[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 127 (Friday, July 2, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40369-40370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15104]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[SFUND-2004-0008, FRL-7781-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Cooperative Agreements and Superfund State Contracts 
for Superfund Response Actions, EPA ICR Number 1487.08, OMB Control 
Number 2050-0179

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 
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 November 30, 
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 August 31, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number SFUND-
2004-0008, 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 Solid Waste and Emergency 
Response (OSWER), Superfund docket, mail code 5202T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kirby Biggs, Office of Emergency and 
Remedial Response, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 703-308-8506; fax 
number: 703-308-2358; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number SFUND-2004-0008, which is available for 
public viewing at the Superfund 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 Superfund Docket is (202) 566-0276. 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 
States, Federally-recognized Indian tribes and Tribal Consortia, and 
political subdivisions which apply to EPA for financial assistance 
under a Superfund cooperative agreement or a Superfund State Contract.
    Title: Cooperative Agreements and Superfund State Contracts for 
Superfund Response Actions.
    Abstract: This ICR authorizes the collection of information under 
40 CFR part 35, subpart O, which establishes the administrative 
requirements for cooperative agreements funded under the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) for 
State, Federally-recognized Indian tribal governments, and political 
subdivision response actions. This regulation also codifies the 
administrative requirements for Superfund State Contracts for non-State 
lead remedial responses. This regulation includes only those provisions 
mandated by CERCLA, required by OMB Circulars, or added by EPA to 
ensure sound and effective financial assistance management under this 
regulation. The information is collected from applicants and/or 
recipients of EPA assistance and is used to make awards, pay 
recipients, and collect information on how Federal funds are being 
utilized. EPA requires this information to meet its Federal stewardship 
responsibilities. Recipient responses are required to obtain a benefit 
(Federal funds) under 40 CFR part 31, ``Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local 
Governments'' and under 40 CFR part 35, ``State and Local Assistance.'' 
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: In the previously approved ICR, it was estimated 
that the annual number of respondents was 581, and the average annual 
reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection is estimated to 
be 8.8 hours per response. The estimated total annual burden is 
approximately 5,115 hours, and here are no capital/startup or 
operations and maintenance costs associated with this ICR. 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

[[Page 40370]]

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: June 22, 2004.
Elizabeth Southerland,
Director, Assessment and Remediation Division, Office of Superfund 
Remediation and Technology Innovation.
[FR Doc. 04-15104 Filed 7-1-04; 8:45 am]
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