[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 83 (Monday, May 3, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23362-23363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09247]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-R03-CBP-2021-0235; FRL-10022-50 Region 3]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Chesapeake Bay Program Citizen Stewardship Index, Diversity Profile, 
and Local Leadership Surveys

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), ``Chesapeake Bay 
Program Citizen Stewardship Index, Diversity Profile, and Local 
Leadership Surveys'' (EPA ICR No. 2679.01, OMB Control No. 2003-NEW) to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, EPA 
is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collection as described in this document. This is a request 
for approval of a new collection. 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 July 2, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-R03-CBP-
2021-0235, 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

[[Page 23363]]

information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tuana Phillips, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency Region III--Chesapeake Bay Program Office, mail code: 
3CB10, Annapolis City Marina, Suite 109, 410 Severn Ave., Annapolis, MD 
21403; telephone number: (410)-267-5704; fax number: 1-410-267-5777; 
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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 
Chesapeake Bay Program (the Program) is interested in tracking its 
progress at attaining its goals under the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed 
Agreement (the Agreement). To do this, the Program plans to implement 
three surveys: The Citizen Stewardship Survey, the Diversity Profile 
Survey, and the Local Leadership Survey.
    EPA has specified the target audience and the implementation 
approach for each to maximize the data that can be obtained. The 
Citizen Stewardship Survey will be implemented as a multi-mode survey 
that includes phone, web, and mail components and will target residents 
living the Chesapeake Bay area, stratified by jurisdiction (states and 
the District of Columbia). The Diversity Profile Survey will be 
implemented among people who work on partnership efforts within the Bay 
area as a web-based survey. The Local Leadership Survey will be 
implemented among state and local elected officials involved in policy 
making in the Bay area also as a web-based survey.
    The Program will be using the data from these three surveys to 
track it progress under the Stewardship goal of the 2014 Agreement. The 
Stewardship goal includes three outcomes: (1) Citizen stewardship, (2) 
local leadership, and (3) diversity. Three surveys under this ICR each 
address one of the outcomes and contributes to EPA's Government 
Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals (EPA Goal 1, A Cleaner, 
Healthier Environment; Objective 1.2: Provide for Clean and Safe 
Water).
    Each of the surveys under this ICR were funded and implemented by 
other partners in the Chesapeake Bay area in prior years. The Program 
determined that the best approach for continued implementation of these 
surveys would be for the EPA assume the responsibility for implementing 
these surveys; thus, EPA is seeking approval for implementing these 
surveys under this ICR.
    Collecting these data and publishing them for public review will 
allow the public to track how well the Agreement is working to preserve 
and protect the Chesapeake Bay region from the standpoint of the 
Stewardship goal outlined in the Agreement. Overall, the Agreement 
contains 10 goals and their associated outcomes; data for the other 
nine goals are collected through other means. Combining the data for 
Stewardship goal outcomes from these surveys with the data for the 
other nine goals will provide the public will have a comprehensive 
picture of the progress being made to preserve and protect Chesapeake 
Bay watershed.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Stewardship survey: members of the 
general public; Local Leaders survey: individuals in local government 
leadership roles; Diversity Profile survey: individuals working at 
organizations to conserve/restore the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 6,430 (total).
    Frequency of response: once.
    Total estimated burden: 2,298 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $0 (per year), includes $0 annualized capital 
or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: This is a new collection.

    Dated: April 22, 2021.
Michelle Price-Fay,
Acting Director, Chesapeake Bay Program Office.
[FR Doc. 2021-09247 Filed 4-30-21; 8:45 am]
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