[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 115 (Friday, June 15, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33216-33218]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11573]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OEI-2007-0412; FRL-8327-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Central Data Exchange (CDX) Information Collection 
Request; EPA ICR No. 2002.04, OMB Control No. 2025-0025

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 to renew an existing approved Information Collection 
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is 
scheduled to expire on 11/30/2007.
    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 August 14, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OEI-2007-0412, by one of the following methods:
     www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for 
submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: (202) 566-9744.
     Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket 
Center (EPA/DC), OEI Docket, Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Public Reading 
Room, Room 3334, EPA West Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC. Such deliveries are only accepted

[[Page 33217]]

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-OEI-
2007-0412. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
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 or e-mail. 
The 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 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: Central Data Exchange (CDX), 2823T, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-2133; fax number: 202-
566-1684; 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-OEI-2007-0412, which is available for online viewing at 
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of 
Environmental Information 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 Office of 
Environmental Information Docket is 202-566-1752.
    Use 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 
state, tribal, and local environmental programs.
    Title: Central Data Exchange (CDX) Information Collection Request
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2002.04, OMB Control No. 2025-0025
    ICR status: ``This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on 11/30/
2007.'' 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: The scope of this Information Collection Request has been 
reduced to CDX activities. Collection activities associated with the 
CROMERR rule will be addressed in future notices as appropriate. The 
information planned to be collected will focus on CDX registration and 
activities. To further the proper performance of the functions of the 
Agency, CDX will provide Agency's compliance to the Government 
Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA). This will reduce burden on public 
when having to submit data to the EPA. Responses to the collection of 
information are voluntary. In order for CDX to accommodate CBI, the 
information collected must be in accordance with the confidentiality 
regulations set forth in 40 CFR Part 2, Subpart B. Additionally, EPA 
will ensure that the information collection procedures comply with the 
Privacy Act of 1974 and the OMB Circular 108.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.4 
hours per registrant. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended

[[Page 33218]]

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 number of potential respondents: 17,000.
    Frequency of response: Annually.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
17,000.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 23,800 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $850,000. This includes an estimated 
burden cost of $225,000 and an estimated cost of $225,000 for capital 
investment or maintenance and operational costs.

Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval?

    For CDX flows that are subject to Cross-Media Electronic Reporting 
Rule (CROMERR) electronic signature requirements, user registration 
involves the collection of information sufficient to establish the 
identity of the user and his or her authorization to sign the report(s) 
in question. For purpose of establishing identity, in most cases the 
registration process involves asking the user to sign and submit a 
paper electronic signature agreement that sets forth the terms and 
conditions under which the user will electronically sign submissions to 
CDX; the user will also be asked to supply certain items of personal 
information, including--in a few cases--government-issued identifiers 
such as a social security number. For purposes of establishing 
signatory authorization, registration may involve collecting 
information about the user's position in the organization for which s/
he will sign reports, either from the user or from some official in the 
organization.
    This ICR renewal accounts for the burden on registrants of 
providing this information for CDX flows. When this ICR was originally 
submitted for approval, it accounted for the CROMERR-related burden on 
registrants for all EPA programs that might incorporate electronic 
reporting, whether or not the program's electronic reporting involved a 
CDX flow. By agreement with the affected programs, the CROMERR burden 
not connected with a CDX flow will now be accounted for under the ICRs 
specific to those programs. As a result, the burden associated with 
this CDX-specific ICR renewal is substantially reduced from what was 
calculated for the original version.

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 5, 2007.
Doreen Sterling,
Director, Information Exchange & Services Division.
 [FR Doc. E7-11573 Filed 6-14-07; 8:45 am]
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