[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 193 (Thursday, October 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50641-50642]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24898]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7071-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Superfund Site Evaluation and Hazard Ranking 
System

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: ``Superfund Site Evaluation 
and Hazard Ranking System,'' OMB Control Number 2050-0095; expiring 
September 30, 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 November 5, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 1488.05 and OMB 
Control No. 2050-0095 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) 260-4901, by e-mail at 
[email protected], or download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 1488.05. For technical 
questions about the ICR contact Randy Hippen at EPA by phone at (703) 
603-8829 or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Superfund Site Evaluation and Hazard Ranking System (OMB 
Control No.2050-0095; EPA ICR No. 1488.05) expiring September 30, 2001. 
This is a request for extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, 1980 and 1986) amends the 
National Oil and Hazardous Substances Contingency Plan (NCP) to include 
criteria prioritizing releases

[[Page 50642]]

throughout the U.S. before undertaking remedial action at uncontrolled 
hazardous waste sites. The Hazard Ranking System (HRS) is a model that 
is used to evaluate the relative threats to human health and the 
environment posed by actual or potential releases of hazardous 
substances, pollutants, and contaminants. The HRS criteria take into 
account the population at risk, the hazard potential of the substances, 
as well as the potential for contamination of drinking water supplies, 
direct human contact, destruction of sensitive ecosystems, damage to 
natural resources affecting the human food chain, contamination of 
surface water used for recreation or potable water consumption, and 
contamination of ambient air.
    Under this ICR, the States will apply the HRS by identifying and 
classifying those releases that warrant further investigation. The 
information collected under this ICR is required to help determine 
whether a site is eligible to be included on the National Priorities 
List (NPL). Only sites on the NPL are eligible for Superfund-financed 
remedial actions. 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 
April 26, 2001; no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to range from 44 
to 1,870 hours per site depending on how far a site progresses through 
the site assessment process. Sites needing Pre-CERCLIS Screening and no 
other Superfund site assessment work will require an average of 44 
hours per site, while sites progressing though all of the major phases 
of the site assessment process will require an average of 1,870 hours 
per site. 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: States, Indian Tribes, and U.S. 
Territories performing Superfund site evaluation activities.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 60.
    Frequency of Response: One time.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 230,533 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. 1488.05 and OMB Control No. 2050-0095 in any 
correspondence.

    Dated: September 24, 2001.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 01-24898 Filed 10-3-01; 8:45 am]
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