[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7213-7214]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-3229]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OA-2003-0009, FRL-7618-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Information Collection Request for Obtaining Feedback 
on Public Involvement Activities and Processes, EPA ICR Number OA-2003-
0009

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this notice announces that the EPA is planning to submit a 
request for a new Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). Before submitting the ICR to OMB for 
review and approval, the EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects 
of the proposed information collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 15, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OA-2003-
0009, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to 
[email protected], or by mail to EPA Docket Center, OEI Docket Mail 
Code--2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pat Bonner, Office of the 
Administrator/ Public Involvement Staff--Mail Code 1807T, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: 202-566-2204; fax number: 202-566-2200 and e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OA-2003-

[[Page 7214]]

0009 which is available for public viewing within the Office of 
Environmental Information (OEI) Docket of 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 OEI's 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 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 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 www.epa.gov./edocket.
    Affected entities: Entities and individuals potentially affected by 
this action are those who participate in EPA public involvement 
activities.
    Title: Obtaining Feedback on Public Involvement Activities.
    Abstract: Individuals who participate in EPA public involvement 
activities directly will be asked to voluntarily complete feedback 
surveys. Respondents will do no preparation or records retention; 
individual input will be aggregated and remain confidential. EPA staff 
and managers will use a series of feedback surveys and will not deviate 
from the OMB-approved questions. Questionnaires will be short, easy for 
staff to use and respondents to complete. Results will be immediately 
applied to improve similar events; to assist in evaluating and 
improving individual events such as hearings, meetings, listening 
sessions, small group discussions, stakeholder negotiations, Federal 
Advisory Committee Act group meetings, community advisory group 
meetings, etc; and to improve the consistency and effectiveness of 
public involvement practices and processes agency wide. 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 EPA encourages comments to:
    (i) Evaluate or suggest whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of Agency 
functions, including whether the information has practical utility;
    (ii) evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's burden estimate, 
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 appropriate applications of information 
technology.
    Burden: The average estimated burden for each response is 9.9 
minutes. Some respondents will complete the same questionnaire several 
times within the ICR period. This is necessary and appropriate since 
only they will be able to experience changes made in response to their 
input. Time is the only direct respondent cost. Respondent cost was 
$15.46/hour wage for civilian wage and salary workers, the October 2003 
Bureau of Labor Statistics figure, plus a 35% benefits factor for 
$20.87 per hour. The EPA estimates the following:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Burden
                    Year                      Respondents     hours                  Respondent cost
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004.......................................        12,794     2,152.58  $3.51/response.
2005.......................................        16,531     2,737.02  $3.45/response.
2006.......................................        19,298     3,215.2   $3.47/response.
                                            ---------------
    Total..................................        48,623     8,104.8   $3.48/response.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The average is .167 burden hours or ten minutes/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, including 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: February 10, 2004.
Jessica L. Furey,
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation.
[FR Doc. 04-3229 Filed 2-12-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P