[Federal Register: February 17, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 30)]
[Notices]
[Page 7429-7430]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17fe09-67]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OARM-2008-0828, FRL-8773-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Background Checks for Contractor
Employees (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 2159.03, OMB Control Number 2030-
0043

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 an Information Collection
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request for to renew an
existing approved collection. The 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 March 19,
2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OARM-
2008-0828, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred
method), by e-mail to oei.docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket
Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental
Information Docket, Mail Code 2822IT, 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: Donna Blanding, Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Acquisition Management, Mail Code 3802R,
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; (202) 564-1130; fax
number: (202) 565-2475; e-mail address: blanding.donna@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 November 13, 2008 (73 FR 67152), 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.

[[Page 7430]]

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OARM-2008-0828, which is available for online viewing at
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at 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 EPA's electronic docket and comment system at
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 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 www.regulations.gov.
    Title: Background Checks for Contractor Employees (Renewal).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2159.03, OMB Control No. 2030-0043.
    ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2009.
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: EPA uses contractors to perform services throughout the
nation with regard to environmental emergencies involving the release,
or threatened release, of oil, radioactive materials or hazardous
chemicals that may potentially affect communities and the surrounding
environment. Releases may be accidental, deliberate, or may be caused
by natural disasters. Emergency responders are available 24 hours-a-day
to an incident, and respond with necessary personnel and equipment to
eliminate dangers to the public and environment. Contractors responding
to any of these types of incidents are responsible for conducting
background checks and applying Government-established suitability
criteria in determining whether employees are acceptable to perform on
given sites or on specific projects prior to contract employee
performance. The information to be collected under the ICR for
Background Checks for Contractor Employees covers citizenship or valid
visa, criminal convictions, weapons offenses, felony convictions,
parties prohibited from receiving federal contracts. The Contractor
shall maintain records of all background checks. The collection of
information is required to obtain or retain a contract with work of
this nature (Title 5, CFR parts 731, 732, and 736).
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.55
minutes 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: Entities affected by this action are
contractors involved with Emergency Response that have significant
security concerns, as determined by the Contracting Officer on a case-
by-case basis, to provide qualified personnel that meet the background
check requirements developed by EPA.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1000 per year.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 550.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $81,410, includes $0 annualized
capital or O&M costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 450 hours in the
total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of
Approved ICR Burdens. This decrease is due to just adjustments to the
estimates.

    Dated: February 9, 2009.
John Moses,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
 [FR Doc. E9-3268 Filed 2-13-09; 8:45 am]

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