[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 213 (Monday, November 3, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65307-65308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26170]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OARM-2005-0001; FRL-8737-4]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; General Administrative Requirements for Assistance 
Programs; EPA ICR No. 0938.16, OMB Control Number 2030-0020

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 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 April 30, 2009. 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 January 2, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OARM-2005-0001, by one of the following methods:
     www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions for 
submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 202-566-9744.
     Mail: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, 
Office of Environmental Information Docket, Mail Code: 2822T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: Office of Environmental Information Docket 
in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 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-OARM-
2005-0001. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
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 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: William G. Hedling, Office of Grants 
and Debarment, National Policy, Training and Compliance Division, Mail 
Code: 3903R, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-5377; fax number: 
(202) 565-2499; 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-2005-0001, which is available for online viewing at 
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of 
Environmental Information 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 
Environmental Information Docket is 202-566-1752.
    Use 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

[[Page 65308]]

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: Institutions of higher education, hospitals, and 
other not-for-profit institutions; State, local, and Indian tribal 
governments.
    Title: General Administrative Requirements for Assistance Programs.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 0938.16, OMB Control No. 2030-0020.
    ICR status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on April 30, 2009. 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 information is collected from applicants/recipients 
of EPA assistance to monitor adherence to the programmatic and 
administrative requirements of the Agency's financial assistance 
program. It is used to make awards, pay recipients, and collect 
information on how Federal funds are being spent. EPA needs this 
information to meet its Federal stewardship responsibilities. This ICR 
renewal requests authorization for the collection of information under 
EPA's General Regulation for Assistance Programs, which establishes 
minimum management requirements for all recipients of EPA grants or 
cooperative agreements (assistance agreements). Recipients must respond 
to these information requests to obtain and/or retain a benefit 
(Federal funds). 40 CFR part 30, ``Grants and Agreements with 
Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other Non-profit 
Organizations,'' includes the management requirements for potential 
grantees from non-profit organizations. 40 CFR part 31, ``Uniform 
Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to 
State and Local Governments,'' includes the management responsibilities 
for potential State and local government grantees. These regulations 
include only those provisions mandated by statute, required by OMB 
Circulars, or added by EPA to ensure sound and effective financial 
assistance management. This ICR combines all of these requirements 
under OMB Control Number 2030-0020. The information required by these 
regulations will be used by EPA award officials to make assistance 
awards and assistance payments and to verify that the recipient is 
using Federal funds appropriately to comply with OMB Circulars A-21, A-
87, A-102, A-110, A-122, A-128, and A-133, which set forth the pre-
award, post-award, and after-the-grant requirements.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 18 
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 Average Annual Number of Recipients: 6,105.
    Estimated Annual Frequency of Response: On occasion, quarterly, and 
annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 108,887 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Costs: $5,573,132. This includes 
an estimated labor cost of $5,573,132 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: October 29, 2008.
Howard Corcoran,
Director of the Office of Grants and Debarment.
[FR Doc. E8-26170 Filed 10-31-08; 8:45 am]
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