[Federal Register: February 12, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 29)]
[Notices]
[Page 8040-8042]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12fe08-23]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-ORD-2008-0067, FRL-8527-7]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Technology Performance and Product Information To
Support Vendor Information Summaries (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 2154.03,
OMB Control Number 2050-0194
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 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 May 31, 2008.
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 14, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number EPA-HQ-
ORD-2008-0067, by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations.gov: (Our preferred method) Follow
the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: ord.docket@epa.gov.
Fax: 202-566-9744.
Mail: Office of Research & Development Docket,
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Public Reading Room, 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-ORD-
2008-0067. 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: Shannon D. Serre, Environmental
Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander
[[Page 8041]]
Drive, E343-06, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone number:
919-541-3817; fax number: 919-541-0496; e-mail address:
serre.shannon@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-ORD-2008-0067, which is available for online viewing at
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the ORD 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 ORD 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?
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
vendors and developers of technologies (commercially available and
those under development) that are intended to be used to decontaminate
structures (e.g., buildings (interior and exterior) and water
distribution systems) contaminated with chemical, biological, or
radiological materials and technologies for use in detecting,
measuring, and monitoring these same materials in air, on surfaces, and
in water.
Title: Technology Performance and Product Information To Support
Vendor Information Summaries (Renewal).
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2154.03 OMB Control No. 2050-0194.
ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on May 31,
2008. 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 U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development's
National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC) is helping to
protect human health and the environment from adverse impacts resulting
from intentional acts of terror. With an emphasis on decontamination
and consequence management, water infrastructure protection, and threat
and consequence assessment, NHSRC scientists and engineers are working
to develop tools and information that will help detect the intentional
introduction of chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants in
buildings or water systems, the containment of these contaminants, the
decontamination of buildings and/or water systems, and the disposal of
material resulting from cleanups.
An important facet of the NHSRC mission is identifying, testing,
and evaluating technologies to support emergency response personnel,
consequence managers, decision-makers, and government officials. EPA
has initiated this effort to develop brief vendor information summaries
of available technologies relevant to the detection and decontamination
of drinking water systems, building materials, building structures, and
indoor air that may become contaminated with chemical, biological, or
radiological contaminants. These summaries will be based upon vendor-
generated or -provided information including any independent, validated
test data generated by governmental or other organizations and provided
to EPA through this ICR. Information provided will be used to produce
4-10 page summaries on each of the technologies for which vendors
voluntarily agreed to submit the requested information. These summaries
will be shared with EPA and other emergency response personnel,
building and facility managers, and water utility operators. The
information provided by technology developers and vendors will also be
used by the NHSRC's Technology Testing and Evaluation Program (TTEP) to
identify technologies that may be suitable candidates for testing and
evaluation and to track those technologies under development that may
eventually be ready for rigorous testing and evaluation.
The submission of information is voluntary. Because the summarized
information will be publicly available, technology vendors/developers
will be discouraged from submitting CBI. An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless it
[[Page 8042]]
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.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15
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: 70.
Frequency of response: On occasion.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 1050 hours.
Estimated total annual costs: $82,460. This includes an estimated
burden cost of $82,040 and an estimated cost of $420 for capital
investment or maintenance and operational costs.
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: January 24, 2008.
Jonathan G. Herrmann,
Director, National Homeland Security Research Center.
[FR Doc. E8-2542 Filed 2-11-08; 8:45 am]
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