[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 200 (Tuesday, October 16, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63321-63322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-25406]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5603-N-72]


Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB 
Collection of Information From HUD Lead Hazard Control Grantees To 
Support a Review of the Federal Dust-lead Standards

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement described 
below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department 
is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.
    Leaded paint in housing remains as the last major source of lead 
exposure to young children. Efforts to reduce childhood lead poisoning 
have focused on controlling lead paint hazards, specifically lead dust 
and deteriorated lead-based paint. Lead hazard control programs are 
looking for ways to make this housing safer without placing an undue 
financial burden on the property owners or tenants. On August 10, 2009, 
a petition was submitted to EPA www.regulations.gov; search for EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2009-0655) to lower the definition of lead-based paint in pre-1978 
``target'' housing to some value below the current value of 1 mg/cm 2 
or 0.5% by weight (42 U.S.C. 4822(c)), and to lower the lead hazard 
control standards and clearance standards for lead in dust on floors 
and window sills in such housing and in pre-1978 child-occupied 
facilities below the current values of 40 and 250 mg/ft 2 (micrograms 
per square foot), respectively (40 CFR 745.65(b) and 
745.227(e)(8)(viii), and 24 CFR 35.1320(b)(2)(i)), and below the 
current clearance standard for window troughs of 400 mg/ft2 (40 CFR 
45.227(e)(8)(viii), and 24 CFR 35.1320(b)(2)(i)). The HUD Secretary may 
reduce the level that defines lead-based paint in target housing (42 
U.S.C. 4822(c)), and the EPA Administrator identifies the leadbased 
paint hazard standards (15 U.S.C. 2683), and the lead-based paint 
standard (15 U.S.C.2683), and the lead-based paint standard in child-
occupied facilities.
    In a response dated October 22, 2009, EPA, writing on behalf of 
itself and HUD, agreed to study the issues and decide whether the lead 
hazard standards and/or the lead-based paint standard should be 
changed, and to

[[Page 63322]]

collaborate with HUD on this effort. www.epa.gov/oppt/chemtest/pubs/eparesponse. pdf). The Agency and the Department intend to have 
identical standards for the sake of maximizing their effectiveness in 
this matter.
    One of the issues to be considered is the ability to actually 
determine ``clearance'' (a work area is sufficiently clean of lead 
dust) before allowing reoccupancy. The clearance levels for floors and 
window sills are the same as the lead hazard standards. This survey 
will question HUD grantees as to their ability to achieve clearance at 
the current level for floors and windowsills, and whether it would be 
technically feasible to achieve clearance at potentially lower levels.

DATES: Comments Due Date: November 15, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB 
approval Number (2529-Pending) and should be sent to: HUD Desk Officer, 
Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, 
Washington, DC 20503; fax: 202-395-5806. Email: [email protected]; fax: 202-395-5806.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colette Pollard, Reports Management 
Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20410; email Colette Pollard at Colette. 
[email protected]. or telephone (202) 402-3400. This is not a toll-free 
number. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained 
from Ms. Pollard.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development has submitted to OMB a 
request for approval of the Information collection described below. 
This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and 
affecting agencies concerning the proposed collection of information 
to: (1) 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; (2) 
Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the 
burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond; 
including through the use of appropriate automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    This notice also lists the following information:
    Title of Proposed: Collection of Information from HUD Lead Hazard 
Control Grantees to Support a review of the Federal Dust-lead 
Standards.
    OMB Approval Number: 2529-Pending.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: 
Leaded paint in housing remains as the last major source of lead 
exposure to young children. Efforts to reduce childhood lead poisoning 
have focused on controlling lead paint hazards, specifically lead dust 
and deteriorated lead-based paint. Lead hazard control programs are 
looking for ways to make this housing safer without placing an undue 
financial burden on the property owners or tenants. On August 10, 2009, 
a petition was submitted to EPA www.regulations.gov; search for EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2009-0655) to lower the definition of lead-based paint in pre-1978 
``target'' housing to some value below the current value of 1 mg/cm 2 
or 0.5% by weight (42 U.S.C. 4822(c)), and to lower the lead hazard 
control standards and clearance standards for lead in dust on floors 
and window sills in such housing and in pre-1978 child-occupied 
facilities below the current values of 40 and 250 mg/ft 2 (micrograms 
per square foot), respectively (40 CFR 745.65(b) and 
745.227(e)(8)(viii), and 24 CFR 35.1320(b)(2)(i)), and below the 
current clearance standard for window troughs of 400 mg/ft2 (40 CFR 
45.227(e)(8)(viii), and 24 CFR 35.1320(b)(2)(i)). The HUD Secretary may 
reduce the level that defines lead-based paint in target housing (42 
U.S.C. 4822(c)), and the EPA Administrator identifies the leadbased 
paint hazard standards (15 U.S.C. 2683), and the lead-based paint 
standard (15 U.S.C. 2683), and the lead-based paint standard in child-
occupied facilities. In a response dated October 22, 2009, EPA, writing 
on behalf of itself and HUD, agreed to study the issues and decide 
whether the lead hazard standards and/or the lead-based paint standard 
should be changed, and to collaborate with HUD on this effort. 
www.epa.gov/oppt/chemtest/pubs/eparesponse.pdf). The Agency and the 
Department intend to have identical standards for the sake of 
maximizing their effectiveness in this matter.
    One of the issues to be considered is the ability to actually 
determine ``clearance'' (a work area is sufficiently clean of lead 
dust) before allowing reoccupancy. The clearance levels for floors and 
window sills are the same as the lead hazard standards. This survey 
will question HUD grantees as to their ability to achieve clearance at 
the current level for floors and windowsills, and whether it would be 
technically feasible to achieve clearance at potentially lower levels.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Number of          Annual             Hours per
                                        respondents       responses      x      response      =    Burden hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporting Burden....................             100                1   ..              16   ..           1,600
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    Total estimated burden hours: 1,600.
    Status: New collection.

    Authority:  Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
44 U.S.C. 35, as amended.

    Dated: October 10, 2012.
Colette Pollard,
Department Reports Management Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-25406 Filed 10-15-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P