[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 1, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 39754]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-19164]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7022-1]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; National Oil and Hazardous Substance 
Contingency Plan

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: National Oil and Hazardous 
Substances Pollution Contingency Plan, EPA ICR No. 1463.05, OMB No. 
2050-0096, expiring on July 31, 2001. 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 August 31, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 1463.05 and OMB 
Control No. 2050-0096, to the following addresses: Sandy Farmer, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Collection Strategies Division (Mail 
Code 2822), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; 
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. 1463.05. For technical 
questions about the ICR contact Lois Gartner by phone at (703) 603-8889 
or by E-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: National Oil and Hazardous Substances 
Pollution Contingency Plan (OMB Control No. 2050-0096; EPA ICR No. 
1463.05) expiring July 31, 2001. This ICR is an extension of a 
currently approved collection.
    Abstract: This ICR addresses the recordkeeping and reporting 
provisions of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution 
Contingency Plan (NCP; 40 CFR part 300) for states that voluntarily 
participate in the remedial action phase of the Superfund program. The 
NCP requires states that voluntarily take the lead in remedial 
activities at Superfund sites to conduct those activities in a manner 
consistent with CERCLA (40 CFR 300.515(a)). In addition, this ICR 
addresses the record keeping and reporting provisions of the NCP that 
affect communities voluntarily providing their concerns to the lead 
agency about the Superfund process.
    EPA funds state activity at 90 percent from the CERCLA Hazardous 
Substances Response Trust Fund (the Fund) for state-lead activities via 
cooperative agreements with EPA as provided in CERCLA section 
104(d)(1)(42 U.S.C. 9604(d)(1)). States are not reimbursed from the 
fund for identification of state sites and community members are not 
reimbursed for participation in community involvement activities. 
Despite the fact that community members are not reimbursed for their 
time, this ICR estimates the time costs imposed on community members 
who voluntarily participate in community activities tied to the 
Superfund process.
    The nature of the data being gathered as part of this information 
collection is not confidential. Information may be gathered from 
Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) that the PRP considers to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI). When PRPs designate 
information as CBI, EPA follows restricted access procedures in 
handling the information. Lists of participants in community interview 
and lists of attendees of public meetings are not confidential. Some 
data gathered during community interviews may not be releasable, 
however, due to privacy concerns.
    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 9, 
2001 (66 FR 14136); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 572 
hours per site for states and 170 hours per site per citizen at 90 
percent of Superfund sites. For 10 percent of Superfund sites--those 
sites where formal community group activities occur--the average is 330 
hours per site per citizen. A ``unit'' burden is the burden incurred by 
a respondent for performing an individual site-specific activity. 
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: Individuals or households, and 
state, local or tribal governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,965.
    Frequency of Response: As required.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 185,860 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. 1463.05 and OMB Control No. 2050-0096 in any 
correspondence.

    Dated: July 18, 2001.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 01-19164 Filed 7-31-01; 8:45 am]
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