[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7429-7430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-3268]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OARM-2008-0828, FRL-8773-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Background Checks for Contractor 
Employees (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 2159.03, OMB Control Number 2030-
0043

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 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 to renew an 
existing approved 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 March 19, 
2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OARM-
2008-0828, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), by e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket 
Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental 
Information Docket, Mail Code 2822IT, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB by mail to: Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: 
Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Blanding, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Acquisition Management, Mail Code 3802R, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; (202) 564-1130; fax 
number: (202) 565-2475; e-mail address: [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 November 13, 2008 (73 FR 67152), 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.

[[Page 7430]]

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OARM-2008-0828, which is available for online viewing at 
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at 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 
OEI Docket is (202) 566-1752.
    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: Background Checks for Contractor Employees (Renewal).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2159.03, OMB Control No. 2030-0043.
    ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2009. 
Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor 
the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 
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 uses contractors to perform services throughout the 
nation with regard to environmental emergencies involving the release, 
or threatened release, of oil, radioactive materials or hazardous 
chemicals that may potentially affect communities and the surrounding 
environment. Releases may be accidental, deliberate, or may be caused 
by natural disasters. Emergency responders are available 24 hours-a-day 
to an incident, and respond with necessary personnel and equipment to 
eliminate dangers to the public and environment. Contractors responding 
to any of these types of incidents are responsible for conducting 
background checks and applying Government-established suitability 
criteria in determining whether employees are acceptable to perform on 
given sites or on specific projects prior to contract employee 
performance. The information to be collected under the ICR for 
Background Checks for Contractor Employees covers citizenship or valid 
visa, criminal convictions, weapons offenses, felony convictions, 
parties prohibited from receiving federal contracts. The Contractor 
shall maintain records of all background checks. The collection of 
information is required to obtain or retain a contract with work of 
this nature (Title 5, CFR parts 731, 732, and 736).
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.55 
minutes 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: Entities affected by this action are 
contractors involved with Emergency Response that have significant 
security concerns, as determined by the Contracting Officer on a case-
by-case basis, to provide qualified personnel that meet the background 
check requirements developed by EPA.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1000 per year.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 550.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $81,410, includes $0 annualized 
capital or O&M costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 450 hours in the 
total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of 
Approved ICR Burdens. This decrease is due to just adjustments to the 
estimates.

    Dated: February 9, 2009.
John Moses,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
 [FR Doc. E9-3268 Filed 2-13-09; 8:45 am]
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