[Federal Register: May 12, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 91)] [Notices] [Page 25500-25501] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr12my99-94] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-6341-4] Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; National Roster of Environmental Dispute Resolution and Consensus Building Professionals AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that the following Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: The National Roster of Environmental Dispute Resolution and Consensus Building Professionals, EPA ICR No. 1888.01, new collection. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden and cost; where appropriate, it includes the actual data collection instrument. DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 11, 1999. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Farmer at EPA by phone at (202) 260-2740, by email at farmer.sandy@epa.gov, or download a copy of the ICR off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 1888.01. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: National Roster of Environmental Dispute Resolution and Consensus Building Professionals ( EPA ICR No. 1888.01. ). This is a new collection. Abstract: This ICR pertains to the application form for listing facilitators, mediators and other similar professionals on a National Roster for Environmental Dispute Resolution and Consensus-Building Professionals (``roster''). This information will be collected by the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution of the Morris K. Udall Foundation (``Institute''). The EPA is funding the initial development of the roster which will be managed by the Institute. Submittal of an application form is voluntary and not required for ultimate selection by the government as a neutral in any specific case. The application form will collect information about the experience and education of professionals engaged in assisting disputants in reaching consensus, agreements or settlements of environmental and natural resource conflicts. The information needed to complete the roster application is generally what would be found on a resume or curriculum vita or provided in reply to a request for proposal. The form does not collect any confidential information. The roster will be used by Federal agencies to identify qualified individuals with whom to contract for neutral consensus building and dispute resolution services. Other parties such as state government agencies, private companies and public interest organizations may use the Roster to identify appropriate qualified individuals for cases. Collecting the information on a form will standardize the responses received from numerous applicants into a computer database which may then be searched on a number of fields important to potential clients of dispute resolution services. Such searchable fields would include, among other things, geographic location, specialized past experience and skill in languages. We expect that a computerized database of experienced neutrals will reduce the time necessary for Federal agencies to identify and contract with dispute resolution service providers. 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. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15. The Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on 11/23/98 (63 FR 64699); 6 comments were received. Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.9 hours per [[Page 25501]] respondent. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information. Respondents/Affected Entities: Facilitators, Mediators, including attorney-mediators; Arbitrators; Retired judges; Other consensus building professionals. Estimated Number of Respondents: 500. Frequency of Response: Once, with voluntary updates. Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 458 hours. Estimated Total Annualized Cost (non-labor costs) Burden: $ 0. Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please refer to EPA ICR No. 1888.01 in any correspondence. Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Policy, Regulatory Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460; and Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503. Dated: May 6, 1999. Richard T. Westlund, Acting Director, Regulatory Information Division. [FR Doc. 99-12010 Filed 5-11-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P