[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 120 (Thursday, June 22, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35904-35906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-9870]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OA-2006-0513; FRL-8185-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Renewal of 
Information Collection for EPA's National Environmental Performance 
Track Program, EPA ICR Number 1949.05, OMB Control Number 2010-0032

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 
request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request 
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is 
scheduled to expire on August 31, 2006. The request will be to renew 
the existing approved collection (EPA ICR Number 1949.03, OMB Control 
Number 2010-0032, National Environmental Performance Track Program). 
Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is 
soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information 
collections as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 21, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-
2006-0513 by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 202-566-0224.
     Mail: Office of Administrator Docket, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, EPA West, Room B-102, 
1301 Constitution Ave, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Such deliveries are 
only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. 
to 4:30 p.m. M-F), special arrangements should be made for deliveries 
of boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-2006-
0513. 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 http://www.regulations.gov, or via e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web 
site 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.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 
information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such 
as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. 
Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically 
in http://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the EPA Docket Center, 
EPA/DC, EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, 
DC. The 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 
Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the 
Office of Administrator Docket is (202) 566-1752).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert D. Sachs, Office of Policy, 
Economics and Innovation, Mail Code 1807T, Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: (202) 566-2884; fax Number: (202) 566-0966; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OA-2006-0513, 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 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 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

[[Page 35905]]

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 
facility members of EPA's National Environmental Performance Track 
program.
    Title: Request for Renewal of Information Collection for EPA's 
National Environmental Performance Track Program.
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1949.03, OMB Control No. 2010-0032.
    ICR Status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on August 31, 
2006. 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 National Environmental Performance Track is a 
voluntary program that recognizes and rewards private and public 
facilities that demonstrate top environmental performance beyond 
current requirements. The program is based on the premise that 
government should complement existing programs with new tools and 
strategies that not only protect people and the environment, but also 
capture opportunities for reducing cost and spurring technological 
innovation.
    Performance Track is a facility based program (not company-wide) 
that solicits and receives applications and makes acceptance decisions 
twice per year from February through April, and August through October. 
Applying facilities must meet four basic criteria: (1) A history of 
sustained compliance with environmental regulations; (2) an 
Environmental Management System (EMS) in place that has undergone an 
assessment by an independent third party; (3) past and future 
environmental achievements, and a commitment to quantified continuous 
environmental improvement; and (4) public involvement and annual 
reporting. Once accepted, members remain in the program for three 
years, as long as they continue to meet the program criteria. After 
three years, they may apply to renew their membership through a 
streamlined application process.
    In this request, EPA proposes to renew ICR 1949.03, set to expire 
on August 31, 2006. This ICR requests approval to collect information 
from applicants and members of the National Environmental Performance 
Track program. A total of 401 facilities are current members.
    No confidential information is requested in this notice. 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 are 
listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR chapter 15.
    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 annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 16.4 
hours per facility per year. This includes all applications, compliance 
screens, annual reporting, incentives participation, and site visits.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total number of respondents: 476.
    Frequency of response: Annually, biennially, and triennially.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 2 
or 3.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 7,805.
    Estimated total annual costs: $514,521. This includes an estimated 
burden cost of $514,521, and an estimated cost of $0.00 for capital 
investment or maintenance and operational costs.
    EPA estimates that all facilities who voluntarily respond to this 
information collection by electing to participate in the Performance 
Track program have determined that the expected benefits of 
participation outweigh any burdens associated with preparing the 
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.

Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval?

    This renewal ICR 1949.05 estimates annualized burden hours to be 
7,805. This is a reduction of 105,634 hours from the previous 
reportable burden to OMB of 113,439 hours. The primary reason for this 
decrease is the burden hour estimate in ``program

[[Page 35906]]

participation'' under ICR 1949.03. The estimated hours for program 
participation were dramatically overestimated in the previous ICR, and 
EPA has determined therefore that these hours were incorrect. 
Specifically, EPA estimated significant burden for ``compliance 
demonstration, EMS documentation and reporting, continuous performance 
demonstration, and reporting and public outreach.'' This burden was not 
correctly estimated, nor attributable to information collection 
requirements of the Performance Track Program. Other areas that 
contributed to the decrease in burden hours are application and renewal 
application hours, incentives hours, and annual performance reporting 
hours. Estimated burden hours per facility for the customer 
satisfaction survey have not changed. Finally, EPA has gained 
tremendous experience in the last three years about implementing its 
Performance Track Program, and assessing information collection burden 
in ICR amendments 1949.03 and 1949.04. As a result of this experience, 
EPA believes that current estimates in ICR 1949.05 to be significantly 
more accurate than previous estimates.

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: June 14, 2006.
David W. Guest,
Acting Director, Performance Incentives Division.
 [FR Doc. E6-9870 Filed 6-21-06; 8:45 am]
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