[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 142 (Tuesday, July 26, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44388-44389]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15952]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-SFUND-2004-0008; FRL-9754-01-OLEM]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Consolidated Superfund Information Collection Request

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), ``Consolidated Superfund 
Information Collection Request'' (EPA ICR No. 1487.14, OMB Control No. 
2050-0179) 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 March 31, 
2023. 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 September 26, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
SFUND-2004-0008, 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.
    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: Yolanda Singer, Office of Superfund 
Remediation and Technology Innovation, Assessment and Remediation 
Division, (5204T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-506-1045; 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

[[Page 44389]]

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 https://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: (1) 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; (2) the application of the 
Hazard Ranking System (HRS) by states as outlined by CERCLA section 105 
that amends the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution 
Contingency Plan (NCP) to include criteria prioritizing releases 
throughout the United States before undertaking remedial action at 
uncontrolled hazardous waste sites; and (3) the remedial portion of the 
Superfund program as specified in CERCLA and the 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 2 CFR part 200, ``Uniform Administrative 
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal 
Awards to Non-Federal Entities'' and under 40 CFR part 35, ``State and 
Local Assistance.'' For the Superfund site evaluation and the 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: 6200-11.
    Respondents/affected entities: State, Local or Tribal Governments; 
U.S. Territories; Communities.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain benefits (40 
CFR part 35; CERCLA section 105, 40 CFR part 300).
    Estimated number of respondents: 13,182 (total).
    Frequency of response: Annually.
    Total estimated burden: 196,557 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $463,497 (per year), includes $0 annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: There is no change in the total estimated 
respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. This 
is because there was no current change in program requirements. EPA 
expects estimates to likely rise due to an increase in the respondent 
universe as a result of increased funding from the Infrastructure 
Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 117-58).

Brigid Lowery,
Division Director, Assessment and Remediation Division, Office of 
Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation.
[FR Doc. 2022-15952 Filed 7-25-22; 8:45 am]
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