[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 32 (Friday, February 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7150-7151]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-3771]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7146-6]


Office of Research and Development; Agency Information Collection 
Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Health Effects of 
Microbial Pathogens in Recreational Waters

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 notice announces that the EPA is planning to submit the 
following Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB).

TITLE: Health Effects of Microbial Pathogens in Recreational Waters.
    Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, the EPA 
is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information 
collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 16, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Public comments should be submitted to: Dr. Rebecca L. 
Calderon, US EPA (M D 58-C), Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested persons may obtain a copy 
of the ICR without charge by contacting: Dr. Rebecca L. Calderon, (919) 
966-0617, FAX: (919) 966-0655, E-mail: 
[email protected], or by mailing a request to the 
address above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
families frequenting fresh and marine water beaches in the continental 
United States.
    Title: Health Effects of Microbial Pathogens in Recreational 
Waters.
    Abstract: This study will be conducted, and the information 
collected, by the Epidemiology and Biomarkers Branch, Human Studies 
Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Research 
Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA). Participation of adults and children in this 
collection of information is strictly voluntary.
    This information is being collected as part of a research program 
consistent with the Sec. 3(a)(v)(1) of the Beaches Environmental 
Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000 and the strategic

[[Page 7151]]

plan for EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the Office 
of Water entitled ``Action Plan for Beaches and Recreational Water.'' 
The Beaches Act and ORD's strategic plan has identified research on 
effects of microbial pathogens in recreational waters as a high-
priority research area with particular emphasis on developing new water 
quality indicator guidelines for recreational waters. The EPA has broad 
legislative authority to establish water quality criteria and to 
conduct research to support these criteria. This data collection is for 
a series of epidemiological studies to evaluate exposure to and effects 
of microbial pathogens in marine and fresh recreational waters as part 
of the EPA's research program on exposure and health effects of 
microbial pathogens in recreational waters. The research plan includes 
piloting the collection of both recreational information and water 
quality information during the summer months of 2002. Multiple sites 
with refined study design will be conducted in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The 
information collected by this study program will be used to estimate 
the relationship between water quality indicators and health effects. 
The questionnaire health data will be compared with routinely collected 
water quality measurements. The analysis will focus on determining 
whether any water quality parameters are associated with increased 
prevalence of swimming-related health effects.

Burden Statement

    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.

                                  Table 1.--Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
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                                                      Estimated                            Annual
       Type of respondent            Respondent       number of     Burden   Frequency   reporting   Annual cost
                                     activities      respondents    hours                  burden
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Parent.........................  Beach Interview...         1500       0.40          1          600   \a\ $8,832
Parent.........................  Complete home              1200       0.33          1          396    \a\ 5,830
                                  interview I (80%).
Parent.........................  Complete home               960       0.17          1          163        2,400
                                  interview II
                                  (80%).
                                                    ------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals.....................  ..................  ...........  .........  .........     1,159 hr       17,062
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\a\ $14.72/hour (average hourly wage).

    There are no direct respondent costs for this data collection.

No Annual Record Keeping Burden

    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.

    Dated: February 4, 2002.
Linda Birnbaum,
Director, Human Studies Division, National Health & Environmental 
Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development.
[FR Doc. 02-3771 Filed 2-14-02; 8:45 am]
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