[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 102 (Wednesday, May 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 28859]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13924]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5831-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Quality Assurance Specification and 
Requirements

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 following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: ICR Number 0866.05, Quality 
Assurance Specification and Requirements, OMB Control Number 2080--
0033, which expires June 30, 1997. The ICR describes the nature of the 
information collection and its expected burden and cost; where 
appropriate, it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 27, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY CALL: Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-
2740, and refer to EPA ICR No. 0866.05.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Quality Assurance Specification and Requirements (OMB 
Control No. 2080--0033; EPA ICR No. 0866, expiring 6/30/97. This is a 
request for extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: This ICR covers the quality assurance (QA) paperwork 
burden that appears at 40 CFR 30.54 [which supercedes 40 CFR 30.503(d)] 
and 40 CFR 31.45. These are subsections from 40 CFR Part 30--Grants and 
Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other 
Non-Profit Organizations, and 40 CFR Part 31--Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local 
Governments, respectively. The information collection activity involves 
the preparation of QA plans or narrative statements that provide 
supporting documentation sufficient to produce data that are of quality 
adequate to meet project objectives and (for 40 CFR 30.54) to minimize 
loss of data due to out-of-control conditions or malfunctions. The 
quality system of the 40 CFR 30.54 assistance recipient must comply 
with the requirements of ANSI/ASQC E4, ``Specifications and Guidelines 
for Quality Systems for Environmental Data Collection and Environmental 
Technology Programs.'' All QA submissions are reviewed and approved by 
an EPA certified project officer or a designated quality assurance 
officer.
    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 required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on 2/10/97 
(FRL-5686-9); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 37 
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; 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 applying for Federal 
financial assistance for proposed projects that include environmentally 
related measurements.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1497.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 55,635 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $1,498,038.
    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. 0866 and OMB Control No. 2080-0033 in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PPE Regulatory 
Information Division (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: May 21, 1997.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 97-13924 Filed 5-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P