[Federal Register: May 17, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 95)]
[Notices]
[Page 27809-27811]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17my07-39]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-SFUND-2004-0014; FRL-8315-7]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; The 2007 National Survey of Local
Emergency Planning Committees (Reinstatement); EPA ICR No. 1903.02, OMB
Control No. 2050-0162
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to
reinstate a previously approved collection. The ICR, which is
abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection
and its estimated burden and cost.
[[Page 27810]]
DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before June 18, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
SFUND-2004-0014, to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by email to superfund.docket@epa.gov, or by mail to:
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Superfund
Docket, Mail Code 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC
20460, and (2) OMB by mail to: 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: Sicy Jacob, Office of Emergency
Management (OEM), OSWER, Mail Code 5104A, Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number: 202-564-8019; fax number: 202-564-2625; e-mail address:
jacob.sicy@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 September 13, 2005 (70 FR 54044), EPA sought comments on
this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received 4 comments during
the comment period, which are addressed in the ICR. 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-2004-0014, 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 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, 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: The 2007 National Survey of Local Emergency Planning
Committees.
ICR number: EPA ICR No. 1903.02, OMB Control No. 2050-0162.
ICR Status: This ICR is for a reinstatement of a previously
approved collection. 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, and
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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of
Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER), Office of Emergency
Management (OEM) plans to collect information through a one-time, web-
based, voluntary nationwide survey of representatives from Local
Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs). The establishment of LEPCs is
required under The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
of 1986 (EPCRA). These broad committees, composed of representatives
from the public safety, health care, and industry sectors, as well as
environmental and community organizations, are charged with developing
and maintaining emergency plans for their communities. LEPCs foster a
valuable dialogue between members of government, industry, and the
public to prevent and prepare for the accidental (and terrorist-
related) releases of hazardous chemicals.
This proposed information collection will build upon previous LEPC
surveys, which measured levels of compliance and proactivity of LEPCs.
Since the last survey in 1999, no systematic nationwide analysis of
LEPC activity has been conducted. In the six years since September
11th, local emergency planning has evolved, most notably, in the amount
of information that is now available to assist LEPCs in preparing for
and preventing chemical emergencies.
The primary goals of this research are to: (1) Track the progress
of LEPCs by assessing their current activity compared to some of the
data collected in 1999 survey; and (2) probe current LEPC practices and
preferences regarding several important sets of issues, including:
Communications with local citizens, proactive accident prevention
efforts, and the effectiveness of selected OEM products and services.
This collection will also contribute to reporting requirements of
the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, which
stipulates that agencies evaluate program activities in terms of
outputs and outcomes. This survey is necessary to evaluate whether OEM
is successfully providing national leadership and assistance to local
communities in preparing for and preventing chemical emergencies.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.25
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.
Respondents/Affected Entities: People who hold a leadership
position on Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs). It is
anticipated that the majority of respondents will be LEPC chairs.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,500.
Frequency of Response: One time collection.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 875.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $40,285, which is exclusively for
labor, as there are no annualized capital or O&M costs.
Changes in the Estimates: As this ICR was previously discontinued,
there are no currently approved burdens and costs. Accordingly, this
ICR requests a new one-time labor burden of 875 hours.
[[Page 27811]]
Dated: May 9, 2007.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E7-9504 Filed 5-16-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P