[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 243 (Monday, December 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71134-71135]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32863]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6512-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Pre-award Compliance Review Report for all 
Applicants Requesting Federal Financial Assistance

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 the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Pre-award Compliance Review 
Report for all Applicants Requesting Federal Financial Assistance, EPA 
ICR No. 0275.07, EPA Form 4700-4, OMB Control No. 2090-0014, Expiration 
Date March 31, 2000. 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 January 19, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the ICR contact Sandy 
Farmer at EPA by phone at (202) 260-2740, by email at 
[email protected], or download off the Internet at http://
www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 0275.07. For technical 
information about the collection contact Ann Goode, at (202) 260-4575.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Pre-award Compliance Review Report for all Applicants 
Requesting Federal Financial Assistance, EPA ICR No. 0275.07, EPA Form 
4700-4, OMB Control No. 2090-0014, expiration date March 31, 2000. This 
is a request for extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The information request and gathering is part of the 
requirement of 40 CFR part 7, ``Nondiscrimination in Programs Receiving 
Federal Assistance from the Environmental Protection Agency,'' at 40 
CFR 7.80. The regulation implements statutes which prohibit 
discrimination on the bases of race, color, national origin, sex and 
handicap. This information is also required, in part, by the Department 
of Justice regulations, 28 CFR 42.406 and 28 CFR 42.407. The 
information is collected on a short form from grant and loan applicants 
as part of the application. The EPA Director of Civil Rights manages 
the data collection through a regional component or delegated state, 
both of whom also carry out the data analysis and make the 
recommendation on the respondent's ability to meet the requirements of 
the regulation, as well as the respondent's current compliance with the 
regulation. The information and analysis is of sufficient value for the 
Director to determine whether the applicant is in compliance with the 
regulation. Analysis of the data allows EPA to determine:
    (1) Whether there appears to be discrimination in the provision of 
program or activity services between the minority and non-minority 
population. This allows EPA to determine whether any action is 
necessary by it before the award of the grant or loan.
    (2) Whether the respondent is designing grant or loan financed 
facilities to be accessible to handicapped individuals or whether a 
regulatory exemption is applicable. This allows EPA to determine 
whether design changes are necessary prior to the award of the grant or 
loan, which can save the respondent a significant amount of money, 
e.g., ensuring a facility is accessible to the handicapped is much less 
costly if this requirement is included in the design rather than after 
construction has begun.
    (3) Whether the respondent receives or has applied for financial 
assistance from other Federal agencies. This information allows EPA to 
canvass these other agencies to avoid conducting duplicate compliance 
audits, reviews, or complaint investigations and is a reduction of 
burden on respondents. Responses to the collection of information are 
required to obtain a grant or loan and are kept on file by the state 
distributing the funds.
    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 document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on April 28, 
1999 (64 FR 22861); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average one 
half (\1/2\) hour 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.
    Affected Entities: State, local, and tribal governments; 
universities; associations; and non-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 13,100.

[[Page 71135]]

    Frequency of Response: 1 per 1 to 2 years.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 6,550 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden (non-labor costs): $0.
    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. 0275.07 and OMB Control No. 2090-0014 in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of 
Environmental Information, Collection Strategies Division (2822), 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: December 14, 1999.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 99-32863 Filed 12-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P