[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61483-61485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24926]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-AO-2010-EPA-HQ-AO-2010-0739 FRL-9210-4]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Regulatory Pilot Projects (Renewal); EPA ICR No. 
1755.09; OMB Control No. 2010-0026

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 March 31, 2011. 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 December 6, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-AO-
2010-0739 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: OA Docket, EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: Office of the Administrator Docket in the 
EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room

[[Page 61484]]

3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, 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-AO-2010-
0739 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 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/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gerald Filbin, Office of Policy 
(1807T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-2182; fax number: 202-
566-2220; 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-AO-2010-0739 which is available for online viewing at http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of the 
Administrator 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 Office of the 
Administrator Docket is 202-566-0219.
    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 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 
primarily state environmental agencies that have received EPA State 
Innovation Grants in the seven (7) competitions that occurred from 
2002-2009 that must report to EPA on their performance on those 
assistance agreements. In some cases this means that these state 
environmental agencies must gather and report on aspects of 
environmental performance from multiple regulated facilities 
participating in funded projects. State Agencies with State innovation 
Grant Assistance Agreements must report their progress to EPA on a 
quarterly basis and for the preparation of project final reports. 
Twenty (20) of the thirty-nine (39) projects funded under the program 
remain active. These state environmental agencies request performance 
information from facilities participating in or whose participation is 
being solicited for pilot projects to test innovation in environmental 
permitting. Other parties affected by this request may include 
industrial facilities and state agencies that have been participants in 
Project XL in circumstances where projects are being completed or 
terminated and information characterizing the outcomes of those 
projects is being sought by EPA to close out those individual projects. 
In addition, state environmental agencies that wish to respond to a 
request for consultation with EPA on innovative practices that may be 
pilot tested and evaluated to better address emerging environmental 
issues (e.g., climate change adaptation) may be affected.
    Title: Regulatory Reinvention Pilots (Renewal).
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1755.09, OMB Control No. 2010-0026.
    ICR Status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on March 31, 
2011. 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

[[Page 61485]]

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: This is an information collection request renewal that 
will allow for the continued information collection related to 
innovative pilot projects conducted under EPA's project XL and State 
Innovation grant Programs and to allow EPA and state environmental 
agencies supported under cooperative agreements for these programs to 
continue their commitments to monitor the results of remaining pilot 
tests of regulatory innovation initiated under these programs. While 
both the EPA State Innovation Grant Program and Project XL no longer 
accept new project proposals or initiate new projects, the renewal of 
this ICR is important as it will allow the Agency to continue to assess 
performance outcomes of remaining regulatory innovation piloting 
projects and to identify the broader applicability of those pilot 
projects. Both Project XL and the State Innovation Grant Program have 
stopped accepting new innovation project proposals but states 
implementing existing innovative regulatory pilot tests in projects 
funded by a State Innovation Grant are required to report on progress 
during the operation of a project and to provide a final project report 
summarizing outcomes and major findings of each project. EPA's policy 
on performance measurement in assistance agreements is an 
implementation outcome under the Government Performance and Results Act 
(GPRA Sec.  1115 (a)(4) and Sec.  1116(c)). EPA's innovation piloting 
efforts are multi-media in nature and include programs authorized under 
the full range of authorizing legislation (e.g., the Clean Air Act, 
Section 103(b)(3) (42 U.S.C. 7403(b)(3)) the Clean Water Act, Section 
104(b)(3) (33 U.S.C. 1254(b)(3)); the Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 
8001 (42 U.S.C. 6981); the Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10 (15 
U.S.C. 2609); the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, 
Section 20 (7 U.S.C. 136r); and the Safe Drinking Water Act, Sections 
1442 (a) and (c) (42 U.S.C. 1(a) and (c)).
    Responses related to the grant program are required to achieve the 
quarterly and final project reporting stipulated in the grant awards. 
Responses related to Project XL are voluntary. EPA remains interested 
in collaborating with states, tribes and localities for the purpose of 
testing and evaluating innovative practices, both regulatory and 
voluntary that lead to better environmental results, particularly as 
they apply to emerging environmental issues. The measurement of results 
in these pilot tests and the evaluation of success, efficiency, and 
broader application are key to EPA's interest in producing better 
environmental results through innovation.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 100 
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 total number of potential annual respondents: 20.
    Frequency of response: 20 quarterly; 85 annually.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
4.1.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 4820.
    Estimated total annual costs: $367,131. This includes an estimated 
burden cost of $367,131 and an estimated cost of $0 for capital 
investment or maintenance and operational costs.

Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?

    There is an increase of 318 hours in the total estimated respondent 
burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by 
OMB. This reflects the need to collect information on project 
performance and outcomes in the form of quarterly reporting and final 
project reporting for current projects only not addressed in other 
ICRs.

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: September 27, 2010.
Elizabeth A. Shaw,
Director, Office of Strategic Environmental Management.
[FR Doc. 2010-24926 Filed 10-4-10; 8:45 am]
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