[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 223 (Monday, November 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69451-69452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28095]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OECA-2009-0494; FRL-9752-9]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Tips 
and Complaints Regarding Environmental Violations

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Tips and Complaints Regarding 
Environmental Violations'' (EPA ICR No. 2219.04, OMB Control No. 2020-
0032) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.).

[[Page 69452]]

Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects 
of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a 
proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through 
March 31, 2013. 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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 18, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OECA-
20009-0494, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Le Desma; Legal Counsel & 
Resource Management Division; Office of Criminal Enforcement, Forensics 
and Training; Environmental Protection Agency, Building 25, Box 25227, 
Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80025; telephone number: (303) 462-
9453; fax number: (303) 462-9075; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, EPA West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 
EPA is soliciting 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. 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. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice 
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: The EPA tips and complaints web form is intended to 
provide an easy and convenient means by which members of the public can 
supply information to EPA regarding suspected violations of 
environmental law. The decision to provide a tip or complaint is 
entirely voluntary and use of the webform when supplying a tip or 
complaint is also entirely voluntary. Tippers need not supply contact 
information or other personal identifiers. Those who do supply such 
information, however, should know that this information may be shared 
by EPA with appropriate administrative, law enforcement, and judicial 
entities engaged in investigating or adjudicating the tip or complaint.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Respondents are expected to be 
members of the general public as well as employees of any company 
subject to federal environmental regulation. There is no specific 
industry or group of industries about which EPA expects tips or 
complaints.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 630 per month (total).
    Frequency of response: generally, a one-time response.
    Total estimated burden: 3,780 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $75,146 (per year), includes $0 annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: There is expected to be an increase in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This increase would reflect an increase in the number 
of tips and complaints being filed, not an increase in the time or 
burden associated with filing each tip or complaint. Growing awareness 
of the ease with which tips and complaints can be filed using the tips 
and complaints webform is expected to result in, perhaps, a 20% 
increase in usage.

    Dated: November 6, 2012.
Cynthia J. Giles,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Enforcement and Compliance 
Assurance.
[FR Doc. 2012-28095 Filed 11-16-12; 8:45 am]
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