[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 17 (Monday, January 27, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3879-3880]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1777]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OA-2003-0001, FRL-7444-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection and 
Comment Request; National Environmental Performance Track Program

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 EPA is planning to submit a 
continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to renew the existing Performance Track 
Program Level One: The Environmental Achievement Track ICR  
1949.01, OMB 2010-0032, scheduled to expire on June 30, 2003.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 28, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert D. Sachs by telephone at 202-
566-2884, by facsimile at 202-566-0966, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OA-2003-0001, which is available for public 
viewing at the Office of Environmental Information Docket in the EPA 
Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open 
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, 
and the telephone number for the Office of Environmental Information 
Docket is (202) 566-1752. An electronic version of the public docket is 
available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. 
Use EDOCKET to obtain a copy of the draft ICR, submit or view public 
comments, access the index listing of the contents of the public 
docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are 
available electronically. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then 
key in the docket ID number identified above.
    Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB 
within 60 days of this notice, and according to the following detailed 
instructions: (1) Submit your comments to EPA online using EDOCKET (our 
preferred method), by e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA 
Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 2201T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) Mail your 
comments to OMB at: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.
    EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted 
electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing 
in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment 
contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose public 
disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment 
containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that 
material in the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The 
entire printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be 
available in the public docket. Although identified as an item in the 
official docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure is 
otherwise restricted by statute, is not included in the official public 
docket, and will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET. For 
further information about the electronic docket, see EPA's Federal 
Register notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 
31, 2002), or go to http://www.epa.gov./edocket.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
members of the National Environmental Performance Track Program.
    Title: The National Environmental Performance Track Program (OMB 
2010-0032; EPA ICR No. 1949.02) expiring June 30, 2003.
    Abstract: EPA announced the National Environmental Performance 
Track program on June 26, 2000. The program is designed to recognize 
and encourage facilities that consistently meet their legal 
requirements, that have implemented management systems to monitor and 
improve performance, that have voluntarily achieved environmental 
improvements beyond compliance, and that publicly commit to specific 
environmental improvements and report on progress. Applications 
submitted by facilities are used by EPA and participating regulatory 
entities to determine whether the applicant qualifies for the program. 
A total of 277 facilities are current members of this voluntary 
program. Environmental Performance Track members are also required to 
submit an annual performance report documenting their environmental 
performance relative to the commitments they made upon entry into the 
program. This information is important to determine whether 
participants are meeting their commitments, as well as to evaluate the 
effectiveness of the program. The public reporting element of the 
program also provides information to the local community.
    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.
    Burden Statement: EPA estimates that all facilities who voluntarily 
respond to this information collection by electing to participate in 
the National Performance Track program have determined that the 
expected benefits of participation outweigh any burdens associated with 
preparing the response. EPA estimates that the application will

[[Page 3880]]

require approximately 40 hours to complete, and post-acceptance 
activities such as a demonstration of compliance, Environmental 
Management System documentation and reporting, a demonstration of 
continuous improvement, reporting, and public outreach are estimated to 
require approximately 190 hours per facility. EPA estimates total 
respondent costs for the 277 current members to be $295,836 for the 
application phase and $1,497,531 for participation in the program. For 
an individual facility, EPA estimates the application phase to cost 
$1068.00 and program participation to cost $5406.25. Preparing and 
submitting the application is a one-time event and program 
participation activities occur on an annual basis provided that the 
facility remains a member of the program.
    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.

    Dated: January 14, 2003.
Daniel J. Fiorino,
Director, Performance Incentives Division.
[FR Doc. 03-1777 Filed 1-24-03; 8:45 am]
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