[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 110 (Friday, June 6, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32327-32328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-12729]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0145; FRL-8576-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; National-Scale Activity Survey 
(N-SAS); EPA ICR No. 2293.01, OMB Control No. 2060-NEW

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 an Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request for a new 
collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of 
the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before July 7, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2008-0145, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), by e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket 
Center, Environnemental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket and 
Information Center, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, 
and (2) OMB by mail to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 
17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Zachary Pekar, Health and 
Environmental Impacts Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and 
Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code C504-06, 
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone: 919-541-3704; fax: 919-
541-0237; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB 
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 
1320.12. On February 28, 2008 (73 FR 10765), EPA sought comments on 
this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any 
additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB 
within 30 days of this notice.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ\OAR-2008-0145, which is available for online viewing at 
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air and Radiation 
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 Air and Radiation Docket is 202-
566-1742.
    Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at 
www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those 
documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the 
system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number 
identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public 
comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made 
available for public viewing at www.regulations.gov as EPA receives 
them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted 
material, confidential business information (CBI), or other information 
whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further 
information about the electronic docket, go to www.regulations.gov.
    Title: National-Scale Activity Survey (N-SAS).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2293.01, OMB Control No. 2060-NEW.
    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 supports the Air Quality Index (AQI), a program that 
uses data from air quality monitors to forecast pollution levels and to 
notify the public of health hazards associated with air pollution, 
primarily ozone and particulate matter pollution (PM). EPA, 
specifically the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, which 
manages the AQI program, is interested in assessing the public's 
awareness, knowledge and both stated and actual behavioral response to 
AQI warnings. To address this need, OAQPS wishes to conduct the 
National-Scale Activity Surveys (N-SAS) to gather information on 
perceptions, awareness, attitudes, and stated and actual behaviors in 
response to AQI warnings.
    EPA is requesting permission from OMB to conduct a survey of 1,600 
individuals age 35 or older who meet minimal activity requirements 
living in Washington, DC; Sacramento (also other cities in San Joaquin 
Valley--San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno), Chicago, 
Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, or St. Louis. The data will be 
collected through a web-based survey of members from Knowledge 
Network's web panel.
    The N-SAS consists of a series of nine surveys. A screening survey 
at the beginning and a debriefing survey at the end will provide 
information on the research participants, their awareness and knowledge 
of air pollution and the Air Quality Index (AQI), risk perceptions 
regarding health effects, and reported behaviors on high ozone days. 
After the screening survey, research participants will be administered 
a set of seven activity diaries administered on both high and low ozone 
days to collect information on actual behavior.
    The information obtained from N-SAS will be used by EPA to assess 
hypotheses for the N-SAS research participants regarding:
     Extent of awareness of and knowledge about the AQI;
     The effects of the AQI-based warnings on behavior in eight 
cities with significant pollution problems;
     The correlation between awareness, knowledge, stated 
behavior on high pollution days and data on behavior reported in the 
activity diariesl;
     Differences in behavior, awareness and knowledge among 
different sub-samples of the N-SAS research participants.
    In addition to assessing the effectiveness of AQI-based ozone 
warnings, the data will also be used to supplement the limited data 
available to develop exposure profiles for older Americans.

[[Page 32328]]

    Participation in N-SAS and response to individual questions are 
voluntary. The respondents will be anonymous to EPA and contractor 
staff and Knowledge Networks keeps identify of respondents 
confidential.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.25 
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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Members of the Knowledge Networks 
web panel (1) age 35 or older, (2) who respond yes to ``During the past 
month, did you participate in any physical activities or exercises such 
as running, calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking for exercise?'' 
and (3) live in Washington, DC; Sacramento (also other cities in San 
Joaquin Valley--San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno), 
Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, or St. Louis.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,600.
    Frequency of Response: Up to 10 responses per respondent over 4 
months.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 828 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $22,803, includes $0 annualized 
capital or O&M costs.

    Dated: June 2, 2008.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E8-12729 Filed 6-5-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P