[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 29 (Tuesday, February 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8040-8042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-2542]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-ORD-2008-0067, FRL-8527-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Technology Performance and Product Information To 
Support Vendor Information Summaries (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 2154.03, 
OMB Control Number 2050-0194

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 continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an existing 
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on May 31, 2008. 
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 April 14, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number EPA-HQ-
ORD-2008-0067, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: (Our preferred method) Follow 
the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 202-566-9744.
     Mail: Office of Research & Development Docket, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Public Reading Room, EPA 
West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20004. 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-ORD-
2008-0067. 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 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: Shannon D. Serre, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander

[[Page 8041]]

Drive, E343-06, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone number: 
919-541-3817; fax number: 919-541-0496; 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-ORD-2008-0067, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the ORD 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 ORD 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 are 
vendors and developers of technologies (commercially available and 
those under development) that are intended to be used to decontaminate 
structures (e.g., buildings (interior and exterior) and water 
distribution systems) contaminated with chemical, biological, or 
radiological materials and technologies for use in detecting, 
measuring, and monitoring these same materials in air, on surfaces, and 
in water.
    Title: Technology Performance and Product Information To Support 
Vendor Information Summaries (Renewal).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2154.03 OMB Control No. 2050-0194.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on May 31, 
2008. 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 U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development's 
National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC) is helping to 
protect human health and the environment from adverse impacts resulting 
from intentional acts of terror. With an emphasis on decontamination 
and consequence management, water infrastructure protection, and threat 
and consequence assessment, NHSRC scientists and engineers are working 
to develop tools and information that will help detect the intentional 
introduction of chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants in 
buildings or water systems, the containment of these contaminants, the 
decontamination of buildings and/or water systems, and the disposal of 
material resulting from cleanups.
    An important facet of the NHSRC mission is identifying, testing, 
and evaluating technologies to support emergency response personnel, 
consequence managers, decision-makers, and government officials. EPA 
has initiated this effort to develop brief vendor information summaries 
of available technologies relevant to the detection and decontamination 
of drinking water systems, building materials, building structures, and 
indoor air that may become contaminated with chemical, biological, or 
radiological contaminants. These summaries will be based upon vendor-
generated or -provided information including any independent, validated 
test data generated by governmental or other organizations and provided 
to EPA through this ICR. Information provided will be used to produce 
4-10 page summaries on each of the technologies for which vendors 
voluntarily agreed to submit the requested information. These summaries 
will be shared with EPA and other emergency response personnel, 
building and facility managers, and water utility operators. The 
information provided by technology developers and vendors will also be 
used by the NHSRC's Technology Testing and Evaluation Program (TTEP) to 
identify technologies that may be suitable candidates for testing and 
evaluation and to track those technologies under development that may 
eventually be ready for rigorous testing and evaluation.
    The submission of information is voluntary. Because the summarized 
information will be publicly available, technology vendors/developers 
will be discouraged from submitting CBI. An agency may not conduct or 
sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 
information unless it

[[Page 8042]]

displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers 
for EPA's regulations in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15 
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 respondents: 70.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 1050 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $82,460. This includes an estimated 
burden cost of $82,040 and an estimated cost of $420 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: January 24, 2008.
Jonathan G. Herrmann,
Director, National Homeland Security Research Center.
 [FR Doc. E8-2542 Filed 2-11-08; 8:45 am]
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