[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 78 (Wednesday, April 23, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19986-19987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-10164]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OEI-2003-0027, FRL-7488-1]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; State Laboratory Capacity and Capability

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) will be forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: State Laboratory Capacity and 
Capability (EPA ICR No. 2110.01). Before submitting the ICR to OMB for 
review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of 
the proposed information collection as described below. EPA also 
solicits comment on its intention to seek an emergency clearance from 
OMB to begin collecting data from State Environmental Laboratories and 
select State Agriculture and State Public Health Laboratories.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 14, 2003. If EPA 
does not receive adverse comments on or before this date regarding 
EPA's request for emergency clearance, EPA intends to seek a 180-day 
emergency clearance from OMB to begin collecting information from State 
Laboratories.

ADDRESSES: Follow the detailed instructions in SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Don Flattery, U.S. EPA, Office of 
Environmental Information (2810-A), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW., 
Washington DC 20460. Phone: (202) 564-4677; fax (202) 501-1622; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OEI-2003-0027, 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 collection of information, 
submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the 
contents of the public docket, and 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 21 days of this notice, and according to the following detailed 
instructions: (1) Submit your comments to EPA online using EDOCKET (our 
preferred method), by email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA 
Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental 
Information Docket, 28221T, 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

[[Page 19987]]

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.
    Title: State Laboratory Capacity and Capability, EPA ICR Number 
2110.01. This is a request for a new information collection, and a 
notification that EPA will seek an emergency clearance from OMB to 
begin collecting information.
    Abstract: In early 2003, EPA completed a compendium of Laboratory 
Capability and Capacity. The compendium, available to EPA's emergency 
response community and select managers and staff, is contained in a 
data base that allows queries based on analytical capabilities, 
instrumentation, special handling abilities and location. This useful 
information was developed through a survey issued to EPA's thirty-four 
fixed and two mobile laboratories. EPA has been asked by the Department 
of Homeland Security to pursue development of subsequent phases of this 
compendium to collect identical information from State laboratory 
sources. When complete, this information will result in a resource 
available to select State, local and federal entities involved in 
response to terrorist incidents involving unknown or suspected 
chemical, biological or radiological agents. 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: The one time public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4.0 
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: 50 States.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
    Frequency of Response: Two per State.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 400 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $30,000; includes $6,000 O&M costs and 
$0 capital and startup costs.

E. Ramona Trovato,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Environmental Information.
[FR Doc. 03-10164 Filed 4-22-03; 8:45 am]
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