[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 184 (Thursday, September 24, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48730-48731]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-23075]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0313; FRL-8962-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Critical Public Information Needs 
During Drinking Water Emergencies (New); EPA ICR No. 2322.01, OMB 
Control No. 2080-NEW

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 a new 
collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of 
the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 26, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-
2009-0313 to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA 
Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research & 
Development Docket, Mail Code 28221T, 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: Scott Minamyer, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code NG-16, Environmental Protection Agency, 26 
West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45220; telephone number: 
513-569-7175; fax number: 513-487-2559; 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 June 17, 2009 (74 FR 28696), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments during the 
comment period. 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 EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0313, 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 
8:30 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 EPA's electronic docket and comment system at http://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 http://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 http://www.regulations.gov.
    Title: Critical Public Information Needs during Drinking Water 
Emergencies (New).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2322.01, OMB Control No. 2080-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 is collecting this information as part of a formative 
research study to identify critical information the public will need 
from water utilities and other decision-makers during a crisis event 
impacting drinking water. The research will probe consumers' and water 
sector professionals' beliefs, opinions, and knowledge about water 
security risks to assist public officials in planning effective crisis 
communication strategies for such emergencies. Good communication can 
rally support, calm fears, provide needed instructions, and encourage 
cooperative behaviors.
    Study participants will also provide feedback on the effectiveness 
of draft sample messages previously developed by EPA in consultation 
with subject matter experts from water utilities, public health, 
emergency response, law enforcement, and water trade/professional 
organizations. Voluntary participants for this one-time study will 
include water utility managers, public information officers, and 
members of the public who consume drinking water supplied by water 
utilities. Confidentiality of responses from respondents will be 
assured by using an independent contractor to collect the information, 
enacting procedures to prevent unauthorized access to respondent data, 
and preventing public disclosure of the responses of individual 
participants.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.7 
hours per response. Burden is defined as 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: Water utility professional staff and 
members of

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the public participating in focus group discussions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 180.
    Frequency of Response: Once.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 308.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $1,380; includes $0 annualized capital 
or O&M costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: This is a new ICR.

    Dated: September 17, 2009.
John Moses,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E9-23075 Filed 9-23-09; 8:45 am]
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