[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42378-42379]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-11943]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2005-0458; FRL-8203-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping 
Requirements Under EPA's Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) 
Program; EPA ICR No. 2088.02, OMB No. 2070-0166

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 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 July 31, 2006. 
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 the information collection and its 
estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before August 25, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2005-0458, to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA 
Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Docket Control Office 
(DCO), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Mailcode: 
7407T, 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: Barbara Cunningham, Acting Director, 
Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 7408-M, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-
554-1404; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB 
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 
1320.12. On January 31, 2006 (71 FR 5055), EPA sought comments on this 
renewal ICR. EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.8(d). EPA received two comments during the comment period. Any 
comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 
30 days of this notice.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OPPT-2005-0458, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person inspection at the OPPT 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 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 Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics Docket is 202-566-0280. Use http://www.regulations.gov to 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.
    EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted 
electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing 
in http://www.regulations.gov 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 http://www.regulations.gov. 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 http://www.regulations.gov. For 
further information about the electronic docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements under EPA's 
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) Program.
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR Number 2088.02, OMB Control Number 2070-0166.
    ICR Status: This is a request to renew an existing approved 
collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on July 31, 2006. Under OMB 
regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the 
collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB.
    Abstract: The Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) program is 
a voluntary partnership program jointly administered by the 
Environmental Protection Agency, the American Hospital Association, the 
American Nurses Association, and Health Care Without Harm that helps 
hospitals enhance work place safety, reduce waste and waste disposal 
costs, and become better environmental stewards and neighbors. The 
program is based on a 1998 Memorandum of Understanding signed by AHA 
and EPA to provide health care professionals with the tools and 
information necessary to reduce mercury waste, reduce the overall 
volume of waste, and identify pollution prevention opportunities.
    The H2E program has two elements, the Partners for Change program 
and the Champions for Change program. The Partners for Change program 
recognizes health care facilities that pledge support to the H2E 
mission and develop goals for reducing waste and mercury in their own 
facilities. The Champions for Change program recognizes organizations 
that encourage and aid health care facilities to participate as H2E 
Partners, provide on-going promotional or technical assistance 
information, or make changes that support the goals of the H2E program 
in their own institutions. An organization's decision to participate in 
the H2E program is completely voluntary. This information collection 
addresses

[[Page 42379]]

reporting and recordkeeping activities that support the administration 
of the H2E program.
    Responses to the collection of information are voluntary. 
Respondents may claim all or part of a notice as CBI. EPA will disclose 
information that is covered by a CBI claim only to the extent permitted 
by, and in accordance with, the procedures in 40 CFR part 2.
    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, are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and included on the related 
collection instrument or form, if applicable.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to range between 
0.5 and 20 hours per response, depending upon the type of information 
the respondent provides. 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: Establishments or organizations 
engaged in furnishing medical, surgical or other health services to 
individuals.
    Frequency of Collection: Annual.
    Estimated average number of responses for each respondent: 3.2.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,582.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 5,551 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Costs: $188,723.
    Changes in Burden Estimates: There is a decrease of 4,559 hours 
(from 10,110 hours to 5,551 hours) in the total estimated respondent 
burden compared with that identified in the information collection most 
recently approved by OMB. This decrease reflects actual program 
experience in conducting the H2E program over the past three years. The 
number of new Partner facilities recruited per year has been revised 
downward to reflect average recruit numbers. Similarly, the number of 
award applicants has also been revised downward to reflect the number 
of award applications received per year. This decrease is an 
adjustment.

    Dated: July 11, 2006.
Sara Hisel McCoy,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E6-11943 Filed 7-25-06; 8:45 am]
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