[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 240 (Tuesday, December 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 69073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33220]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6201-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Personal Exposure of High-Risk Subpopulations to 
Particles

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 EPA is planning to submit the 
following proposed and/or continuing Information Collection Request 
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
    Title: Exposure of High-Risk Subpopulations to Particles.
    EPA ICR Number: 1887.1
    Before submitting this 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 February 16, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons may obtain a copy of this ICR without 
charge by contacting Ms. Shari Pricer, US EPA (MD-78A), Research 
Triangle Park, NC 27711.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Shari Pricer, 919-541-2198. Fax: 
919-541-1111. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For technical information on the proposed 
study, contact the Project Officer, Dr. Lance Wallace, 703-648-4287. 
FAX: 703-648-4290. E-mail: [email protected].
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
patients who may be asked to take part in the study by participating 
physicians.
    Title: Personal Exposure of High-Risk Subpopulations to Particles 
(EPA ICR No. 1887.1).
    Abstract: The National Exposure Research Laboratory of the Office 
of Research and Development (ORD) at EPA is funding four studies of 
personal exposure of high-risk subpopulations to particles and 
associated gases. These studies have been recommended by the National 
Academy of Sciences (NAS).
    Three of the studies are three year cooperative agreements with the 
following institutions: the Harvard School of Public Health, the New 
York University School of Medicine, and the University of Washington. 
The fourth study is an EPA conducted study with contractual support. 
All four studies will employ the same questionnaire to supplement the 
collection of information on personal, indoor, and outdoor 
concentrations of the target pollutants. Subjects will be drawn from 
high-risk subpopulations with respiratory or cardiovascular disease. 
Participation will be entirely voluntary.
    The information will be used by scientists within ORD and external 
to the Agency to evaluate the relationships between personal exposure, 
indoor concentrations, and concentrations measured at a central 
monitoring site for one or more high-risk subpopulations, including 
particularly persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 
persons with cardiovascular disease. The data will also be used by the 
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards in their review of the 
basis for the proposed PM2.5 regulation. The information 
will appear in the form of final EPA reports, journal articles, and 
will also be made publicly available in an electronic data base.
    The cost of the four studies is expected to be $6M over a period of 
three years. Approximately 240 respondents will be included. The cost 
to the respondent will be negligible. An incentive payment will be 
offered to defray burden.
    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 EPA would like to solicit comments 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.
    Burden Statement: The average time to review instructions and 
answer the questionnaire is estimated to be 26 minutes. The 
questionnaire is administered once each day for periods of 7, 14, 24, 
or 56 visits per year, depending on the individual study. The total 
time spent answering the questionnaire is estimated to be 1,217.2 hours 
for 104 respondents per year, or about 12 hours per year per respondent 
on average.
    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.
T.A. Clark,
Acting Director, National Exposure Research Laboratory (MD-75).
[FR Doc. 98-33220 Filed 12-14-98; 8:45 am]
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