[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 95 (Thursday, May 17, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27809-27811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-9504]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-SFUND-2004-0014; FRL-8315-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; The 2007 National Survey of Local 
Emergency Planning Committees (Reinstatement); EPA ICR No. 1903.02, OMB 
Control No. 2050-0162

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 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 
reinstate a previously approved collection. The ICR, which is 
abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection 
and its estimated burden and cost.

[[Page 27810]]


DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before June 18, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
SFUND-2004-0014, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by email to [email protected], or by mail to: 
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Superfund 
Docket, Mail Code 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 
20460, and (2) OMB by mail to: 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: Sicy Jacob, Office of Emergency 
Management (OEM), OSWER, Mail Code 5104A, Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: 202-564-8019; fax number: 202-564-2625; 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 September 13, 2005 (70 FR 54044), EPA sought comments on 
this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received 4 comments during 
the comment period, which are addressed in the ICR. Any additional 
comments on 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-SFUND-2004-0014, which is available for online viewing at 
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Superfund Docket in 
the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 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 Superfund Docket is 202-566-0276.
    Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at 
www.regulations.gov to submit or view public comments, access the index 
listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in 
the docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, 
select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number identified 
above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public comments, whether 
submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public 
viewing at 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. For 
further information about the electronic docket, go to 
www.regulations.gov.
    Title: The 2007 National Survey of Local Emergency Planning 
Committees.
    ICR number: EPA ICR No. 1903.02, OMB Control No. 2050-0162.
    ICR Status: This ICR is for a reinstatement of a previously 
approved collection. 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, and 
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: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of 
Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER), Office of Emergency 
Management (OEM) plans to collect information through a one-time, web-
based, voluntary nationwide survey of representatives from Local 
Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs). The establishment of LEPCs is 
required under The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act 
of 1986 (EPCRA). These broad committees, composed of representatives 
from the public safety, health care, and industry sectors, as well as 
environmental and community organizations, are charged with developing 
and maintaining emergency plans for their communities. LEPCs foster a 
valuable dialogue between members of government, industry, and the 
public to prevent and prepare for the accidental (and terrorist-
related) releases of hazardous chemicals.
    This proposed information collection will build upon previous LEPC 
surveys, which measured levels of compliance and proactivity of LEPCs. 
Since the last survey in 1999, no systematic nationwide analysis of 
LEPC activity has been conducted. In the six years since September 
11th, 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.
    The primary goals of this research are to: (1) Track the progress 
of LEPCs by assessing their current activity compared to some of the 
data collected in 1999 survey; 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.
    This collection will also contribute to reporting requirements of 
the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, which 
stipulates that agencies evaluate program activities in terms of 
outputs and outcomes. This survey is necessary to evaluate whether OEM 
is successfully providing national leadership and assistance to local 
communities in preparing for and preventing chemical emergencies.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.25 
hours 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: People who hold a leadership 
position on Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs). It is 
anticipated that the majority of respondents will be LEPC chairs.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,500.
    Frequency of Response: One time collection.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 875.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $40,285, which is exclusively for 
labor, as there are no annualized capital or O&M costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: As this ICR was previously discontinued, 
there are no currently approved burdens and costs. Accordingly, this 
ICR requests a new one-time labor burden of 875 hours.


[[Page 27811]]


    Dated: May 9, 2007.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E7-9504 Filed 5-16-07; 8:45 am]
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