[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 43 (Monday, March 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9314-9315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04425]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OEI-2006-0037; FRL-9975-12-OEI]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Exchange Network Grants Progress Reports (Renewal)

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), Exchange Network Grants Progress 
Reports Renewal (EPA ICR No. 2207.06, OMB Control No. 2025-0006) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. 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 August 31, 2018. 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 May 4, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OEI-
2006-0037 online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to [email protected]. Address comments to OMB Desk 
Officer for EPA. 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: Edward Mixon, Information Exchange and 
Services Division, Office of Information Management, (2823T), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-2142; fax number: 202-566-1684; 
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.
    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 notice announces the collection of information 
related to the U.S. EPA National Environmental Information Exchange 
Network (NEIEN) Grant Program. EPA proposes to collect information from 
the NEIEN grantees on assistance agreements EPA has awarded. 
Specifically, for each project, EPA proposes to have grantees submit 
semi-annual reports on the progress and current status of each goal and 
output, completion dates for outputs, and any problems encountered. 
This information will help EPA ensure projects are on schedule to meet 
their goals and produce high quality environmental outputs. New award 
recipients will complete one Quality Assurance

[[Page 9315]]

Reporting Form for each award. This form provides a simple means for 
grant recipients to describe how quality will be addressed throughout 
their projects. Additionally, the Quality Assurance Reporting Form is 
derived from guidelines provided in the NEIEN 2018 Grant Solicitation 
Notice.
    Form Numbers: EPA Form 5300-26 (Semi-Annual Progress Report Form) 
and EPA Form 5300-27 (Quality Assurance Reporting Form).
    Respondents/affected entities: State, tribal, and territorial 
environmental government offices.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (2 CFR part 200 and 2 
CFR part 1500).
    Estimated number of respondents: 172 (total).
    Frequency of response: Twice per year for the Semi-Annual Progress 
Report Form; one time per grant for the Quality Assurance Reporting 
Form.
    Total estimated burden: 340 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 
5 CFR 1320.03(b) hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 
1320.03(b)
    Total estimated cost: $11,215 (per year), includes $0 annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: There is decrease of 3 hours in the total 
estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by 
OMB. This decrease is due to a decrease in the number of grants that 
are awarded annually.

    Dated: February 27, 2018.
Charles Freeman,
Acting Director, Information Exchange Services Division.
[FR Doc. 2018-04425 Filed 3-2-18; 8:45 am]
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