[Federal Register: November 3, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 211)]
[Notices]
[Page 56831-56833]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03no09-52]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0XXX; FRL-8976-9]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Analysis of Archived Environmental Samples From the
American Healthy Homes Survey (New); EPA ICR No. XXXX.XX, OMB Control
No. 20XX-XXXX
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 January 4, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
ORD-2009-0XXX, by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: ORD.Docket@epa.gov.
Fax: 202-566-9744.
Mail: Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0XXX, Office of
Research and Development (ORD) Docket, Environmental Protection Agency,
Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Hand Delivery: EPA Headquarters Docket Center, EPA West
Building, Room 3334, 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-ORD-
2009-0XXX. 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 .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: Karen Bradham, National Exposure
Research Laboratory, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code D205-
05, 109 T.W. Alexander Dr., Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone
number: (919) 541-9414; fax number: (919) 541-3527; e-mail address:
Bradham.Karen@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-2009-0XXX, which is available for online viewing at
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of
Research and Development 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 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?
Title: Analysis of Archived Environmental Samples from the American
Healthy Homes Survey (New).
[[Page 56832]]
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. [XXXX.XX], OMB Control No. 20XX-XXXX.
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, 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.
What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?
Information from respondents was collected during the field
collection portion of American Healthy Homes Survey. There is no
additional response needed from the respondents or cost burden to
respondents resulting from the collection of information because the
samples have already been collected.
The proposed analyses described in the ICR will provide EPA with
nationally representative data characterizing perfluorinated chemicals
(PFCs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs), phthalates, and pesticide concentrations currently
found in and around U.S. residences. Studies in the scientific
literature have reported the presence of these compounds or their
degradation products in environmental samples and in human biological
samples. However, measurement data for these classes of compounds in
U.S. residential media are insufficient in quantity and of variable
quality, limiting their usefulness for understanding the sources and
pathways of exposure in the general population and developing risk
reduction strategies. Analysis of archived environmental samples
collected previously in the American Healthy Homes Survey (AHHS)
provides an efficient, resource-maximizing approach for obtaining
information on these chemicals in and around residential environments.
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are man-made chemicals resistant to
chemical, biological, and thermal degradation. They are used as stain-
resistant coatings, surfactants, lubricants, fire-fighting foams, and
metal-plating mist suppressants. Animal toxicity studies have
demonstrated reproductive, developmental, and immune effects. Despite a
growing body of literature demonstrating the widespread presence of
these compounds in wildlife, environmental samples, and human
biological specimens, data on environmental concentrations in indoor
environments in the U.S. are sparse, and the pathways of human exposure
remain largely unknown.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are brominated chemicals
used as fire retardants. Three commercially produced mixtures of PBDEs
(penta-, octa-, and deca-BDE) are used in the manufacture of consumer
products, primarily blended into plastics, electronics, polyurethane
upholstery foams, and textiles. Growing evidence of environmental
persistence and bioaccumulation has led to recent changes in production
of the penta- and octa- PBDEs. Nonetheless, human exposures to all
previously used mixtures are expected to continue during the coming
decades as PBDEs are slowly released into the surrounding environment.
Animal toxicity testing suggests that PBDEs of lower bromination
disrupt thyroid hormones and cause neurobehavioral deficits and that
deca-PBDE is a possible carcinogen. Due to the concerns related to
ubiquitous distribution of these chemicals, their persistence, rising
body burdens, potential for human health effects, elevated risks to
children, and increasing industrial demand, the EPA needs
representative data on concentrations of PBDEs in house dust in
residential settings across the U.S.
Phthalates are used in the manufacture of a wide range of
industrial and household consumer products to prolong durability and
increase the flexibility of plastics and as chemical stabilizers for
other materials. Animal data suggest a broad spectrum of potential
health outcomes including developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption,
and carcinogenicity. However, the characterization of human exposure to
phthalates is limited and the National Toxicology Program's Center for
the Evaluation of the Risks to Human Reproduction has concluded that
more data regarding the potential for human exposure are needed.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are man-made mixtures of
chemicals, which have chemical properties that make them resistant to
chemical, biological, and thermal degradation. Data on environmental
concentrations show that indoor air exposures to PCBs are more
significant than outdoor exposures. Sources of PCBs in an indoor
environment include PCB-containing caulk, floor finishes, old
electronic products, and fluorescent lighting. PCBs tend to
bioaccumulate, leading to dietary exposures through fish, meat, dairy
and processed foods. Dietary exposure is considered the major source of
exposure but with a steady decrease in bioaccumulation, inhalation and
indirect ingestion become an increasingly important route of exposure
to children. Results from the AHHS will provide high quality baseline
distributional data describing real-world concentrations of PCBs in
U.S. residences, allowing EPA to better understand their presence and
variability in the home environment.
Pesticides are needed to control insects and other pests on crops
and in both indoor and outdoor environments. The potential health
effects of pesticides vary by type but may include developmental
neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption. Children are uniquely
vulnerable to pesticide exposures given their hand-to-mouth behaviors,
floor play, and developing nervous system. The Food Quality Protection
Act of 1996 requires EPA to consider aggregate risks (exposures through
all routes and pathways). Information on potential exposures to these
chemicals through dust- and soil-related pathways will supplement
existing AHHS surface wipe results, providing a more complete
assessment of children's exposures to pesticides in their homes.
This proposed analysis will be used to develop a nationally
representative database to assess current status and future trends,
investigate regional variability, evaluate relationships between indoor
and outdoor concentrations, characterize exposure routes and pathways,
and evaluate suspected occupant- and housing-related determinants of
exposure. The real-world data will be particularly useful for
developing, evaluating, and improving ORD's modeling tools for
estimating, classifying, and predicting human exposure. These data will
be available throughout the Agency to refine risk assessments and
enhance the Agency's risk assessment/management strategies.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0
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
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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:
Members of Affected Public....................................... 0
Total Burden Estimate............................................ 0
Frequency of respondents......................................... 0
Hours per responses.............................................. 0
Burden response.................................................. 0
Respondents...................................................... 0
Total Estimated Burden Hours................................. 0
There is no additional time or costs to respondents needed for
additional analyses of the environmental samples because these samples
have already been collected.
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: October 26, 2009.
Jewel F. Morris,
Deputy Director, National Exposure Research Laboratory.
[FR Doc. E9-26414 Filed 11-2-09; 8:45 am]
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