[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 123 (Monday, June 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36085-36086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-14607]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ORD-2004-0009, FRL-7778-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request: Inventory of Environmental Public Health Bio 
Monitoring Programs and Health Surveillance Databases for the Mid 
Atlantic Region, EPA ICR Number 2146.01

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 approved 
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 August 27, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number ORD-2004-
0009, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to 
[email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information Docket, Mail 
Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marsha Marsh, U.S. EPA /ORD/Mid 
Atlantic Integrated Assessment Offices (MAIA), Research Triangle Park, 
NC 27722, Mail Code E 343-03; telephone number: 919-541-2542; fax 
number: 919-541-7588; e-mail address: [email protected]; or Patricia 
Bradley, Director, U.S. EPA/ORD/Mid Atlantic Integrated Assessment 
Office (MAIA), Environmental Science Center, 701 Mapes Road, Ft Meade, 
MD 20755-5053; telephone: 410-305-2744; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number ORD-2004-0009, which is available for public 
viewing at the Office of Environmental InformationDocket 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 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 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 http://www.epa.gov/edocket.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
a broad brush of State/Federal/ environmental groups, private 
environmental/health agencies, academic partners/institutions and 
research bodies, both private and public. This is inclusive of but not 
limited to specialities in the areas of ecology, genetics, chemistry , 
geology, hydrology, economics, sociology, psychology, political 
science, statistics, information, GIS, and health science, public 
health, medical and veterinary science, pharmacology, toxicology.
    Title: Inventory Of Environmental Public Health Bio monitoring 
Programs And Health Surveillance Databases For The Mid Atlantic Region.
    Abstract: The overarching theme/rationale of the project is to 
improve the linkages between human health and

[[Page 36086]]

environmental conditions in the Mid Atlantic Region.
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working with Federal/
State/local and academic partners to produce an online interactive, 
spatial inventory of public health bio monitoring databases within 
environmental programs and health surveillance databases for the Mid 
Atlantic region. Data identified by the inventory will contribute to 
the Mid Atlantic Integrated Assessment (MAIA) experimental research and 
monitoring effort that links human health and environmental condition 
and will build upon the success of the MAIA regional scale geographic 
assessment of ecological condition. The efforts will combine many 
scientific disciplines including ecology , chemistry, geology, 
hydrology, economics, sociology, psychology, political science, 
statistics, informatics, GIS, and health science (e.g., public health, 
medical and veterinary science, pharmacology, toxicology, etc) in an 
effort to study the effects of the changed environment upon humans. 
Data is to be collected by the individual interview (either in person 
or by phone calls) on an unpaid voluntary basis. The data in the 
inventory will be available electronically and on the Internet for use 
by a variety of resource managers, regulators, the scientific community 
and the informed public. The data will allow the user to identify the 
location, purpose, agency/institution participation, parameter 
characteristics (type, frequency, format) and data disposition for each 
inventoried program. The inventory will contain information on program 
design, program administration, and specific meta-data on parameters 
that are monitored on environmental health. It will not include any 
personal information or any confidential information.
    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) enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (iii) 
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 number of respondents will average some 75-85 
respondents from multiple sources inclusive of public/private/State/
Federal and independent groups for issues of broad national interest 
within public health and environmental bio-monitoring areas. It is 
estimated to average 1 hour per respondent for completion of the survey 
tool, which is voluntary. Frequency of this burden is only once until 
the surveillance program is reorganized or altered. The total cost of 
the start-up, capital, O & M should average approximately $2,000.00. 
The survey tools are administered individually to each respondent, thus 
there are no postage costs incurred or other related expenses for the 
respondents within the survey sample to be pooled. Burden means the 
total time, effort, or financial resources expended by person 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; search data sources; 
complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or 
otherwise disclose the information.

    Dated: June 7, 2004.
Steve Hedtke,
Acting Director, National Health Environmental Effects Research 
Laboratory.
[FR Doc. 04-14607 Filed 6-25-04; 8:45 am]
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