPL sites are those required and
recommended by CERCLA and the NCP and the cost of many of these
activities may be reimbursed by the Federal government. All community
involvement in the remedial process of Superfund is voluntary.
Therefore, all cost estimates for community members is theoretical and
does not represent expenditure of actual dollars.
States have responsibilities at new and on-going State-lead sites
and at all State-lead, Federal-lead, and Federal Facility sites
entering the remedial phase of Superfund. All other remedial activities
taken by the State are done so at sites at which the State voluntarily
assumes the lead agency role. Over each year of this ICR the State will
be completing remedial activities at sites that entered the remedial
phase of Superfund at different times.
Community members' participation in remedial activities at
Superfund sites is purely voluntary and the level of involvement varies
greatly depending on the complexity of the site, its location (urban
vs. rural, industrial vs. residential, etc.), and the level of
interest.
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 and are identified on
the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 8.4
hours per response.
[[Page 73346]]
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.
Respondents/Affected Entities: State, Tribal, or local governments,
and individuals or households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 7,970.
Frequency of Response: On occasion.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 71,165 hours, which includes an
estimated 40,185 hours for States and 30,980 hours for communities.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $572,415, which includes an estimated
$61,245 for States and $511,170 for communities. There are no capital/
O&M costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is no change in the burden for this
ICR. Cost models were updated to reflect wage inflation. While
currently approved O&M costs are listed as $850,000 and are updated in
the current ICR, they have been removed from the cost estimate listed
above because they are reimbursed in full by the Federal government,
and thus effectively impose no burden on state governments.
Dated: December 18, 2007.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E7-25039 Filed 12-26-07; 8:45 am]
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