[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 53 (Friday, March 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13573-13574]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-6779]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6312-1]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; EPA Office of Site Remediation Enforcement Program 
Evaluation ICR

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):
    EPA Office of Site Remediation Enforcement Program Evaluation ICR, 
EPA ICR Number 1890.01. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and 
approval, EPA is soliciting

[[Page 13574]]

comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as 
described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 16, 1999.

ADDRESSES: EPA Office of Site Remediation Enforcement, 401 M Street, SW 
(MC 2273A), Washington, DC 20460. Interested persons may obtain a copy 
of the ICR by contacting Jack Jojokian at this address or by calling 
(202) 564-6058 or by e-mailing [email protected]. 
Electronic access to the ICR is available at http://www.epa.gov/icr.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack Jojokian, (202) 564-6058, (202) 
564-0074 (fax), [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those which have been parties at Superfund sites where Superfund 
administrative reforms have been tested or implemented.
    Title: EPA Office of Site Remediation Enforcement Program 
Evaluation ICR, EPA ICR Number 1890.01.
    Abstract: During the last 3-5 years, EPA's Office of Site 
Remediation Enforcement (OSRE), in conjunction with EPA's Office of 
Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR), has been implementing a series 
of Administrative Reforms in the Superfund program. These reforms are 
an effort to make Superfund a faster, fairer, and more efficient 
program for all parties involved. With 3-5 years of implementation past 
for a number of these reforms, OSRE is interested to learn how well 
these Administrative Reforms have worked and whether they have achieved 
their stated intentions in the eyes of the external stakeholders whom 
the reforms were intended to impact. The purpose of this ICR is to 
enable OSRE to collect data on the effectiveness of Superfund 
Administrative Reforms so that we can understand which of the reforms 
are most effective, as well as to obtain anecdotal and statistically 
valid information on the outcomes of the reforms.
    With each of the information collections described in this ICR, 
OSRE will be measuring whether or not the Administrative Reform is 
meeting its intended goal, such as speeding site study and cleanup and 
reducing private party transaction costs. Typical goals of the 
Administrative Reforms include: increasing the efficiency of reaching 
settlements with parties at Superfund sites; reducing transaction costs 
for parties at Superfund sites; increasing the fairness of enforcement 
actions at Superfund sites; and facilitating the reuse of Superfund 
sites.
    OSRE is planning to conduct program evaluations of up to 15 
Superfund policies and Superfund reform initiatives. Eight of these 
reform initiatives are known and listed below. An additional seven 
program evaluations will take place as part of these information 
collections, but the exact topics are not known at this time. The eight 
known program evaluations are:

(1) Orphan Share Compensation
(2) Unilateral Administrative Order Administrative Reform
(3) Effective Oversight Management Administrative Reform
(4) Expedited Settlements Reform
(5) De Minimis Settlements
(6) PRP Response Costs and PRP Transaction Costs
(7) Reuse of Superfund and Brownfield Sites
(8) Disbursement of Response Costs to PRPs Performing Work from Special 
Accounts
    Information will be collected through a series of mail, telephone, 
and on-line survey questionnaires. Responses to these information 
collection requests are voluntary and one-time efforts.
    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: This ICR has an estimated respondent burden of 
27,132 hours and $594,333. EPA estimates that 9,520 respondents will 
participate, with an average respondent burden of 2.84 hours and 
$62.43. Responses will be one-time and voluntary, and no capital or 
start-up expenses will be required. 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: March 11, 1999.
Jack Jojokian,
Program Planning and Evaluation Division, Office of Site Remediation 
Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 99-6779 Filed 3-18-99; 8:45 am]
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