[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15149-15150]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-6974]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6562-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Continuing Collection; 
Comment Request; Quality Assurance Specification and Requirements

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 continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Quality Assurance Specification and 
Requirements, ICR Number 0866, OMB No. 2080-0033, current expiration 
date 08/31/2000. Before submitting the 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 May 22, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Quality Staff (2811R), U.S. EPA, Washington, DC 20460. 
Comments will be accepted electronically at [email protected]. The ICR 
may be obtained without charge by contacting the person listed below or 
by electronically downloading it from the following Internet site: 
http://es.epa.gov/ncerqa/qa/index.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Wentworth, Director, Quality 
Staff; 202-564-6830, Facsimile Number 202-565-2441; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those which apply for Federal financial assistance from EPA for 
proposed projects that involve environmentally-related measurements or 
data generation.
    Title: ICR Number 0866, Quality Assurance Specification and 
Requirements, OMB Control No. 2080-0033, expiring 8/31/2000.
    Abstract: This ICR covers the quality assurance (QA) paperwork 
burden that appears at 40 CFR 30.54, 40 CFR 31.45, and 40 CFR 35.260 
and 35.6055. (These references may also be obtained at the Internet 
site listed above.) These are subsections from 40 CFR part 30--Grants 
and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and 
Other Non-Profit Organizations, 40 CFR part 31--Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local 
Governments, and 40 CFR part 35--State and Local Assistance. The 
information collection activity involves the development and 
implementation of quality assurance practices consisting of policies, 
procedures, specifications, standards, and documentation sufficient to 
produce data of quality adequate to meet project objectives and to 
minimize loss of data due to out-of-control conditions or malfunctions. 
Specifically, this refers to the preparation of QA management and 
project plans. The quality system of the recipient of 40 CFR part 30 
assistance must comply with the requirements of ANSI/ASQC E4, 
``Specifications and Guidelines for Quality Systems for Environmental 
Data Collection and Environmental Technology Programs.'' A clarifying 
statement for all organizations receiving EPA financial assistance 
under 40 CFR part 31 and 40 CFR part 35 has been issued by the Office 
of Grants and Debarment. This clarifying statement defines Agency-wide 
criteria for meeting the requirements under the applicable CFRs and is 
consistent with Agency policy since 1988. It cites the ANSI/ASQC E4 as 
a national consensus standard that applies to all recipients. (This 
statement is also accessible through the Internet site listed above.) 
All QA submissions are reviewed and approved by an EPA certified 
project officer and/or a designated quality assurance officer.
    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 currently approved ICR estimated the burden 
for annual reporting and recordkeeping to be 85 hours each for 567 
state and local respondents applying for assistance, and 70 hours each 
for 708 principal investigators who solicit assistance. The Agency 
burden for review of QA plans and preparation assistance to respondents 
was estimated at 17 hours each for the estimated 1,275 awards. This 
estimate included the time needed to review instructions, search 
existing data sources, gather and maintain the

[[Page 15150]]

data needed, and complete and review the collection of information.
    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 14, 2000.
Margaret N. Schneider,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Environmental Information.
[FR Doc. 00-6974 Filed 3-20-00; 8:45 am]
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