[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 78 (Friday, April 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21415-21416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10035]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6582-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Information Collection Request for the National 
Listing of Advisories

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 new Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB): Information Collection Request for the 
National Listing of Advisories (EPA ICR Number 1959.01). 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 June 20, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Jeffrey Bigler, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office 
of Science and Technology, 401 M Street SW., Maildrop 4305, Washington, 
DC 20460, (202) 260-1305, by e-mail at [email protected], or download 
a copy off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR 
No. 1959.01.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Bigler at EPA, (202) 260-1305, 
by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Affected Entities

    Entities potentially affected by this action are those which issue 
fish consumption advisories within their state, territory, or tribal 
jurisdictions.

Title

    Information Collection Request for the National Listing of 
Advisories (EPA ICR Number 1959.01). This is a request for a new 
collection.

Abstract

    Release of chemical contaminants into our Nation's waters from 
industrial pollution, sprawling urbanization, and introduction of new 
pesticides in agriculture poses potentially serious public health 
problems. Recent studies have confirmed that adverse health effects can 
result from consumption of chemically-contaminated fish from 
contaminated waters. These adverse affects have been one of EPA's long 
standing concerns. They are also directly related to such Clean Water 
Act responsibilities as water quality standards, surface water quality, 
and to the Agency's effort to ensure that the waters of the United 
States are both ``fishable'' and ``swimmable.'' Based on results from 
the 1998 National Listing of Fish and Wildlife Advisories (NLFWA) 
database, fish consumption advisories have been issued by 47 states and 
from 100 to 200 new advisories are issued every year nationwide.
    EPA believes there is a need to maintain and improve the existing 
quality and availability of public information concerning fish 
advisories, which includes but is not limited to monitoring and risk 
assessment activities and the issuance of advisories. Primary 
responsibility for these activities lies with each state, territory, or 
tribal jurisdiction, however, several agencies often share 
responsibilities for these activities. Consequently, EPA's Office of 
Water will conduct an annual fish advisory survey which will be sent to 
environmental and health officials from state, territorial, and tribal 
agencies specifically responsible for the issuance of fish advisories. 
This survey will collect information (electronically via the Internet 
and on paper) on the location of advisories and agencies and persons 
responsible for maintaining and issuing advisories for lakes and 
rivers, and for estuarine and coastal marine waterbodies. Responses to 
the questionnaire (either on paper or electronically via the Internet) 
are needed to assess public health risks of consuming chemically-
contaminated fish, and to make this information available to the 
public.
    The EPA will use the information to update existing advisory 
information in the EPA's National Listing of Fish and Wildlife 
Advisories (NLFWA) electronic database which has archived fish advisory 
data since 1994. The results of the nationwide data collection effort 
are shared with the states, territories, tribes, other federal agencies 
and the general public through access to the NLFWA database which can 
be queried for specific information and through distribution of the 
annual Fish Advisory Fact Sheet via the Internet. Results of this and 
past surveys will be available at EPA's NLFWA web site (http://www.epa.gov/OST/fish/). Information from these surveys has stimulated 
nationwide dialogue on fish consumption advisories involving agencies 
and the public. This information is being used to identify and clarify 
issues that will lead to the continued development of national guidance 
to assist states on sampling

[[Page 21416]]

and analysis, risk assessment procedures, risk management practices, 
and risk communication procedures that will further protect human 
health.
    The purpose of the new collection is two-fold. First, the survey is 
needed to continue to collect and update quantitative information on 
the number of advisories issued by states, territories, and tribes 
annually, including detailed information on species sampled, chemical 
contaminants involved, waterbodies under advisory (including 
freshwater, estuarine, and marine waterbodies), target populations to 
which the advisory refers (e.g., pregnant women, nursing mothers, and 
young children), geographic location of each advisory, and tissue 
residue data supporting the states' advisories. In addition, the 
expanded questionnaire portion of the survey will provide information 
on monitoring procedures used to collect and analyze fish samples, risk 
assessment methodologies used to evaluate fish tissue residue data and 
issue advisories, and risk communication procedures used to communicate 
the human health risks of consuming chemically-contaminated species. 
From this information, EPA can determine how to most effectively 
provide assistance to state, territorial, and tribal fish advisory 
programs to improve effectiveness among jurisdictions through the use 
of appropriate procedures for sampling, chemical analysis, risk 
assessment, and risk communication. Completion of this survey is 
voluntary and the information requested is part of the state public 
record associated with issuing the advisories. Over the last few years, 
the states have requested guidance from EPA in their fish advisory 
programs and a more comprehensive questionnaire will provide the states 
with the opportunity to identify those advisory areas for which they 
most need EPA assistance.
    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 annual public reporting and record keeping burden for this 
collection of information is estimated to average 36.5 hours 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: State, territory, and tribal 
environmental and health agencies (50 states, District of Columbia, 5 
territories, and 36 tribal agencies).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 92.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hours Burden: 3,358 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden (non-labor costs): $552.00.

Geoffrey H. Grubbs,
Director, Office of Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 00-10035 Filed 4-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P