[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 183 (Wednesday, September 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56754-56755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-21285]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OECA-2004-0045; FRL-7817-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Region 7 Lead Education and Awareness Project in St. 
Louis, MO (Agency Information Collection), EPA ICR Number 2161.01

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 notice announces that the EPA is planning to submit the 
following proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Compliance Assistance Surveys for the 
Lessors and Lessees Sectors, EPA ICR Number 2161.01. This is a request 
for a new collection and this information request has no prior OMB 
Control Number. 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 November 22, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OECA-
2004-0045, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-
mail to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, OECA Docket, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carolyn Scully, OECA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 566-1752; e-mail address: 
CarolynScully/DC/USEPA/US.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OECA-2004-0045, 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) 566-1752. 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 
the following:

 Lessors located in areas of high risk for lead poisoning in 
St. Louis, Missouri
 Lessees located in areas of high risk for lead poisoning in 
St. Louis, Missouri

    Title: Region 7 Lead Education and Awareness Project in St. Louis, 
Missouri (Agency Information Collection); EPA ICR Number 2161.01.
    Abstract: EPA Region 7 and the Office of Compliance (OC) within the 
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) are planning to 
conduct a performance baseline survey and follow-up survey for the 
Lessors and Lessees sectors. The OC is interested in having a baseline 
performance survey conducted and compliance assistance needs assessed 
for the Lessors sector. In addition, OC is interested in assessing the 
awareness and behavioral change of Lessees through a survey. There are 
three main purposes for these Lessor and Lessee surveys:
    (1) To determine a baseline level of regulatory awareness of and 
compliance with the ``Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act 
of 1992'' (Title X) and the ``Requirements for Disclosure of Known 
Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing'' rule 
(Disclosure Rule), from which to measure the success of the Agency's 
compliance outreach efforts for reporting under the Government 
Performance and Results Act (GPRA). For key sectors for which EPA is 
planning to initiate compliance assistance, a baseline level of 
compliance and regulatory awareness is needed from which to measure 
future progress.
    (2) To determine the effectiveness of the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development's (HUD) education and outreach efforts.
    (3) To determine whether lessees are reading and understanding the 
Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home pamphlet and whether they 
are implementing methods to reduce lead exposure as a result.

[[Page 56755]]

    The EPA Region 7 is planning targeted Disclosure Rule inspections 
in high risk areas of St. Louis, Missouri during FY2005 and/or FY2006. 
The activities planned under the Statistically Valid Compliance 
Assistance Rate study are designed to determine the baseline rate of 
lessors' compliance with the Disclosure Rule and whether lessees are 
reading and understanding the Protect Your Family From Lead In Your 
Home pamphlet and implementing methods to reduce exposure to lead. The 
EPA would like to conduct statistically valid voluntary surveys with a 
sample size of approximately 150 respondents. These surveys will be 
used to establish a performance baseline at the start of the study. A 
follow-up survey will then be conducted to determine progress against 
the baseline.
    The OECA has adopted a sector approach for many of its compliance 
assistance activities. The lessor sector is an example of a sector for 
which EPA has focused many of its compliance assistance activities. 
There is considerable debate as to the extent of regulatory compliance, 
the need for additional compliance assistance, and the effectiveness of 
compliance assistance methods and materials developed for this sector. 
The OECA would like to conduct a statistically valid voluntary survey 
and site-visit survey of a sample of lessor venues in areas of high 
risk for lead poisoning in St. Louis, Missouri to determine a 
performance snapshot of this sector which reflects current sector 
performance with respect to the Disclosure Rule. The surveys will be 
conducted as a voluntary blind sample (i.e., the lessors' identities 
will be unknown to EPA and the lessors will participate voluntarily). 
The results of the survey will provide OECA with information on 
compliance assistance applicable to this sector and information from 
which to measure the success of OECA's compliance assistance programs 
for Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) reporting purposes.
    The EPA Region 7 will evaluate the need for educational outreach 
for an additional sector: lessees in areas of St. Louis, Missouri at 
high risk for lead poisoning. Sufficient data are not available in 
EPA's databases to evaluate the current rate at which lessees are 
reading the EPA pamphlet, Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home, 
and are implementing behavioral changes to reduce lead exposure as a 
result. Therefore, OECA is interested in determining:
     The level of regulatory awareness and compliance in the 
lessor sector;
     Areas of noncompliance and root causes of noncompliance;
     The need for compliance assistance for the lessor sector; 
and
     The need for educational outreach for the lessee sector.
    The OECA is soliciting comment on whether to conduct a 
statistically valid voluntary survey and site-visit survey of a sample 
of lessors and a site-visit survey of a sample of lessees in high risk 
areas of St. Louis.
    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 are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR chapter 15.
    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: The baseline surveys being requested are one-time 
information collections. The public reporting burden for this 
collection of information is estimated to average:
     1.5 hours per respondent.
    ``Burden'' means the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, and 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Lessors conducting business in areas 
of high risk for lead poisoning in St. Louis, Missouri; Lessees living 
in areas of high risk for lead poisoning in St. Louis, Missouri.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Approximately 150 respondents in 
areas of high risk for lead poisoning in St. Louis, Missouri.
    Frequency of Response: Twice (EPA Region 7 will conduct a follow-up 
survey in FY 2007).
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 225 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $10,715.

    Dated: September 10, 2004.
William A. Spratlin,
Director, Air, RCRA, and Toxics Division, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Region 7.

Draft List of Data Elements To Be Included in Collection of Information

Landlord Questions

     Did you provide the tenant with a copy of the pamphlet, 
Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home before you rented the 
housing unit to them?
     Did you provide the tenant with a copy of the Lead Warning 
Statement before you rented the housing unit to them?
     Do you have records and/or reports regarding lead-based 
paint for the housing unit rented to the tenant? If yes, did you 
provide the tenants with a copy of the records and/or reports regarding 
lead-based paint for the housing unit rented to the tenant before you 
rented the housing unit to them?
     Did you complete a disclosure form and have the tenants 
sign and date it before you rented the housing unit to them?

Tenant Questions

     Did you receive the pamphlet, Protect Your Family From 
Lead In Your Home from the landlord before you rented the housing unit? 
If yes, did you read the pamphlet, Protect Your Family From Lead In 
Your Home? If yes, did you make behavior changes because of reading the 
pamphlet, Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home?

[FR Doc. 04-21285 Filed 9-21-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P