[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 166 (Friday, August 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51822-51823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21780]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6857-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; 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 the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Title OMB Control Number 
2060-0033, expiration date 8/31/2000. The ICR describes the nature of 
the information collection and its expected burden and cost; where 
appropriate, it includes the actual data collection instrument.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 0866.06 and OMB 
Control No. 2080-0033, to the following addresses: Sandy Farmer, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Collection Strategies Division (Mail 
Code 2822), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; and to 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20503.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 25, 2000.

[[Page 51823]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Farmer at EPA by phone at (202) 
260-2740, by e-mail at [email protected] or download a copy of the 
ICR off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 
0866.06.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   
    Title: Quality Assurance Specification and Requirements, OMB 
Control Number 2060-0033, EPA ICR Number 0866.06, expiration date 
August 31, 2000. This is a request for extension of a currently 
approved collection.
    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 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. 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 
Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on March 21, 
2000 (65 FR 15149); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 85 
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: Non-profit organizations and State, 
local, or Tribal agencies applying for financial assistance for 
environmental data collection operations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1940.
    Frequency of Response: Once.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 164,900.
    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 addresses listed above. Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 0866.06 and OMB Control No. 2080-0033 in any 
correspondence.

    Dated: August 16, 2000.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 00-21780 Filed 8-24-00; 8:45 am]
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