[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 19 (Monday, January 29, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5528-5529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01671]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-ORD-2015-0659; FRL-11713-01-OMS]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Generic Clearance for Participatory Science and Crowdsourcing 
Projects (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

[[Page 5529]]


ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), Generic Clearance for 
Participatory Science and Crowdsourcing Projects (EPA ICR Number 
2521.41, OMB Control Number 2080-0083) to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is 
currently approved through January 31, 2024. Public comments were 
previously requested via the Federal Register on August 21, 2023, 
during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 
days for public comments.

DATES: Comments may be submitted on or before February 28, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-
2015-0659, 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.
    Submit written comments and recommendations to OMB for the proposed 
information collection within 30 days of publication of this notice to 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information 
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Drumm, Office of Research and 
Development-Office of Science Advisor, Policy and Engagement, (8104R), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-8239; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a proposed extension of the ICR, 
which is currently approved through January 31, 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.
    Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register 
on August 21, 2023, during a 60-day comment period (88 FR 56815). This 
notice allows for an additional 30 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.
    Abstract: EPA relies on scientific information. Participatory 
science and crowdsourcing techniques allow the Agency to collect 
qualitative and quantitative data that might help inform scientific 
research, assessments, or environmental screening; validate 
environmental models or tools; or enhance the quantity and quality of 
data collected across the country's diverse communities and ecosystems 
to support the Agency's mission. Information gathered under this 
generic clearance will be used by the Agency to support the activities 
listed above and might provide unprecedented avenues for conducting 
breakthrough research. Collections under this generic ICR will be from 
participants who actively seek to participate on their own initiative 
through an open and transparent process (the Agency does not select 
participants or require participation); the collections will be low-
burden for participants; collections will be low-cost for both the 
participants and the Federal Government; and data will be available to 
support the scientific research (including assessments, environmental 
screening, tools, models, etc.) of the Agency, States, Tribal or local 
entities where data collection occurs. EPA may, by virtue of 
collaborating with non-Federal entities, sponsor the collection of this 
type of information in connection with participatory science projects. 
When applicable, all such collections will comply with Agency policies 
and regulations related to human subjects research and will follow the 
established approval paths through EPA's Human Subjects Research Review 
Official. Finally, personally identifiable information (PII) will only 
be collected when necessary and in accordance with applicable Federal 
procedures and policies. If a new collection is not within the 
parameters of this generic ICR, the Agency will submit a separate 
information collection request to OMB for approval.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Participants/respondents will be 
individuals, not specific entities.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 17,500 (total).
    Frequency of response: The frequency of responses will range from 
once to on occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 389,083 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $19,053,132 (per year), includes $525,000 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is no change of hours in the total 
estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by 
OMB. The dollar figures have been updated to reflect current wages.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2024-01671 Filed 1-26-24; 8:45 am]
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