[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 106 (Friday, June 1, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 29797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-13842]



[[Page 29797]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6988-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; 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 the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Soil Ingestion Research Study 
(EPA ICR Number 1965.01). 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 July 2, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 1965.01 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.

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. 1965.01. For technical 
questions about the ICR contact Larry J. Zaragoza (703-603-8867).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Soil Ingestion Research Study (EPA 
ICR No. 1965.01). This is a new collection.
    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 
Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on November 
21, 2000 (65 FR 69936); no written comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 
minutes 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: About 20 paid volunteers will be 
involved in responding to this collection as part of a paid research 
study.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 20 responses.
    Frequency of Response: Daily for 2 weeks.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 20 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 addresses listed above. Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 1965.01 in any correspondence.

    Dated: May 21, 2001.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 01-13842 Filed 5-31-01; 8:45 am]
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