[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76464-76465]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-27885]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ORD-2004-0022, FRL-7850-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Technology Performance and Product Information To 
Support Vendor Information Summaries, EPA ICR Number 2154.02, OMB 
Control Number 2050-0194

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 February 28, 
2005. 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 February 10, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number ORD-2004-
0022, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to 
[email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, ORD Docket, 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric N. Koglin, Environmental 
Protection Agency, P.O. Box 93478, Las Vegas, Nevada 89193-3478; 
telephone number: 702-798-2332; fax number: 702-798-2291; e-mail 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number ORD-2004-0022, which is available for public 
viewing at the ORD 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 ORD 
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, confidential business 
information (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 
vendors and developers of technologies (commercially available and 
those under development) that are intended to be used to decontaminate 
structures (e.g., buildings (interior and exterior) and water 
distribution systems) contaminated with chemical, biological, or 
radiological materials and technologies for use in detecting, 
measuring, and monitoring these same materials in air, on surfaces, and 
in water.
    Title: Technology Performance and Product Information to Support 
Vendor Information Summaries.
    Abstract: The U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development's 
National Homeland Security Research Center

[[Page 76465]]

(NHSRC) is helping to protect human health and the environment from 
adverse impacts resulting from intentional acts of terror. With an 
emphasis on decontamination and consequence management, water 
infrastructure protection, and threat and consequence assessment, NHSRC 
scientists and engineers are working to develop tools and information 
that will help detect the intentional introduction of chemical, 
biological, and radiological contaminants in buildings or water 
systems, the containment of these contaminants, the decontamination of 
buildings and/or water systems, and the disposal of material resulting 
from cleanups. With a substantial background in environmental 
protection and risk management, NHSRC researchers are well-positioned 
to develop the tools and technologies needed to respond to existing and 
potential terrorist threats. The focus of these efforts is aimed at 
providing advice, guidance, and scientific expertise on homeland 
security issues to emergency response personnel, consequence managers, 
decision-makers, and government officials that will result in improved 
protection for all citizens.
    An important facet of the NHSRC mission is identifying, testing, 
and evaluating technologies to support water utility operators, 
emergency responders, and facility managers. EPA lacks a well 
documented array of technological tools to adequately address all of 
the monitoring, detection, decontamination, and treatment tasks 
associated with remediating contaminated facilities and drinking water 
supply systems. EPA is aware that significant research, development, 
and commercialization efforts are underway by the private sector, but 
EPA needs to manage the information concerning the myriad of technology 
choices faced by its customers.
    EPA has initiated this effort to develop brief vendor information 
summaries of available technologies relevant to the detection and 
decontamination of drinking water systems, building materials, building 
structures, and indoor air that may become contaminated with chemical, 
biological, or radiological contaminants. These summaries will be based 
upon vendor-generated or provided information including any 
independent, validated test data generated by governmental or other 
organizations and provided to EPA through this ICR.
    EPA will produce 4-10 page summaries on each of the technologies 
for which vendors voluntarily agreed to submit the requested 
information. These summaries will be shared with EPA and other 
emergency response personnel, building and facility managers, and water 
utility operators. The information provided by technology developers 
and vendors will also be used by the NHSRC's Technology Testing and 
Evaluation Program (TTEP) to identify technologies that may be suitable 
candidates for testing and evaluation and to track those technologies 
under development that may eventually be ready for rigorous testing and 
evaluation. Developers and vendors with applicable technologies are 
being searched through all available mechanisms. Once identified, the 
developer or vendor is sent a letter requesting the submission of 
specific information pertinent to the performance, operation, 
maintenance, and cost of the technology.
    The submission of information is voluntary. Because the summarized 
information will be publically available, technology vendors/developers 
will be discouraged from submitting CBI. 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: EPA estimates that 150 technology developers or 
vendors will annually respond to this request for information. EPA 
assumes that the vendors or developers have data supporting their claim 
of efficacy, but will not require that it be generated if that is not 
the case. EPA estimates 1-4 hours of time (average 2.5 hours) will be 
expended by the companies collating existing information, photocopying, 
and submitting packages to EPA. The request letter will require the 
recipient to devote time (i.e., as measured by staff man-hours) and 
resources (i.e., to copy documents and mail responses) to produce 
acceptable responses. EPA expects that the companies will be 
photocopying existing information, test results, and testing procedures 
as well as product literature, to respond to this request for 
information and, where possible, submitting documents electronically.
    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: December 13, 2004.
Andrew P. Avel,
Acting Director, National Homeland Security Research Center.
[FR Doc. 04-27885 Filed 12-20-04; 8:45 am]
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