[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54044-54046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18091]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[SFUND-2004-0014, FRL-7968-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; The 2005 National Survey of Local Emergency Planning 
Committees, EPA ICR Number 1903.02, OMB Control Number 2050-0162

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

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 continuing 
collection. The prior collection for the 1999 National Survey of Local 
Emergency Planning Committees expired on June 30, 2002. 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 November 14, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number SFUND-
2004-0014, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-
mail to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Superfund Docket, Mailcode 5202T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Jennings, Office of Emergency 
Management (OEM), OSWER, Mailcode 5104A, Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: (202) 564-7998; fax number: (202) 564-8222; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number SFUND-2004-0014, which is available for 
public viewing at the Superfund Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/
DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution

[[Page 54045]]

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.epas.gov/edocket. Use EDOCKET to 
obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, to submit to view 
public comments, to 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 entitles: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those which hold a leadership position on Local Emergency Planning 
Committees (LEPCs). It is anticipated that the majority of respondents 
will be LEPC chairs.
    Title: National Survey of Local Emergency Planning Committees.
    Abstract: The Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Emergency 
Response (OEM) proposes to conduct a nationwide survey of Local 
Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs). The information will be used to 
assess the general progress, status, and activity level of LEPCs. This 
collection also addresses reporting requirements under the Government 
Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, which stipulates that 
agencies focus on evaluating their program activities in terms of 
outputs and outcomes. This ICR is necessary to evaluate whether OEM is 
successfully providing national leadership and assistance to local 
communities in preparing for and preventing chemical emergencies.
    The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 
(EPCRA) introduced a fundamental change in the regulation of chemical 
facilities and the prevention of and preparedness for chemical 
accidents. This law seeks to improve emergency preparedness and reduce 
the risk of chemical accidents by providing information to citizens 
about chemical hazards in their community. EPCRA is premised on the 
concept that the more informed local citizens are, the more involved 
they will become in prevention and preparedness activities. For this 
``informational regulation'' to be effective, the public must receive 
accurate and reliable information that is easy to understand and 
practical to use.
    EPCRA mandates the creation of LEPCs as a means for local 
government, law enforcement, health officials, and emergency responders 
to work with chemical facilities, the media and community groups to 
develop formal plans for responding to chemical emergencies.
    LEPC activities include: Receiving chemical hazards data from 
facilities in their community and providing this information to the 
local public; developing local emergency response plans, which are 
annually reviewed, tested, and updated; serving as a point of contact 
for discussing and sharing information about hazardous substances, 
emergency planning, and health and environmental risk; and notifying 
the public of LEPC activities and other pertinent information.
    In general, LEPCs provide local citizens an opportunity to 
participate actively in understanding chemical hazards, planning for 
emergency response and reducing the risk of chemical emergencies. To be 
judged effective, LEPCs must be compliant with the requirements of 
EPCRA and actively carry out these responsibilities. LEPC's level of 
satisfaction with the information, guidance, and support they receive 
will heavily influence their ability to fulfill their duties. The 2005 
National Survey of LEPCs will collect information to evaluate the 
status and activity level of these planning bodies and their 
satisfaction with OEM products and services.
    This proposed information collection builds upon previous 
assessments conducted by OEM. In 1999, a nationwide survey of LEPCs 
revealed various strengths and weaknesses among LEPCs. Since that time, 
no systematic nationwide measurement of the progress of LEPCs has been 
conducted. Over the past five years, local emergency planning has 
evolved, most notably, in the amount of information that is now 
available to assist LEPCs in preparing for and preventing chemical 
emergencies. In June 1999, this information expanded further with the 
addition of facility specific chemical hazards data and risk management 
plans made available under amendments to the Clean Air Act in 1990 
(section 112(r)--the Risk Management Program Rule for the prevention of 
chemical accidents).
    The primary goals of this research are to: (1) Track the progress 
of LEPCs by updating the 1999 baseline data on a series of key 
performance indicators; and (2) probe current LEPC practices and 
preferences regarding several important sets of issues, including: 
communications with local citizens, proactive accident prevention 
efforts, and the effectiveness of selected OEM products and services.
    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: OEM estimates that there will be 3,300 
respondents to this information collection and each respondent will 
spend 15 minutes completing and submitting an on-line response form, 
for a total response of 825 hours. Based on an average hourly rate of 
$30.06 (an average hourly rate, including benefits, of both private and 
state employees), the survey developers expect that the average per-
respondent cost for the pilot survey will be $7.51

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and the corresponding one-time total cost to all respondents will be 
$24,800. Since this information collection is voluntary and does not 
involve any special equipment, respondents will not incur any capital 
or operation and maintenance (O&M) costs.
    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: September 2, 2005.
Deborah Y. Dietrich,
Director, Office of Emergency Management.
[FR Doc. 05-18091 Filed 9-12-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M