[Federal Register: April 28, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 81)]
[Notices]               
[Page 22861-22862]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28ap99-47]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6332-2]

 
Agency Information Collection Activities: Continuing Collection; 
Comment Request; Pre-award Compliance Review Report for all Applicants 
Requesting Federal Financial Assistance, Agency Information Collection 
Activities up for Renewal

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Pre-award Compliance Review Report for 
all Applicants Requesting Federal Financial Assistance, EPA ICR No. 
0275.07, EPA Form 4700-4, OMB Control No. 2090-0014, expiration date 30 
April 1999. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, 
EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collections as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 28, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Office of Civil Rights, Mail Code 1201, U.S. EPA, Waterside 
Mall (WSM), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460. Interested parties 
may receive a copy of the ICR without charge by writing to this address 
or by calling the Office of Civil Rights at (202) 260-4575.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Civil Rights, at the above 
address, by telephone at (202) 260-4575, or by fax at (202) 260-4580.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
all grant and loan applicants, including state, local and tribal 
governments, universities; associations, and non-profits, which must 
complete a simple form with the requested data when applying for 
financial assistance.
    Title: Pre-award Compliance Review Report for all Applicants 
Requesting Federal Financial Assistance, EPA ICR No. 0275.07, EPA Form 
4700-4, OMB Control No. 2090-0014, expiration date 30 April 1999.
    Abstract: The information request and gathering is part of the 
requirement of 40 CFR part 7, ``Nondiscrimination in Programs Receiving 
Federal Assistance from the Environmental Protection

[[Page 22862]]

Agency,'' at 40 CFR 7.80. The regulation implements statutes which 
prohibit discrimination on the bases of race, color, national origin, 
sex and handicap. This information is also required, in part, by the 
Department of Justice regulations, 28 CFR 42.406 and 28 CFR 42.407. The 
information is collected on a short form from grant and loan applicants 
as part of the application. The EPA Director of Civil Rights manages 
the data collection through a regional component or delegated state, 
both of whom also carry out the data analysis and make the 
recommendation on the respondent's ability to meet the requirements of 
the regulation, as well as the respondent's current compliance with the 
regulation. The information and analysis is of sufficient value for the 
Director to determine whether the applicant is in compliance with the 
regulation. Analysis of the data allows EPA to determine:
    (1) Whether there appears to be discrimination in the provision of 
program or activity services between the minority and non-minority 
population. This allows EPA to determine whether any action is 
necessary by it before the award of the grant or loan.
    (2) Whether the respondent is designing grant or loan financed 
facilities to be accessible to handicapped individuals or whether a 
regulatory exemption is applicable. This allows EPA to determine 
whether design changes are necessary prior to the award of the grant or 
loan, which can save the respondent a significant amount of money, 
e.g., ensuring a facility is accessible to the handicapped is much less 
costly if this requirement is included in the design rather than after 
construction has begun.
    (3) Whether the respondent receives or has applied for financial 
assistance from other Federal agencies. This information allows EPA to 
canvass these other agencies to avoid conducting duplicate compliance 
audits, reviews, or complaint investigations and is a reduction of 
burden on respondents. Responses to the collection of information are 
required to obtain a grant or loan and are kept on file by the state 
distributing the funds.
    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 40 CFR Chapter 15.
    The EPA would like to solicit comments 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.
    Burden Statement: The form is part of the grant or loan application 
package. The information currently exists in the respondent's 
operation. The data collected on this form is compiled and reported 
from the applicant's existing information. The information as gathered 
and reported on the form specifically applies to the grant or loan 
application. The only burden experienced by the respondent is that of 
completing the form. The Agency's past experience has shown that it 
requires one half-hour to complete the form. The form is usually 
completed by the applicant's packager or a clerk assistant. The average 
salary range of the combined or single individual has historically been 
about $30,000.00 per year. The Agency's information comes from direct 
experience in carrying out the task. Therefore the capital cost would 
be $0 and the labor for \1/2\ hour would be about $7.21 per year. At 
about 13,100 applications per year, the total cost for all applicants 
combined would be about $94,300.00 per year. Burden means 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 estimate 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.

    Dated: April 20, 1999.
Ann E. Goode,
Director, Office of Civil Rights.
[FR Doc. 99-10628 Filed 4-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P