[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 46 (Thursday, March 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9161-9162]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5414]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5437-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

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 notice announces that the Information Collection Request 
(ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature 
of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; where 
appropriate, it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 8, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION or a copy call: Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-
2740, and refer to EPA ICR No. 0275.06.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title:  Preaward Compliance Review Report, 
EPA Form 4700-4, (OMB Control No. 2090-0014); EPA ICR No. 0275.06). 
This is a request for extension of a currently approved collection. The 
information from grant or loan applicants will indicate whether 
applicants are in compliance with statutes prohibiting discrimination 
on the basis of race, color, national origin, and sex.
    Abstract: The information request and gathering is part of the 
requirement of 40 CFR Part 7, ``Nondiscrimination in Program Receiving 
Federal Assistance from the Environmental Protection Agency, at 40 CFR 
7.80. The regulation implements statutes which prohibit discrimination 
on the bases of race, color, national origin, sex and handicap. This 
information is also required, in part, by the Department of Justice 
regulations, 28 CFR 42.406 and 28 CFR 42.407. The information is 
collected on a short form from grant and loan applicants as part of the 
application. The EPA Director of Civil Rights manages the data 
collection through a regional component or delegated state, both of 
whom also carry out the data analysis and make the recommendation on 
the respondent's ability to meet the requirements of the regulation, as 
well as the respondent's current compliance with the regulation. The 
information and analysis is of sufficient value for the Director to 
determine whether the applicant is in compliance with the regulation. 
Analysis of the data allows EPA to determine:
    (1) Whether there appears to be discrimination in the provision of 
program or activity services between the minority and non-minority 
population. This allows EPA to determine whether any action is 
necessary by it before the award of the grant or loan.
    (3) Whether the respondent is designing grant or loan financed 
facilities to be accessible to handicapped individuals or whether a 
regulatory exemption is applicable. This allows EPA to determine 
whether design changes are necessary prior to the award of the grant or 
loan, which can save the respondent a significant amount of money, 
e.g., ensuring a facility is accessible to the handicapped is much less 
costly if this requirement is included in the design rather than after 
construction has begun.
    (4) Whether the respondent receives or has applied for financial 
assistance from other Federal agencies. This information allows EPA to 
canvass these other agencies to avoid conducting duplicate compliance 
audits, reviews, or complaint investigations and is a reduction of 
burden on respondents. Responses to the collection of information are 
required to obtain a grant or loan and are kept on file by the state 
distributing the funds. 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 are listed in 40 CFR Part 9 and 48 CFR 
Chapter 15. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period 
soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on 
December 7, 1995 (Vol. 60 FR No. 235, p. 62844).
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average one-
half (\1/2\) hours per response. This estimate 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 and local governments, loan and grant 
recipients.
    Estimated No. of Respondents/Affected Entities: 4,000.
    Frequency of Collection: 1 per 1 to 2 years.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,000 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $32,200.00.
    Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the 
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods 
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 0275.06, and OMB control No. 2090-0014 in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OPPE Regulatory 
Information Division (2136), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460, 
and
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and

[[Page 9162]]

Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: February 29, 1996.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 96-5414 Filed 3-6-96; 8:45 am]
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