[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 125 (Friday, June 28, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 43594]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-16357]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7239-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; ``Reliability, Validity, and Variability in 
Behavioral Determinants of Drinking Water Disinfection By-Product 
Exposure''

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: Reliability, Validity, and 
Variability in Behavioral Determinants of Drinking Water Disinfection 
By-Product Exposure, EPA ICR No. 2030.01. 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 29, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 2030.01 to the 
following addresses: Susan Auby, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Collection Strategies Division (Mail Code 2822T), 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 Susan 
Auby at EPA by phone at (202) 566-1672, by E-mail at 
[email protected], or download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 2030.01. For technical 
questions about the ICR contact Dr. Patricia A. Murphy, phone 732-906-
6830, fax 732-906-6845, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Reliability, Validity, and 
Variability in Behavior Determinants of Drinking Water Disinfection By-
Product Exposure, EPA ICR No. 2030.01. This is a new collection.
    Abstract: This study aims to characterize the reliability, 
validity, and variability of questionnaire-based information on water 
usage patterns collected in environmental epidemiologic studies. The 
study builds on a recently funded study entitled ``Drinking Water 
Disinfectant By-products and Spontaneous Abortion'' funded by the 
American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AWWARF) which was 
recently initiated. The present study will add a substudy component to 
the parent AWWARF study. It provides for reinterview of a 10% sample 
(300 women) of the parent study participants for a reliability substudy 
and an additional 10% sample (300 women) for a validity substudy. The 
human behavioral aspects, i.e., water usage patterns over time, that 
will affect one's coming into contact with an ambient level of a 
particular chemical, is an important source of variability and this has 
not been well characterized in previous drinking water epidemiology 
studies. Better characterization of the reliability, variability, and 
validity of this information, generally obtained through recall in a 
questionnaire, will decrease uncertainties related to misclassification 
of the exposure variables and enhance our ability to more clearly 
interpret the validity and accuracy of reported study findings. All 
participation and responses are voluntary. Confidentiality of responses 
will be maintained. 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 
July 27, 2001 (FR 66 39159); No comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 
hour 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: Women of childbearing age who are 
currently voluntarily enrolled and participating in an ongoing 
epidemiologic study entitled ``Drinking Water Disinfectant By-Products 
and Spontaneous Abortion.''
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 600 .
    Frequency of Response: Once.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 525 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. 2030.01 in any correspondence.

    Dated: June 19, 2002.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 02-16357 Filed 6-27-02; 8:45 am]
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