[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 151 (Wednesday, August 5, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47370-47372]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17102]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OARM-2016-0762; FRL-10012-85-OMS]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; General 
Administrative Requirements for Assistance Programs

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), ``General 
Administrative Requirements for Assistance Programs'' (EPA ICR No. 
0938.22, OMB Control No. 2030-0020 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 April 30, 2021. 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 October 5, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OARM-
2016-0762 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.

[[Page 47371]]

    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: Elizabeth January, Office of Grants 
and Debarment, National Policy, Training and Compliance Division, Mail 
Code: 3903R, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. 
NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (617) 918-8655; fax number: 
(202) 565-2470; 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: The information is collected from applicants and 
recipients of EPA assistance to monitor adherence to the programmatic 
and administrative requirements of the Agency's financial assistance 
program. The information collected is used to make awards, pay 
recipients, and collect information on how Federal funds are being 
spent. EPA needs this information to meet its Federal stewardship 
responsibilities. This ICR renewal requests authorization for the 
collection of information under EPA's General Regulation for Assistance 
Programs, which establishes minimum management requirements for all 
recipients of EPA grants or cooperative agreements (assistance 
agreements). Recipients must respond to these information requests to 
obtain and/or retain a benefit (Federal funds). For awards made prior 
to December 26, 2014, 40 CFR part 30, ``Grants and Agreements with 
Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit 
Organizations,'' establishes the management requirements for 
institutions of higher education, hospitals, and other non-profit 
organizations, as well as procurement requirements for non-governmental 
recipients. For awards made prior to December 26, 2014, 40 CFR part 31, 
``Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative 
Agreements to State and Local Governments,'' includes the management 
requirements for States, local governments, and Indian Tribal 
governments. These regulations include only those provisions mandated 
by statute, required by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Circulars, or added by EPA to ensure sound and effective financial 
assistance management. For awards made after December 26, 2014, 2 CFR 
200 and EPA's implementation of 2 CFR 200 at 2 CFR 1500 ``Uniform 
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for 
Federal Awards'' establishes the management requirements for all entity 
types. These regulations include only those provisions mandated by 
statute, required by OMB Circulars, or added by EPA to ensure sound and 
effective financial assistance management. This ICR combines all of 
these requirements under OMB Control Number 2030-0020. The information 
required by these regulations will be used by EPA award officials to 
make assistance awards and assistance payments and to verify that the 
recipient is using Federal funds appropriately.

    Form Numbers: EPA Form 190-F-04-001, ``EPA Payment Request''

EPA Form 190-F-05-001, ``Fellowship Stipend Payment Enrollment Form''
EPA Form 4700-4, ``Preaward Compliance Review Report for All Applicants 
and Recipients Requesting Federal Financial Assistance''
EPA Form 5700-52A, ``MBE/WBE Utilization Under Federal Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements''
EPA Form 5700-53, ``Lobbying and Litigation Certification for Grants 
and Cooperative Agreements''
EPA Form 5700-54, ``Key Contacts Form,'' and EPA Form 5700-54-2, ``Key 
Contacts Form for Multiple Principal Investigators''
EPA Form 5770-2, ``Fellowship Application''
EPA Form 5770-3, ``Fellowship Facilities and Commitment Statement''
EPA Form 5770-5, ``Agency Fellowship Certification''
EPA Form 5770-7, ``EPA Fellowship Activation Notice''
EPA Form 5770-8, ``Fellowship Agreement''
EPA Form 5770-9, ``Completion of Studies Notice''
EPA Form 6600-01, ``EPA Administrative and Financial Onsite Review 
Questionnaire''
EPA Form 6600-06, ``Certification Regarding Lobbying''
EPA Form 6600-08, ``Lobbying Cost Certificate for Indirect Costs/
Certificate of Indirect Costs for State and Local Governments''
EPA Form 6600-09, ``EPA Administrative Capability Questionnaire''
NCER Form 5, ``Current and Pending Support''

    Respondents/affected entities: The primary recipients of EPA 
assistance agreements are State and local governments, Indian Tribes, 
educational institutions, and not-for-profit institutions.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain an 
assistance agreement (40 CFR part 30 and 40 CFR part 31 for awards made 
prior to December 26, 2014, and 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 1500 for awards 
made after December 26, 2014).
    Estimated number of respondents: 5,492 (total).
    Frequency of response: On occasion, quarterly, and annually.
    Total estimated burden: 90,124 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)
    Total estimated cost: $5,263,533 (per year), includes $0 annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: Estimates are likely to stay substantially 
the same compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB due to limited 
programmatic changes or changes in the estimated respondent universe.


[[Page 47372]]


    Dated: July 30, 2020.
Michael Osinski,
Acting Director of the Office of Grants and Debarment.
[FR Doc. 2020-17102 Filed 8-4-20; 8:45 am]
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