[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 84 (Friday, April 30, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23744-23745]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-9871]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OECA-2004-0023; FRL-7655-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) Survey of 
State Performance Measures, EPA ICR Number 2143.01

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 
proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request for a new collection. 
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 June 29, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OECA-
2004-0023, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by email 
to intranet.epa.gov/edocket, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Vendinello, Office of Compliance, 
Mail Code 2222a, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-7066; fax 
number: (202) 564-0031; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OECA-2004-0023, which is available for 
public viewing at the OECA 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 OECA Docket is (202) 566-1514. 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 potentially affected by this action are 
the state environmental commissioners.
    Title: ECOS Survey of State Performance Measures.
    Abstract: The survey in question asks state environmental 
commissioners to report on their contribution to enforcement and 
compliance assistance for 2000-2003. They are asked to refer to their 
own records and account for the number of inspections, reviews, 
complaints etc. that have taken shape during this time. They are also 
asked to give the number and type of mechanisms and fines applied and 
collected. It also questions if and how the states feel they have been 
effective using these methods. There is a section of the survey asking 
the states to rate how important and useful they feel the statistics 
and reports required by the EPA are in conveying the current conditions 
within their borders. Importantly, the survey also aims to capture 
information about state activity in outcome measurement. In particular, 
it asks states about their experiences with compliance rate measurement 
and with calculating the environmental benefits of enforcement actions 
and compliance assistance. The survey is designed to capture compliance 
rates and activities directly from state records. This will provide a 
means in which the states' efforts to promote the EPA's philosophy on 
enforcement and compliance can be more readily monitored. The responses 
to this collection of information are voluntary. The information 
obtained by this survey is completely confidential unless a state wants 
their information to be publicized. 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. This survey will provide information that will assist in 
the creation of a report. This will show if there is a discrepancy in 
the data found in the states databases and EPA's database. In addition 
to providing the EPA with the information it needs to more successfully 
function in the way it was designed to, this survey is also keeping the 
states burden at a minimum. This is being done by the use of electronic 
responses.

    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,

[[Page 23745]]

mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of 
responses.

    Burden Statement: The survey will be distributed to one 
representative from each state. An estimated 49 voluntary responses 
will be retrieved. EPA estimates that participating entities may need 
to spend between one to two hours completing this survey. A total of 98 
hours may be spent to provide EPA and ECOS with this data. This burden 
hour estimate translates to a cost of $75/39per entity that voluntarily 
completes the survey resulting in the total of $3,694.21 (based on 
labor rates obtained from the United States of Commerce, Bureau of 
Labor Statistics, December 2003, State and local government, by 
occupational and industry group). There should be no additional capital 
or other non-labor costs.
    Affected Entities: 50.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 49.
    Frequency of Response: one time.
    Estimated Total Hour Burden: 98 hours.
    Estimated Total Capital and Other Non-labor Costs: $0.
    Estimated Total Labor Costs: $3,694.21.
    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: March 31, 2004.
Michael M. Stahl,
Office Director, Office of Compliance, Office of Enforcement and 
Compliance Assurance.
[FR Doc. 04-9871 Filed 4-29-04; 8:45 am]
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