[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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