[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 187 (Thursday, September 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66840-66841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-21164]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OARM-2016-0762; FRL-11408-01-OMS]


Agency Information Collection Activities; 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 Number 
0938.23, OMB Control Number 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 6/30/2024. This notice allows for 60 days for public 
comments.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OARM-2016-0762, to EPA 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 information whose disclosure is 
restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amanda Kemp, Office of Grants and 
Debarment, National Policy, Training and Compliance Division, 3903R, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-0209; fax number: 202-565-2470; 
email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a proposed extension of the ICR, 
which is currently approved through 6/30/2024. 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.
    This notice allows 60 days for public comments. 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 forms of information technology. 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. 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars, 
or added by EPA to ensure sound and effective financial assistance 
management. For all awards, 40 CFR part 33 ``Participation by 
Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in Procurement under Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) Financial Assistance Agreements'' establishes 
DBE utilization requirements for all entity types. These regulations 
include only those provisions mandated by statue or added by EPA to 
ensure sound and effective financial assistance management with respect 
to DBE utilization. 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.

[[Page 66841]]

    Form Numbers: To be determined.
    Respondents/affected entities: The primary recipients of EPA 
assistance agreements are State and local governments, Indian Tribes, 
educational institutions, and not-for-profit institutions.
    Respondents' obligation to respond: Required to obtain an 
assistance agreement (40 CFR part 30, 40 CFR part 31, and 40 CFR part 
33 for awards made prior to December 26, 2014, and 2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 
1500, and 40 CFR part 33 for awards made after December 26, 2014).
    Estimated number of respondents: 3,048 (total).
    Frequency of response: On occasion, quarterly, and annually.
    Total estimated burden: 94,606 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $6,054,791 (per year), which includes $0 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the estimates: Estimated total respondent burden is 
likely to increase compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB due 
to an increase in the number of the estimated respondent universe.

Rachel Lentz,
Acting Director, National Policy, Training and Compliance Division.
[FR Doc. 2023-21164 Filed 9-27-23; 8:45 am]
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