[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 139 (Friday, July 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39805-39807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-14064]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OA-2007-0607; FRL-8441-4]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Performance Measurement Reporting for Training and 
Education/Outreach; EPA ICR No. 2255.01

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 for a new Information Collection Request (ICR) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 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 18, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-
2007-0607, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 202-566-0224.
     Mail: Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: Office of Environmental Information (OEI) 
Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 
Constitution Ave., 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-OA-2007-
0607. 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 website 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: Peggy Anthony, National Policy, 
Training and Compliance Division, Office of Grants and Debarment, Mail 
Code: 3903R, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-5364; fax number: 
202-565-2468; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

[[Page 39806]]

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-OA-2007-0607, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of 
Environmental Information Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA 
West, Room B102, 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 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?

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action 
include recipients of EPA discretionary/project assistance agreements 
(i.e., grants and cooperative agreements) that perform training and/or 
education and outreach.
    Title: Performance Measurement Reporting for Training and 
Education/Outreach.
    EPA ICR No.: 2255.01.
    ICR status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity. 
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: EPA is developing some generic reporting tools that will 
supplement the existing performance reports submitted by grant 
recipients under 40 CFR Parts 30 and 31. The new reporting tools will 
be designed to collect performance measurement information on two types 
of activities performed by grantees: Training and education/outreach. 
Specifically, EPA is creating a ``master list'' of generic questions 
and reporting templates, and will make them available to the EPA 
programs and grant recipients (e.g., on the EPA web site). The 
questions will be designed to measure the extent to which the grantees 
are achieving the short-term and intermediate outcomes stated in their 
work plans for training and/or education/outreach (e.g., the questions 
will measure changes in trainees' awareness, understanding, and 
potential or actual changes in behavior). The questions and templates 
will be flexible enough for use by any of the EPA programs. A grant 
recipient could review the master list, select the questions 
appropriate for its needs, and assemble them onto a reporting template. 
After receiving approval to use the collection instrument, the grant 
recipient could provide the instrument to its training participants or 
other audience members to complete. The grantee could then collect, 
summarize, and report the data to EPA. These reporting tools will be 
intended specifically for use under the Agency's discretionary/project 
grants. Use of the forms will not be required, but used at the 
discretion of the responsible program.
    EPA intends to create a generic ICR that would address its 
reporting tools. Upon OMB approval of the generic ICR, EPA program 
offices and their grant recipients would be able to modify the forms 
narrowly for their specific needs and re-submit the revised instruments 
and supporting material for expedited OMB approval encompassing a 20-
day turn-around timeframe.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to range from 
five minutes to 1.5 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.

[[Page 39807]]

    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated average annual number of grants affected: between 240 and 
480.
    Estimated annual frequency of response: Quarterly or less often.
    Estimated annual average number of responses for each grant: 4.
    Estimated total annual respondent burden hours: 12,820 hours.
    Estimated total annual respondent costs: $359,149. This includes an 
estimated labor cost of $359,149 and $0 for capital investment or 
maintenance and operational costs.

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: July 13, 2007.
Kathleen Herrin,
Acting Director of the Office of Grants and Debarment.
[FR Doc. E7-14064 Filed 7-19-07; 8:45 am]
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