[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 182 (Wednesday, September 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58127-58129]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23088]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-SFUND-2012-0104; FRL-9730-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; EPA ICR No. 2104.04 OMB Control No. 2050-0192

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

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 July 31, 2012. 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 November 19, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
SFUND-2012-0104 by one of the following methods:
     www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for 
submitting comments.
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, 
Mailcode: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection 
Agency, 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-SFUND-
2012-0104. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
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 www.regulations.gov or email. The 
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 email comment 
directly to EPA without going through www.regulations.gov your email 
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: Rachel Lentz, Office of Brownfields 
and Land Revitalization, (5105T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 
566-2745; fax number (202) 566-1476; email 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-SFUND-2012-0104, which is available for online viewing at 
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Superfund 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 Superfund Docket is 202-566-9744.
    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 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.

[[Page 58128]]

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 
general purpose units of local government; land clearance authorities 
or other quasi-governmental entities that operate under the supervision 
and control of, or as an agent of, a general purpose unit of local 
government; government entities created by State legislature; regional 
councils or groups of general purpose units of local government; 
redevelopment agencies that are chartered or otherwise sanctioned by 
the State; States; Indian Tribes other than in Alaska; Alaska Native 
Regional Corporations, Alaska Native Village Corporations, and 
Metlakatla Indian Communities; and non-profit organizations.
    Title: Brownfields Program--Accomplishment Reporting (Renewal).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2104.04, OMB Control No. 2050-0192.
    ICR Status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on July 31, 
2012. 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: The Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields 
Revitalization Act (Pub. L. 107-118) (``the Brownfields Amendments'') 
was signed into law on January 11, 2002. The Act amends the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 
(CERCLA), as amended, and authorizes EPA to award cooperative 
agreements to states, tribes, local governments, and other eligible 
entities to assess and clean up brownfields sites. Under the 
Brownfields Amendments, a brownfields site means real property, the 
expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the 
presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or 
contaminant. For funding purposes, EPA uses the term ``brownfields 
property(ies)'' synonymously with the term ``brownfields sites.'' The 
Brownfields Amendments authorize EPA to award several types of 
cooperative agreements to eligible entities on a competitive basis.
    Under subtitle A of the Small Business Liability Relief and 
Brownfields Revitalization Act, States, tribes, local governments, and 
other eligible entities can receive assessment cooperative agreements 
to inventory, characterize, assess, and conduct planning and community 
involvement related to brownfields properties; cleanup cooperative 
agreements to carry out cleanup activities at brownfields properties; 
cooperative agreements to capitalize revolving loan funds and provide 
subgrants for cleanup activities; and job training cooperative 
agreements to support the creation and implementation of environmental 
job training and placement programs. Under subtitle C of the Small 
Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, State and 
tribes can receive cooperative agreements to establish and enhance 
their response programs. The cooperative agreements support activities 
necessary to establish or enhance four elements of state and tribal 
response programs and to meet the public record requirements under the 
statute. The four elements eligible for funding include: (a) Timely 
survey and inventory of brownfield sites in the State or in the tribal 
land; (b) oversight and enforcement authorities or other mechanisms and 
resources; (c) mechanisms and resources to provide meaningful 
opportunities for public participation; and (d) mechanisms for approval 
of a cleanup plan and verification and certification that cleanup is 
complete. States and tribes that receive funding under subtitle C must 
establish a public record system during the funding period unless an 
adequate public record system is already established.
    Cooperative agreement recipients (recipients) have general 
reporting and recordkeeping requirements as a condition of their 
cooperative agreement that result in burden. A portion of this 
reporting and recordkeeping burden is authorized under 40 CFR Parts 30 
and 31 and identified in the EPA's general grants ICR (OMB Control 
Number 2030-0020). EPA requires Brownfields program recipients to 
maintain and report additional information to EPA on the uses and 
accomplishments associated with the funded brownfields activities. EPA 
uses several forms to assist recipients in reporting the information 
and to ensure consistency of the information collected. EPA uses this 
information to meet Federal stewardship responsibilities to manage and 
track how program funds are being spent, to evaluate the performance of 
the Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment Program, to meet the Agency's 
reporting requirements under the Government Performance Results Act, 
and to report to Congress and other program stakeholders on the status 
and accomplishments of the program.
    This ICR addresses the burden imposed on recipients that are 
associated with those reporting and recordkeeping requirements that are 
specific to cooperative agreements awarded under the Small Business 
Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. This ICR revision 
modifies the annual reporting and recordkeeping burden under the 
previous ICR. The modified burden reflects an increase in the number of 
respondents subject to the reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
lower number of responses based on previous three years of data 
submissions, and improvements to the reporting forms based on EPA's 
experience. By using the same form to report information on recipient 
activities, EPA is adopting a streamlined approach that avoids 
potential confusion among recipients and allows the Agency to collect 
and report program information consistently across all brownfields 
cooperative agreements. EPA is also modifying the reporting form to 
simplify and clarify the reporting requirements, which will improve the 
accuracy of information reported and minimize the burden to recipients.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.25 
hours per response for the Property Profile Form

[[Page 58129]]

and 4 hours per response for the Job Training Reporting Form. 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: 1007.
    Frequency of response: Bi-annual for subtitle C recipients; 
quarterly for subtitle A recipients.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
20.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 3,167 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $308,911. This includes an estimated 
burden cost of $308,911 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 a decrease of one hour in the total estimated respondent 
burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by 
OMB. This decrease reflects EPA's updating of burden estimates for this 
collection based on an increase in number of experienced recipients 
familiar with reporting requirements, a lowered number of responses 
based on previous data submission, and improvements in the ACRES 
reporting database.

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 12, 2012.
Gail A. Cooper,
Acting Director, Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization.
[FR Doc. 2012-23088 Filed 9-18-12; 8:45 am]
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