[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 56 (Friday, March 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13324-13325]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-6997]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7162-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Institutional Controls Tracking Systems and 
Costs Survey

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: Institutional Controls 
Tracking Systems and Costs Survey, EPA ICR No. 2043.01. 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 April 22, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 2043.01, to the 
following addresses: Susan Auby, 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 Susan 
Auby 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. 2043.01. For technical questions about the 
ICR, contact Michael E. Bellot by phone at (703) 603-8905.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Institutional Controls Tracking Systems and Costs Survey 
(EPA ICR No. 2043.01). This is a new collection.
    Abstract: The Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR) is 
currently researching the development of a system for tracking 
institutional controls at Superfund sites. Institutional controls are 
non-engineered site measures such as administrative or legal controls 
that minimize the potential for exposure to contamination or protect 
the integrity of a remedy by limiting land or resource use. Proper 
implementation, monitoring, and enforcement of institutional controls 
are critical to EPA's core mission of protecting human health and the 
environment. Although institutional control mechanisms are necessary 
parts of many site remedies, they are often implemented, monitored, or 
enforced by state, tribal or local governments. OERR is proposing to 
complete a study that includes: (1) Conducting research into the types 
of institutional controls tracking systems that are currently in use 
and evaluating their relative strengths and weaknesses; (2) developing 
a focused list of data collection points and definitions; (3) 
developing and piloting a process for the collection of data to be used 
to estimate data availability and the cost and time required for data 
acquisition; (4) developing a data entry process; and (5) researching 
the feasibility of sharing data and linking federal, state, tribal and 
local institutional control tracking in a web-based system. In a second 
phase of this study, OERR is planning to develop the tracking system, 
establish data linkages, and populate the database. This proposed ICR 
specifies information necessary to determine what types of 
institutional controls tracking systems are currently in use; their 
purpose, scope, and structure; the kinds of data they track; their data 
entry, quality assurance, administration, and access features; data 
querying capabilities; compatibility with a future EPA system; 
development, population, and operating costs; and lessons learned from 
developing, implementing, and operating these systems. EPA estimates 
that approximately 52 States, 10 Tribes, and no more than 200 local 
agencies (planning, zoning, and real estate recording offices) will be 
surveyed. If approved by OMB, respondents will have 60 days from 
receipt of the survey to submit their responses. In addition to the 
survey, this proposed ICR includes EPA requests for clarifications, 
questions and updates to the survey, and agency visits. Clarifications 
and updates will be necessary if EPA has follow-up questions regarding 
responses or if EPA requires more information to understand a tracking 
system. Up to 50 agencies may be required to submit more detailed 
descriptions. EPA

[[Page 13325]]

proposes to visit up to 20 agencies to evaluate institutional controls 
tracking systems. Responding to the survey is entirely voluntary. 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 October 2, 2001 (66 FR 
50182); 19 comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 10 
hours 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: States, Tribes, and Local Agencies.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 262.
    Frequency of Response: One time only.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 2,620 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. 2043.01 in any correspondence.

    Dated: March 14, 2002.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 02-6997 Filed 3-21-02; 8:45 am]
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