[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 241 (Wednesday, December 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 78227]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31542]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-ORD-2015-0659; FRL-9939-98-OEI]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for Citizen Science and 
Crowdsourcing Projects (New)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Generic Clearance for Citizen 
Science and Crowdsourcing Projects (New)'' (EPA ICR No. 2521.01, OMB 
Control No. 2080--NEW) 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.). This is a request for approval of a new 
collection. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal 
Register (80 FR 59148) on October 1, 2015 during a 60-day comment 
period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public 
comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its 
estimated burden and cost to the public. 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: Additional comments may be submitted on or before January 15, 
2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
ORD-2015-0659 to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via email to 
[email protected]. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for 
EPA.
    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: Jay Benforado, IOAA-ORD, Mail Code 
8101R, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-3262; fax number: 202-
565-2494; 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, 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.
    Abstract: EPA relies on scientific information. Citizen science and 
crowdsourcing techniques will allow the Agency to collect qualitative 
and quantitative data that might help inform scientific research, 
assessments, or environmental screening; validate environmental models 
or tools; or enhance the quantity and quality of data collected across 
the country's diverse communities and ecosystems to support the 
Agency's mission. Information gathered under this generic clearance 
will be used by the Agency to support the activities listed above and 
might provide unprecedented avenues for conducting breakthrough 
research. Collections under this generic ICR will be from participants 
who actively seek to participate on their own initiative through an 
open and transparent process (the Agency does not select participants 
or require participation); the collections will be low-burden for 
participants; collections will be low-cost for both the participants 
and the Federal Government; and data will be available to support the 
scientific research (including assessments, environmental screening, 
tools, models, etc.) of the Agency, states, tribal or local entities 
where data collection occurs. EPA may, by virtue of collaborating with 
non-federal entities, sponsor the collection of this type of 
information in connection with citizen science projects. When 
applicable, all such collections will accord with Agency policies and 
regulations related to human subjects research and will follow the 
established approval paths through EPA's Human Subjects Research Review 
Official. Finally, personally identifiable information (PII) will only 
be collected when necessary and in accordance with applicable federal 
procedures and policies. If a new collection is not within the 
parameters of this generic ICR, the Agency will submit a separate ICR 
to OMB for approval.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Individuals.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 42,500 (total).
    Frequency of response: The frequency of responses will range from 
once to on occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 389,083 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)
    Total estimated cost: $12,893,959 (per year), includes $525,000 
annualized capital for operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: This is a new information collection.

Courtney Kerwin,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2015-31542 Filed 12-15-15; 8:45 am]
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