[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 9, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74717-74719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29121]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-R09-OAR-2008-0128; FRL-8749-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Survey of 56 California County Agricultural 
Commissioners for Readiness To Implement the Enforcement Component of 
the U.S. EPA Endangered Species Protection Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44

[[Page 74718]]

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 February 9, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments, identified by docket number EPA-R09-OAR-
2008-0128, by one of the following methods:
    1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the on-line instructions.
    2. E-mail: [email protected].
    3. Mail or deliver: Fabiola Estrada (CED-5), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 
94105-3901.
    Instructions: All comments 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 Confidential Business Information (CBI) or 
other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 
Information that you consider CBI or otherwise protected should be 
clearly identified as such and should not be submitted through http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. http://www.regulations.gov is an 
``anonymous access'' system, and EPA will not know your identity or 
contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. 
If you send e-mail directly to EPA, your e-mail address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the public comment. 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.
    Docket: The index to the docket for this action is available 
electronically at http://www.regulations.gov and in hard copy at EPA 
Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, California. While all 
documents in the docket are listed in the index, some information may 
be publicly available only at the hard copy location (e.g., copyrighted 
material), and some may not be publicly available in either location 
(e.g., CBI). To inspect the hard copy materials, please schedule an 
appointment during normal business hours with the contact listed in the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Fabiola Estrada, EPA Region IX, (415) 
972-3493, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document, ``we,'' ``us'' and 
``our'' refer to EPA.

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 
the County Agricultural Commissioners in the state of California.
    Title: Survey of 56 California County Agricultural Commissioners 
for Readiness to Implement the Enforcement component of the U.S. EPA 
Endangered Species Protection Program.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2287.01, OMB Control No. 20XX-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: For nearly twenty years, the California Department of 
Pesticide Regulation (DPR) has worked with county agricultural 
commissioners on behalf of U.S. EPA to refine measures that would 
protect federally listed species while minimizing impacts on 
agriculture and other beneficial uses of pesticides. DPR vetted these 
measures in local advisory groups consisting of farmers, pest control 
advisors, pesticide applicators, representatives of the California 
Department of Fish and Game, California Department of Food and 
Agriculture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other species experts 
and they were ultimately adopted by the County Agricultural 
Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA). DPR developed the 
Pesticide Regulation's Endangered Species Custom Real-time Internet 
Bulletin Engine (PRESCRIBE), an Internet database, to simplify 
distribution of endangered species protection measures (California's 
county bulletins) and has trained county agricultural commissioner 
staff and pesticide professionals in its use. So far, these measures 
have been voluntary. While many counties have incorporated endangered 
species protection as a routine part of their regulatory programs, DPR 
does not know the full extent of implementation in all counties. All 
(56) California county agricultural commissioners will be surveyed 
through a written

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questionnaire to determine their readiness to implement the U.S. EPA 
Endangered Species Protection Program as it transitions from voluntary 
to mandatory status. Responses are voluntary. The collected information 
will guide further work needed by DPR to prepare for the new stage in 
the protection of endangered species. A summary report will be provided 
to the respondents to inform them of the survey results.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average less 
than one hour 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: 56.
    Frequency of response: Once.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
12--based on the  of questions on the questionnaire.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 56.
    Estimated total annual costs: $6,000 for collection of information 
and an estimated cost of $3,000 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: November 25, 2008.
Laura Yoshii,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region IX.
[FR Doc. E8-29121 Filed 12-8-08; 8:45 am]
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