[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 63 (Monday, April 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16575-16577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4765]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OA-2006-0172; FRL-8052-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Smart Growth and Active Aging National Recognition 
Program; EPA ICR No. 2221.01, OMB Control No. 2090-XXXX

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to 
submit a request for a new Information Collection Request (ICR) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 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 June 2, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-
2006-0172, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 202-566-0224.
     Mail: Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: Office of Environmental Information (OEI) 
Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. Such deliveries are only 
accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special 
arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-2006-
0172. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in 
the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you 
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov

[[Page 16576]]

or e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov website is an ``anonymous 
access'' system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact 
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you 
send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be automatically captured 
and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket 
and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic 
comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact 
information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you 
submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties 
and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to 
consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special 
characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or 
viruses. For additional information about EPA's public docket visit the 
EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathy Sykes, Aging Initiative, Office 
of Children's Health Protection, Room 2512 Ariel Rios North, Mail 
Code:1107A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 
NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-3651; fax number: 
202-564-2733; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OA-2006-0172, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of 
Environmental Information Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA 
West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/
DC Public Reading Room is open from 8 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 Office of 
Environmental Information Docket is 202-566-1752.
    Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the 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 in this document.

What Information Is EPA Particularly Interested In?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically 
solicits comments and information to enable it 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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from 
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of 
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork 
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What Should I Consider When I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific 
examples.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 
that support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 
under DATES.
    7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page 
of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal 
Register citation.

What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
communities, municipalities, and counties that choose to participate in 
the Recognition Program.
    Title: Smart Growth and Active Aging National Recognition Program.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2221.01, OMB Control No. 2090-XXXX.
    ICR status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity. 
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 title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when 
approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by 
publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such 
as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The 
display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is 
consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: EPA's Initiative on Aging is planning to launch a Smart 
Growth and Active Aging National Recognition Program for communities, 
municipalities, tribes, and counties (collectively referred to as 
``communities''). Communities would submit a letter to EPA indicating 
that their State or local Area Agency on Aging is engaged in their 
smart growth planning activities and active aging programs, and 
complete an on-line questionnaire describing their processes and 
programs in these two areas. The purpose of the Program is to recognize 
communities that excel in promoting the health and well-being of older 
adults through smart growth and active aging and to raise public 
awareness of the interconnectedness and importance of these two areas 
to the aging population. In addition, the on-line questionnaire would 
include links to helpful information on the Internet. This would assist 
in educating communities on available resources to help them do better 
in the areas where they have not met the criteria for recognition. 
Finally, the Program would enable EPA to compile ``lessons learned'' 
from communities that have successfully implemented smart growth and 
active aging principles. EPA would use this information to create a 
learning network on its Web site where all communities could benefit 
from this experience.
    The Recognition Program would be voluntary. EPA expects communities 
to participate only if they see a benefit by doing so. A primary 
benefit to communities would be recognition at the national level as 
leaders in smart growth and active aging. National recognition would 
promote their image

[[Page 16577]]

as a desirable place to live. This could help them attract residents of 
all ages, which could benefit the communities (e.g., economically), as 
well as the new residents (e.g., because they could partake of their 
community's amenities, such as walkable neighborhoods, fitness trails, 
and more transportation choices). In addition, communities that 
participate but are not recognized under the Program (i.e., because 
they do not meet the criteria for recognition) would benefit by 
learning about their areas for improvement, finding ways to address 
these areas based on links to helpful resources on the Internet, and 
modifying their behavior as appropriate.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average one 
hour and 45 minutes 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 which have subsequently changed; 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.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total annual number of respondents on average: 110 
communities.
    Average frequency of response: Once.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 186 hours.
    Estimated total annual cost: $8,284. This includes an estimated 
labor cost of $8,183, an estimated operation and maintenance cost of 
$101, and no capital cost.

What Is the Next Step in the Process for This ICR?

    EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as 
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for 
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will 
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any 
questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the 
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: March 22, 2006.
William H. Sanders,
Acting Director, Office of Children's Health Protection and 
Environmental Education.
[FR Doc. E6-4765 Filed 3-31-06; 8:45 am]
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