[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 20 (Monday, February 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4868-4869]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-2318]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6225-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Children's Total Exposure to Persistent Pesticides and 
Other Persistent Organic Pollutants (CTEPP)

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 document announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB).

TITLE: Children's Total Exposure to Persistent Pesticides and Other 
Persistent Organic Pollutants (CTEPP).
    EPA ICR Number: 1892.01.
    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 April 2, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Public comments should be submitted to: Ms. Shari Pricer, US 
EPA (MD-78A), Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested persons may obtain a copy 
of this ICR without charge by contacting Ms. Shari Pricer, 919-541-
2198. Fax: 919-541-1111. E-mail: [email protected]. For 
technical information on the proposed study, contact the Co-Principal 
Investigator, Gary F. Evans, 919-541-3124. FAX: 919-541-1486. E-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
children of age 2-5 years and their adult caregivers at either home, 
day care, or preschool.
    Title: Children's Total Exposure to Persistent Pesticides and Other 
Persistent Organic Pollutants (CTEPP), EPA ICR No. 1892.01.
    Abstract: The National Exposure Research Laboratory of the Office 
of Research and Development (ORD) at EPA plans to conduct a research 
study investigating preschool children's exposure to persistent 
pesticides and other persistent organic pollutants. This study is 
necessary to respond to the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) of 1996 
which requires that EPA evaluate non-occupational sources (e.g., food, 
water, air, dust, soil, etc.) of exposures to pesticides when 
constructing risk assessments, consider the cumulative health impact of 
pesticides, and provide particular attention to young children such 
that ``there is reasonable certainty that no harm will result to 
infants and children from aggregate exposure to pesticide chemical 
residue.''
    Study respondents will be children between the ages of 2-5 and 
their adult caregivers in approximately 260 households. Participation 
will be entirely voluntary. The participants' exposures will be 
estimated by collection and analysis of samples of food, beverages, 
air, house dust, soil, hand wipes, and urine in conjunction with 
information from questionnaires including activity diaries. Young 
children, especially those of the preschool ages, are believed to have 
greater exposures than do older children or adults to persistent 
organic pesticides, including some compounds that may have endocrine-
disrupting effects or developmental toxicity. These greater exposures 
may result from what children eat and drink, where they spend their 
time, and what they do there. The impact of the exposures may be 
greater on young children because of their smaller body masses, 
immature body systems, and rapid physical development.
    The data will be used by scientists within ORD and external to the 
Agency to refine and validate exposure models which, in turn, will be 
used to reduce the uncertainty in the health risk estimates of young 
children to these toxic pollutants. The information will also be used 
by the EPA Office of Children's Health Protection and the EPA Office of 
Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances in their consideration of 
children's risk assessment and risk management options. 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 total cost of the study is estimated to be $4.5M over a period 
of three years.
    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 respondent burden is estimated to be 
6 hours. This time includes training time, time the respondent will 
spend collecting personal and environmental samples, and time spent 
completing interviewer- or self-administered questionnaires. Each 
respondent is sampled for a single time during a three-day time period, 
which consists of one day for recruitment and instruction and a two-day 
sample and information collection period. The total burden is estimated 
to be 1560 hours for 260 respondents. The field data collection is 
scheduled to occur over a two-year period; therefore, the annual burden 
is estimated to be 780 hours for 130 respondents per year, or 6 hours 
per respondent per year.
    There are no direct respondent costs for this data collection. 
Participants will

[[Page 4869]]

be reimbursed for the costs of electricity used and food collected. An 
incentive payment of $100 will be offered to defray the burden.
    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.

    Dated: January 14, 1999.
Gary J. Foley,
Director, (MD-75).
[FR Doc. 99-2318 Filed 1-29-99; 8:45 am]
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