[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 234 (Monday, December 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76015-76016]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-30799]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-SFUND-2004-0008; FRL-9939-70-OSWER]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Consolidated Superfund Information Collection Request (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Consolidated 
Superfund Information Collection Request (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 
1487.13, OMB Control No. 2050-0179) to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, EPA is 
soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collection as described below. This notice is a proposed 
extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through April 30, 
2016. This ICR is a continuing consolidation of the following previous 
ICRs: OMB Control Number 2050-0179 (Cooperative Agreements and 
Superfund State Contracts for Superfund Response Actions), OMB Control 
Number 2050-0095 (Superfund Site Evaluation and Hazard Ranking System 
(HRS)), and OMB Control Number 2050-0096 (National Oil and Hazardous 
Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP)). An Agency may not conduct 
or sponsor and a

[[Page 76016]]

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 February 5, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-2004-
0008, 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: Laura Knudsen, Office of Solid Waste 
and Emergency Response, Assessment and Remediation Division, (5204P), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 703-603-8861; fax number: 703-
603-9102; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will collect 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, WJC 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 PRA, 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: This ICR covers the following: The collection of 
information under 40 CFR part 35, subpart O, which establishes the 
administrative requirements for cooperative agreements funded under the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 
(CERCLA) for state, federally-recognized Indian tribal governments, and 
political subdivision response actions; the application of the Hazard 
Ranking System (HRS) by states as outlined by section 105 of CERCLA 
(1980 and 1986) that amends the National Oil and Hazardous Substances 
Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) to include criteria prioritizing 
releases throughout the U.S. before undertaking remedial action at 
uncontrolled hazardous waste sites; and the remedial portion of the 
Superfund program as specified in the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 as amended (CERCLA) 
and the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency 
Plan (NCP). For Cooperative Agreements and Superfund State Contracts 
for Superfund Response Actions, the information is collected from 
applicants and/or recipients of EPA assistance and is used to make 
awards, pay recipients, and collect information on how federal funds 
are being utilized. EPA requires this information to meet its federal 
stewardship responsibilities. Recipient responses are required to 
obtain a benefit (federal funds) under 40 CFR part 31, ``Uniform 
Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to 
State and Local Governments'' and under 40 CFR part 35, ``State and 
Local Assistance.'' For the Superfund Site Evaluation and Hazard 
Ranking System, the states will apply the HRS by identifying and 
classifying those releases or sites that warrant further investigation. 
The HRS score is crucial since it is the primary mechanism used to 
determine whether a site is eligible to be included on the National 
Priorities List (NPL). Only sites on the NPL are eligible for 
Superfund-financed remedial actions. For the NCP information 
collection, some community involvement activities covered by this ICR 
are not required at every site (e.g., Technical Assistance Grants) and 
depend very much on the community and the nature of the site and 
cleanup. All community activities seek to involve the public in the 
cleanup of the sites, gain the input of community members, and include 
the community's perspective on the potential future reuse of Superfund 
NPL sites. Community involvement activities can enhance the remedial 
process and increase community acceptance and the potential for 
productive and beneficial reuse of the sites.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: State, Local or Tribal Governments; 
Communities; US Territories.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain benefits 
(for the Cooperative Agreements and Superfund State Contracts under 40 
CFR part 35); Required to Obtain Benefits (for the Superfund Site 
Evaluation and Hazard Ranking System ICR under section 105 of the 
CERCLA, 1980 and 1986); and Required to Obtain Benefits (for the 
National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan under 
CERCLA).
    Estimated number of respondents: 12,131 (total).
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 308,458 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $481,661.59 (per year), includes $0 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: There is no anticipated change of hours in 
the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. The estimates are expected to substantially stay the 
same because there have been no significant changes in respondents and 
the scope of the activities listed under this ICR remains unchanged.

    Dated: November 24, 2015.
James E. Woolford,
Director, Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation.
[FR Doc. 2015-30799 Filed 12-4-15; 8:45 am]
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