[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 211 (Tuesday, November 3, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56831-56833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26414]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0XXX; FRL-8976-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Analysis of Archived Environmental Samples From the 
American Healthy Homes Survey (New); EPA ICR No. XXXX.XX, OMB Control 
No. 20XX-XXXX

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 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 January 4, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
ORD-2009-0XXX, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 202-566-9744.
     Mail: Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0XXX, Office of 
Research and Development (ORD) Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, 
Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: EPA Headquarters Docket Center, EPA West 
Building, 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-ORD-
2009-0XXX. EPA's policy is that all comments received 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 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 http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov .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 http://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: Karen Bradham, National Exposure 
Research Laboratory, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code D205-
05, 109 T.W. Alexander Dr., Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone 
number: (919) 541-9414; fax number: (919) 541-3527; 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-ORD-2009-0XXX, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of 
Research and Development 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 http://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 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?

    Title: Analysis of Archived Environmental Samples from the American 
Healthy Homes Survey (New).

[[Page 56832]]

    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. [XXXX.XX], OMB Control No. 20XX-XXXX.
    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, and 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.

What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?

    Information from respondents was collected during the field 
collection portion of American Healthy Homes Survey. There is no 
additional response needed from the respondents or cost burden to 
respondents resulting from the collection of information because the 
samples have already been collected.
    The proposed analyses described in the ICR will provide EPA with 
nationally representative data characterizing perfluorinated chemicals 
(PFCs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated 
biphenyls (PCBs), phthalates, and pesticide concentrations currently 
found in and around U.S. residences. Studies in the scientific 
literature have reported the presence of these compounds or their 
degradation products in environmental samples and in human biological 
samples. However, measurement data for these classes of compounds in 
U.S. residential media are insufficient in quantity and of variable 
quality, limiting their usefulness for understanding the sources and 
pathways of exposure in the general population and developing risk 
reduction strategies. Analysis of archived environmental samples 
collected previously in the American Healthy Homes Survey (AHHS) 
provides an efficient, resource-maximizing approach for obtaining 
information on these chemicals in and around residential environments.
    Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are man-made chemicals resistant to 
chemical, biological, and thermal degradation. They are used as stain-
resistant coatings, surfactants, lubricants, fire-fighting foams, and 
metal-plating mist suppressants. Animal toxicity studies have 
demonstrated reproductive, developmental, and immune effects. Despite a 
growing body of literature demonstrating the widespread presence of 
these compounds in wildlife, environmental samples, and human 
biological specimens, data on environmental concentrations in indoor 
environments in the U.S. are sparse, and the pathways of human exposure 
remain largely unknown.
    Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are brominated chemicals 
used as fire retardants. Three commercially produced mixtures of PBDEs 
(penta-, octa-, and deca-BDE) are used in the manufacture of consumer 
products, primarily blended into plastics, electronics, polyurethane 
upholstery foams, and textiles. Growing evidence of environmental 
persistence and bioaccumulation has led to recent changes in production 
of the penta- and octa- PBDEs. Nonetheless, human exposures to all 
previously used mixtures are expected to continue during the coming 
decades as PBDEs are slowly released into the surrounding environment. 
Animal toxicity testing suggests that PBDEs of lower bromination 
disrupt thyroid hormones and cause neurobehavioral deficits and that 
deca-PBDE is a possible carcinogen. Due to the concerns related to 
ubiquitous distribution of these chemicals, their persistence, rising 
body burdens, potential for human health effects, elevated risks to 
children, and increasing industrial demand, the EPA needs 
representative data on concentrations of PBDEs in house dust in 
residential settings across the U.S.
    Phthalates are used in the manufacture of a wide range of 
industrial and household consumer products to prolong durability and 
increase the flexibility of plastics and as chemical stabilizers for 
other materials. Animal data suggest a broad spectrum of potential 
health outcomes including developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, 
and carcinogenicity. However, the characterization of human exposure to 
phthalates is limited and the National Toxicology Program's Center for 
the Evaluation of the Risks to Human Reproduction has concluded that 
more data regarding the potential for human exposure are needed.
    Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are man-made mixtures of 
chemicals, which have chemical properties that make them resistant to 
chemical, biological, and thermal degradation. Data on environmental 
concentrations show that indoor air exposures to PCBs are more 
significant than outdoor exposures. Sources of PCBs in an indoor 
environment include PCB-containing caulk, floor finishes, old 
electronic products, and fluorescent lighting. PCBs tend to 
bioaccumulate, leading to dietary exposures through fish, meat, dairy 
and processed foods. Dietary exposure is considered the major source of 
exposure but with a steady decrease in bioaccumulation, inhalation and 
indirect ingestion become an increasingly important route of exposure 
to children. Results from the AHHS will provide high quality baseline 
distributional data describing real-world concentrations of PCBs in 
U.S. residences, allowing EPA to better understand their presence and 
variability in the home environment.
    Pesticides are needed to control insects and other pests on crops 
and in both indoor and outdoor environments. The potential health 
effects of pesticides vary by type but may include developmental 
neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption. Children are uniquely 
vulnerable to pesticide exposures given their hand-to-mouth behaviors, 
floor play, and developing nervous system. The Food Quality Protection 
Act of 1996 requires EPA to consider aggregate risks (exposures through 
all routes and pathways). Information on potential exposures to these 
chemicals through dust- and soil-related pathways will supplement 
existing AHHS surface wipe results, providing a more complete 
assessment of children's exposures to pesticides in their homes.
    This proposed analysis will be used to develop a nationally 
representative database to assess current status and future trends, 
investigate regional variability, evaluate relationships between indoor 
and outdoor concentrations, characterize exposure routes and pathways, 
and evaluate suspected occupant- and housing-related determinants of 
exposure. The real-world data will be particularly useful for 
developing, evaluating, and improving ORD's modeling tools for 
estimating, classifying, and predicting human exposure. These data will 
be available throughout the Agency to refine risk assessments and 
enhance the Agency's risk assessment/management strategies.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0 
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

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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:

 
 
 
Members of Affected Public.......................................      0
Total Burden Estimate............................................      0
Frequency of respondents.........................................      0
Hours per responses..............................................      0
Burden response..................................................      0
Respondents......................................................      0
    Total Estimated Burden Hours.................................      0
 

    There is no additional time or costs to respondents needed for 
additional analyses of the environmental samples because these samples 
have already been collected.

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 26, 2009.
Jewel F. Morris,
Deputy Director, National Exposure Research Laboratory.
[FR Doc. E9-26414 Filed 11-2-09; 8:45 am]
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