[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 175 (Wednesday, September 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53367-53368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-23058]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OAR-2003-0169, FRL-7555-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Conflict of Interest, 1, EPA ICR Number 
1550.05, OMB Control Number 2030-0023

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

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). This is a request to renew an existing 
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on 02/29/2004. 
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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 10, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OAR-2003-
0169, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to 
[email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket, Mail Code: 6102T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Robbins, OAM, 3802R, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-1052; fax number: 
(202) 565-2551; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OAR-2003-0169, which is available for public 
viewing at the Air and Radiation 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 Air and Radiation Docket is (202) 566-1742. 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 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 within 
60 days of this notice. 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

[[Page 53368]]

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. 
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 
those which are awarded contracts supporting the Superfund program.
    Title: Conflict of Interest, Rule 1.
    Abstract: Contractors performing at Superfund sites will be 
required to disclose business relationships and corporate affiliations 
to determine whether EPA's interests are jeopardized by such 
relationships. Because EPA has the dual responsibility of cleanup and 
enforcement and because its contractors are often involved in both 
activities, it is imperative that contractors are free from conflicts 
of interest so as not to prejudice response and enforcement actions. 
Contractors will be required to maintain a database of business 
relationships and report information to EPA on either an annual basis 
or when each work assignment is issued. Responses to the collection are 
required prior to award of a contract. Submissions will be protected 
from public release as Confidential Business Information in accordance 
with 40 CFR 2.201. 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 in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9.
    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: Public burden is estimated to average 1969 hours 
per respondent.
    Annual EPA number of respondents covered by this collection is 
estimated to be 90. The total respondent burden hours is estimated to 
be 177,210. At an average cost of $110,067.10 for each submission, the 
annual cost to the respondents is $9,906,039. The number of respondents 
may fluctuate in any given year based upon how many contracts are 
active at the Agency. Nominal capital or start up costs are expected. 
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: September 3, 2003.
Leigh Pomponio,
Manager, Policy and Oversight Service Center.
[FR Doc. 03-23058 Filed 9-9-03; 8:45 am]
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