[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 115 (Friday, June 15, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33218-33220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11577]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-AO-2007-0408; FRL-8327-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Regulatory Pilot Projects (Renewal); EPA ICR No. 
1755.08; OMB Control No. 2010-0026

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

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 October 31, 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-OA-
2007-0408 identified by the Docket ID numbers provided for each item in 
the text, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: (202) 566-9744.
     Mail: OA Docket, EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: Office of the Administrator Docket in the 
EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Avenue, 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-AO-2007-
0408 identified by the Docket ID. 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 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

[[Page 33219]]

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: Gerald Filbin, Office of Policy, 
Economics, and Innovation, (1807T), Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 
202-566-2182; fax number: 202-566-2220; 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-AO-2007-0408, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of the 
Administrator 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 the 
Administrator Docket is 202-566-0219.
    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 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?

    Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-2007-0408.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
primarily state environmental agencies seeking information from 
facilities participating in or whose participation is being solicited 
for pilot projects to test innovation in environmental permitting. 
State and tribal environmental agencies that wish to provide input for 
the annual competition solicitation, or that submit proposals in the 
annual competition are also effected, as well as state agencies that 
are recipients of State Innovation Grants that are required to report 
on progress and outcomes for each grant-funded project. Other parties 
affected by this request may include industrial facilities and state 
agencies that have been participants in Project XL in circumstances 
where projects are being completed or terminated and information 
characterizing the outcomes of those projects is being sought by EPA to 
close out those individual projects.
    Title: Regulatory Reinvention Pilots.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1755.08, OMB Control No. 2010-0026.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on October 
31, 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: This is an information collection request renewal that 
will allow for the continued solicitation of proposals for innovative 
pilot projects and to allow EPA to continue its commitments to monitor 
the results of previous and ongoing pilot tests of regulatory 
innovation. The renewal of this ICR is important as it will allow the 
Agency to measure performance outcomes of regulatory innovation 
piloting and to assess the broader applicability of those pilot 
projects. The ICR is also necessary to allow EPA to identify State and 
Tribal co-regulators as well as additional regulated entities who are 
interested in partnering with EPA in innovative pilot projects, 
allowing the Agency to continue its commitment to innovation and 
regulatory flexibility with facilities, communities, and states in 
achieving environmental results. The renewal of this ICR will allow 
OEPI to continue to receive and work with project sponsors on proposals 
for innovation. Responses related to Project XL are voluntary, as are 
any responses by state environmental agencies to EPA's request for 
input for the design of the annual competition. States seeking funding 
for an environmental regulatory innovation project must submit a 
project proposal in the annual competition (see http://www.epa.gov/innovation/stategrants) to receive a grant award and submittal of a 
proposal does not automatically guarantee an assistance agreement 
between EPA and a state for the purpose of implementing an innovation 
project. In requiring the submittal of a proposal in competition, EPA 
is adhering to its own policies on competition (EPA 5700.7) and 
performance measurement (EPA 5700.8). Similarly, states implementing 
innovative regulatory pilot tests in projects funded by a State 
Innovation Grant are required to report on progress during the 
operation of a

[[Page 33220]]

project and to provide a final project report summarizing outcomes and 
major findings of each project. EPA's policy on performance measurement 
in assistance agreements is an implementation outcome under the 
Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA section 1115(a)(4) and 
section 1116(c)). EPA's innovation piloting efforts are multi-media in 
nature and include programs authorized under the full range of 
authorizing legislation (e.g., the Clean Air Act, Section 103(b)(3) (42 
U.S.C. 7403(b)(3)) the Clean Water Act, Section 104(b)(3) (33 U.S.C. 
1254(b)(3)); the Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001 (42 U.S.C. 
6981); the Toxics Substances Control Act, Section 10 (15 U.S.C. 2609); 
the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20 (7 
U.S.C. 136r); and the Safe Drinking Water Act, Sections 1442(a) and (c) 
(42 U.S.C. 1(a) and (c)).
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 44 
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.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total number of potential annual respondents: 1270.
    Frequency of response: 35 quarterly; 1234 annually.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
1.2.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 7748 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $331,460. This includes an estimated 
burden cost of $331,460 and an estimated cost of $0 for capital 
investment or maintenance and operational costs.

Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval?

    There is an increase of 2292 hours in the total estimated 
respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This increase reflects the need to collect information 
on project performance and outcomes in the form of quarterly reporting 
and final project reporting for current and future projects that is not 
addressed in other ICRs.

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: May 24, 2007.
Elizabeth A. Shaw,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy Innovation.
 [FR Doc. E7-11577 Filed 6-14-07; 8:45 am]
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