[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 52 (Friday, March 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10750-10751]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6237]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5442-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review; New 
Collection; Design for the Environment (DfE) Collection of Impact Data 
on Technical Information

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this notice announces that the Office of Prevention, 
Pesticides and Toxic Substances (OPPTS) is seeking approval for a new 
Information Collection Request (ICR) from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB). As such, OPPTS has forwarded the following ICR to OMB: 
Design for the Environment (DfE) Collection of Impact Data on Technical 
Information (OMB Control No. 2070--(to be assigned); EPA ICR No. 1768), 
which is abstracted below. The ICR describes the nature of the 
information collection and its expected cost and burden; where 
appropriate, it includes the actual data collection instrument. On 
September 29, 1995, OPPTS published a notice in the Federal Register 
(60 FR 50568), requesting comment on this proposed collection and the 
draft ICR. OPPTS did not receive any comments.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 15, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY CALL: Sandy Farmer at EPA, 202-260-
2740, and refer to EPA ICR No. 1768.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Design for the Environment (DfE) Collection of Impact Data 
on Technical Information (OMB Control No. 2070-(to be assigned); EPA 
ICR No. 1768). This is a new collection.
    Abstract: EPA's DfE program is a voluntary, non-regulatory approach 
to encourage industry to adopt technologies and use materials that 
result in lower levels of pollution, lessened reliance on toxic 
materials, higher energy efficiency and lower environmental health 
risks. Through DfE, EPA creates partnerships with industry, 
professional organizations, state and local governments, other federal 
agencies and the public to develop and disseminate technical 
information.
    This is a generic ICR for a series of surveys, referred to as DfE 
Technical Information Impact Studies, to undertake data collection in 
support of EPA's DfE program. The studies will focus on various 
industrial sectors such as printing, printed wiring board circuitry, 
and dry cleaning. The purpose of all DfE Technical Information Impact 
Studies is to evaluate the impact of DfE technical information on 
industry practices, use of materials and waste generation. In each 
case, EPA, often in collaboration with industry associations and 
universities, will have developed technical information for industry on 
the use of product reclamation processes and other workplace practices 
that may lower health risks to workers and prevent pollution. The 
proposed studies will each involve two separate surveys of owners or 
operators of target industry establishments. The initial survey will 
establish a baseline representing pre-technical information receipt. A 
follow-up survey will be administered approximately two years later to 
establish longer-term impacts of the technical materials. The overall 
goal of this before-and-after design is to understand the impacts of 
DfE technical information on workplace practices and technologies that 
generate or prevent pollution. This generic ICR will allow EPA to 
conduct a series of small conceptually interrelated surveys. It will 
permit the DfE program the ability to collect information in a timely 
manner and to evaluate the effectiveness of the technical materials EPA 
provides to industry. EPA will be the principal user of information 
developed from the survey findings, but EPA expects that tens of 
thousands of small businesses in a variety of industry sectors will 
benefit from the results of the studies. Responses to the collection of 
information are voluntary. EPA and the EPA contractor administering the 
survey will observe strict confidentiality precautions, based on the 
Privacy Act of 1974, which are outlined in detail in the ICR.
    Burden Statement: EPA plans to conduct no more than eight surveys 
under the three year life cycle of the generic clearance. For each 
study, EPA expects that there will be an average burden of 
approximately 1.25 hours per response, and that the number of 
respondents will average 300 for each study. Thus, the total expected 
respondent burden is estimated at 375 hours for each survey. Over the 
three year life of the clearance, the total estimated respondent burden 
would be 3000 hours based on an estimated eight collections; the annual 
average estimated respondent burden would be 1000 hours. 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

[[Page 10751]]
maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; 
adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable 
instructions and requirements; train personnel to respond to a 
collection of information; search existing data sources; complete and 
review the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise 
disclose the information. No person is 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 
displayed in 40 CFR part 9.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Printing industry, Printed Wiring 
Board Circuitry, Dry Cleaning and other industry sectors that may 
interact with EPA in the Agency's Design for the Environment (DfE) 
program.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 300 per individual study.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 375 hours per 
individual study.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Send comments regarding the burden estimate, or any other aspect of 
the information collection, including suggestions for reducing the 
burden, to the following addresses. Please refer to EPA ICR No. 1768.02 
in any correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Information 
Policy Branch (2137), 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460 and
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: March 11, 1996.
Richard Westlund,
Acting Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 96-6237 Filed 3-14-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M