[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 97 (Thursday, May 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 31551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-12518]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6702-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Performance Track Program Level One: The 
Environmental Achievement Track

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: Performance Track Program 
Level One: The Environmental Achievement Track, ICR Number 1949.01. 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 June 19, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the ICR contact Sandy 
Farmer at EPA by phone at (202) 260-2740, by E-Mail at 
[email protected] or download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No.1949.01. For technical 
questions about the ICR contact Ken Munis, at 202-260-9560.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Performance Track Program Level One: The Environmental 
Achievement Track, EPA ICR No. 1949.01. This is a new collection.
    Abstract: The Environmental Protection Agency is developing a 
national Performance Track Program. In the July, 1999 report, ``Aiming 
for Excellence: Actions to Encourage Stewardship and Accelerate 
Environmental Progress,'' the Agency committed to developing a 
Performance Track Program to reward and motivate top environmental 
performance.
    The Performance Track is a two-tiered, voluntary program designed 
to promote leadership in environmental protection through the use of 
Environmental Management Systems (EMS), Pollution Prevention Programs, 
and public reporting. Qualifying program participants will benefit from 
a variety of incentives, such as public recognition, reduced monitoring 
and reporting, and operational flexibility. EPA will announce and begin 
to solicit applications for level one of the Performance Track, the 
Environmental Achievement Track, in June of 2000. Level two, the 
Environmental Stewardship Track, will be announced in May of 2001.
    Participation in the Performance Track program is voluntary. To be 
considered for acceptance into the program, applicants for the 
Environmental Achievement Track will be asked to submit information 
documenting their EMS, history of compliance with EPA regulations, 
commitment to continuous environmental performance improvement, and 
commitment to public outreach and performance reporting. Upon 
acceptance to the Environmental Achievement Track, participants will be 
required to make environmental performance reports accessible to the 
public.
    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 3/02/2000 
(65 FR 11305); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 252 
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: Various Industries
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 250.
    Frequency of Response: Annually .
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 50,450 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Capital, O&M Cost Burden: 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. 1949.01 in any correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of 
Environmental Information, Collection Strategies Division (2822), 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave, NW, 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: May 11, 2000.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 00-12518 Filed 5-17-00; 8:45 am]
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