[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 182 (Wednesday, September 21, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55367-55368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18826]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OEI-2005-0003, FRL-7972-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Background Checks for Contractor 
Employees (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 2159.02, OMB Control Number 2030-
0043

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 an Information Collection 
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing 
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on 09/30/2005. 
Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor 
the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 
This ICR describes the nature of information collection and its 
estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments must be submitted on or before October 21, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OEI-2005-
0003, to (1) 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 Environmental Information Docket, Mail

[[Page 55368]]

Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) 
OMB at: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Schaffer, U.S. EPA, Office of 
Acquisition Management, Mail Code 3802R, Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: (202) 564-4366; fax number: (202) 565-2475; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB 
for review and approval according to procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 
1320.12. On June 10, 2005 (70 FR 33898), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
number OEI-2005-0003, which is available for public viewing 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 OEI 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 submit 
or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of 
the public docket, 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 
30 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.
    Titles: Background Checks for Contractor Employees (Renewal).
    Abstract: EPA uses contractors to perform services throughout the 
nation with regard to environmental emergencies involving the release, 
or threatened release, of oil, radioactive materials or hazardous 
chemicals that may potentially affect communities and the surrounding 
environment. Releases may be accidental, deliberate, or may be caused 
by natural disasters. Emergency responders are available 24 hours-a-day 
to an incident, and respond with necessary personnel and equipment to 
eliminate dangers to the public and environment. Contractors responding 
to any of these types of incidents are responsible for conducting 
background checks and applying Government-established suitability 
criteria in determining whether employees are acceptable to perform on 
given sites or on specific projects prior to contract employee 
performance. The information to be collected under the ICR for 
Background Checks for Contractor Employees covers citizenship or valid 
visa, criminal convictions, weapons offenses, felony convictions, 
parties prohibited from receiving federal contracts. The Contractor 
shall maintain records of all background checks.
    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 and are identified on 
the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 
hour per response. 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are contractors involved with Emergency Response that have 
significant security concerns, as determined by the Contracting Officer 
on a case-by-case basis, to provide qualified personnel that meet the 
background check requirements developed by EPA.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,000.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 1,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $179,000, which includes $0 annual 
capital/startup and O&M costs, and $179,000 annual labor costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a no change in the number of 
hours in the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB 
Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens.

    Dated: September 13, 2005.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 05-18826 Filed 9-20-05; 8:45 am]
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