[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 132 (Wednesday, July 11, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37760-37762]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13421]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OARM-2006-0835; FRL-8338-4]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Applicant Background Questionnaire: Race, National 
Origin, Gender, and Disability Demographics (Renewal); EPA ICR 
2248.03; OMB Control Number 2030-0045

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

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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 schedule to expire on November 
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 September 10, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OARM-2006-0835 by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: (202) 564-4613.
     Mail: Applicant Background Questionnaire: Race, National 
Origin, Gender, and Disability Demographics, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Mailcode: 3600A, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 
20460.
     Hand Delivery: Office of Environmental Information Docket, 
1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., EPA West, Room 3334, Washington, DC 
20460. 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-OARM-
2006-0835. 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 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 
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: (1) Rosyletta Simms, Office of Human 
Resources, Mail Code MC 3600A, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW., Washington DC, 20460; telephone number: 
(202) 564-7897; e-mail address: [email protected]. Or, (2) Mirza 
P. Baig, Office of Civil Rights, Mail Code MC 1201A, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (202) 564-7288; 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-OARM-2006-0835, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of 
Environmental Information Docket Room, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., EPA 
West, Room 3334, 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 202-566-0219.
    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 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?

    Docket ID No.: EPA-OARM-HQ-2006-0835.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action is 
any person applying for a job at the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency.
    Title: Applicant Background Questionnaire: Race, National Origin, 
Gender, and Disability Demographics (Renewal).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2248.03.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on November 
30, 2007. An Agency may not conduct or

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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 purpose of this information collection request is to 
seek approval to use the Environmental Protection Agency's USAJOBS-
EZhire, vacancy announcement and job application system to collect 
gender, race, national origin and disability information from employees 
within the agency and outside job applicants. All job applicants, 
whether internal or external, would be asked to complete, on a 
voluntary basis, an ``Applicant Background Questionnaire: Race, 
National Origin, Gender, and Disability Demographics.''
    The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Management Directive 
715 (MD 715), requires agencies to: (1) Maintain a system that collects 
and maintains accurate information on the race, national origin, gender 
and disability of agency employees in accordance with 29 CFR, paragraph 
1614.601); (2) maintain a system that tracks applicant flow data, which 
identifies applicants by race, national origin, gender, and disability 
status and disposition of all applications; and (3) maintain a tracking 
system of recruitment activities to permit analyses of these efforts in 
any examination of potential barriers to equality of opportunity. MD 
715 requires agencies to ``conduct an internal review and analysis of 
the effects of all current and proposed policies, practices, procedures 
and conditions that directly or indirectly,'' relate to the employment 
of individuals with disabilities based on their race, national origin, 
gender and disabilities. EPA must collect and evaluate information and 
data necessary to make an informed assessment about the extent to which 
the Agency is meeting its responsibility to provide employment 
opportunities for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities, 
especially those with targeted disabilities.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 28 
minutes total. 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 respondents: 32,590 
respondents.
    Frequency of response: One time completion of questionnaire per 
respondent.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
32,590.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 15,209.
    Estimated total annual costs: $83,486. This includes an estimated 
labor burden cost of $83,486 and no capital/start-up or operations and 
maintenance costs.

Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval?

    No.

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 persons listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: July 3, 2007.
Kenneth T. Venuto,
Director, Office of Human Resources, Office of Administration and 
Resources Management.
[FR Doc. E7-13421 Filed 7-10-07; 8:45 am]
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