[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5178-5179]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-1863]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OAR-2004-0491, FRL-7865-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; General Conformity of Federal Actions to State 
Implementation Plans, EPA ICR Number 1637.06, OMB Control Number 2060-
0279

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 and 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 April 
30, 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 April 4, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OAR-2004-
0491, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to 
[email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket, 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Annie Nikbakht, Ozone Policy and 
Strategies Group, Mail Drop C539-02, Environmental Protection Agency, 
109 T.W. Alexander Drive, RTP, North Carolina 27711; telephone number: 
(919) 541-5246 ; fax number: (919) 541-0824 ; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OAR-2004-0491, which is available for public 
viewing at the Air and Radiation Docket

[[Page 5179]]

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 Air and 
Radiation Docket is (202) 566-1742. 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 
those which take Federal actions, or are subject to Federal actions, 
and emit pollutants above de minimis levels.
    Title: General Conformity of Federal Actions to State 
Implementation Plans.
    Abstract: Before any agency, department, or instrumentality of the 
Federal government engages in, supports in any way, provides financial 
assistance for, licenses, permits, approves any activity, that agency 
has the affirmative responsibility to ensure that such action conforms 
to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the attainment and 
maintenance of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). 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. Section 176(c) of the Clean Air 
Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) requires that all Federal Actions conform 
with the SIPs to attain and maintain the NAAQS. The EPA's implementing 
regulations require Federal entities to make a conformity determination 
for all actions which will impact areas designated as nonattainment or 
maintenance for the NAAQS and which will result in total direct and 
indirect emissions in excess of de minimis levels. The Federal entities 
must collect information themselves, hire consultants to collect the 
information or require applicants/sponsors of the Federal action to 
provide the information.
    The type and quantity of information required will depend on the 
circumstances surrounding the action. First, the entity must make an 
applicability determination. If the net total direct and indirect 
emissions do not exceed de minimis levels established in the 
regulations or if the action meets certain criteria for an exemption, a 
conformity determination is not required. Actions requiring conformity 
determinations vary from straightforward, requiring minimal information 
to complex, requiring significant amounts of information. The Federal 
entity must determine the type and quantity of information on a case-
by-case basis. State and local air pollution control agencies are 
usually requested to provide information to the Federal entities making 
a conformity determination and are provided opportunities to comment on 
the proposed determinations. The public is also provided an opportunity 
to comment on the proposed determinations.
    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 estimated total annual projected burden to 
respondents of Federal Agencies is 64,174 hours, with a cost of 
$2,327,690. The estimated total annual projected burden to non-Federal 
agency respondents is 9,000 hours and $538,829. The estimated total 
annual projected burden for the EPA is 5,355 hours and $264,480. The 
estimated total annual projected burden for States and local agencies 
is 1,246 hours and $61,579. The total annual burden is estimated to be 
79,775 hours and $3,192,578. For the 3 years covered by this ICR, the 
total burden is estimated to be 239,324 hours and $9,577,734. 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: January 25, 2005.
Gregory A. Green,
Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 05-1863 Filed 1-31-05; 8:45 am]
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