[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69936-69937]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29769]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6904-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Soil Ingestion Research Study

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 proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Soil Ingestion Research Study ( EPA ICR 
Number 1965.01). 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 January 22, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments submitted by regular U.S. Postal Service mail 
should be sent to: Docket Coordinator, Superfund Docket Office, Mail 
Code 5201G, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters, Ariel 
Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. To 
ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify docket 
control number SOIL-INGEST in the subject line on the first page of 
your comment. Comments may also be submitted electronically or in 
person. Please follow the detailed instructions for these submission 
methods as provided in unit III of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section. Copies of the ICR may be obtained from this office (contact 
Larry Zaragoza 703-603-8867), or the Office of Environmental 
Information's ICR website at http://www.epa.gov/icr/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Zaragoza, Office of Emergency 
and Remedial Response, at 703-603-8867/703-603-9133 (fax), email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those which

[[Page 69937]]

agree to participate in a research study on soil ingestion.
    Title: Soil Ingestion Research, (EPA ICR No. 1965.01).
    Abstract: This ICR supports research to examine the amount of soil 
ingested. Soil is ingested in two ways, incidental ingestion from 
everyday hand to mouth activity and ingestion resulting from inhaled 
particles of soil that are deposited in upper and middle respiratory 
tract and swallowed. The ingestion of soil is important because 
contaminated soils from a hazardous waste site poses risks to 
individuals exposed to contaminated soil. This research should help any 
environmental program concerned with contaminated soils but is 
specifically being sponsored by Superfund. This research will evaluate 
ingestion by comparing the amount of trace metals that are ingested in 
food with the amount of metals that are excreted, any amount in excess 
of the ingested trace metals is attributed to incidental soil 
ingestion. Because of the possibility of trace metal ingestion from a 
variety of sources (like food and toothpaste), a questionnaire to 
identify and characterize sources of trace metals that can affect daily 
variation in trace metals is an important part of the experimental 
design of these studies. About 20 study volunteers are paid and are 
expected to participate in this study for about two weeks. Each night 
the study participants would participate in a questionnaire that will 
later be used to help interpret daily variations in trace metals. 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: During the study, paid research subjects would 
fill out a questionnaire on a daily basis. Questions could take 5 
minutes. This reporting burden would involve approximately 20 research 
subjects who are expected to participate in a study for 2 weeks. This 
information would be collected by the researchers at the research 
institution conducting the study and the data would be maintained by 
this group, not the Federal government. 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: October 24, 2000.
Elaine F. Davies,
Acting Director, Office of Emergency and Remedial Response.
[FR Doc. 00-29769 Filed 11-20-00; 8:45 am]
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