[Federal Register: August 10, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 153)]
[Notices]               
[Page 48490-48491]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10au04-81]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7797-1]

 
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Application for Reimbursement to Local Governments for 
Emergency Response to Hazardous Substance Releases Under CERCLA Section 
123, EPA ICR Number 1425.05, OMB Control Number 2050-0077

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

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 a

[[Page 48491]]

continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an existing 
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on August 31, 
2004. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is 
soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information 
collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 12, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number SFUND-
2004-0010, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by email 
to, superfund.docket@epa.gov or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Emergency Prevention, 
Preparedness and Response (OEPPR), mail code 5204G, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Boynton, Office of Emergency 
Prevention, Preparedness and Response, Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 
(703) 603-9052; fax number: (703) 603-9104; email address: 
Boynton.Lisa@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number SFUND-2004-0010, which is available for 
public viewing at the Office of Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and 
Response Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 
1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center 
Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading 
Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the Office of 
Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Docket is (202) 566-
0276. An electronic version of the public docket is available through 
EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. Use EDOCKET to 

obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, submit or view 
public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the public 
docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are 
available electronically. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then 
key in the docket ID number identified above.
    Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA within 
60 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments, whether 
submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public 
viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the 
comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose 
public disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a 
comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference 
to that material in the version of the comment that is placed in 
EDOCKET. The entire printed comment, including the copyrighted 
material, will be available in the public docket. Although identified 
as an item in the official docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose 
disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not included in the 
official public docket, and will not be available for public viewing in 
EDOCKET. For further information about the electronic docket, see EPA's 
Federal Register notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 
(May 31, 2002), or go to http://www.epa.gov./edocket.

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
Local Governments that apply for reimbursement under this program.
    Title: Application for Reimbursement to Local Governments for 
Emergency Response to Hazardous Substance Releases Under CERCLA section 
123.
    Abstract: The Agency requires applicants for reimbursement under 
this program authorized under Section 123 of CERCLA to submit an 
application that demonstrates consistency with program eligibility 
requirements. This is necessary to ensure proper use of the Superfund. 
EPA reviews the information to ensure compliance with all statutory and 
program requirements. The applicants are local governments who have 
incurred expenses, above and beyond their budgets, for hazardous 
substance response. Submission of this information is voluntary and to 
the applicant's benefit. 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 in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR 
part 9.
    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: In the previously approved ICR, the estimated 
number of respondents was 200, and the annual reporting and 
recordkeeping burden for this collection is estimated to average 9 
hours per response. The estimated total annual burden is approximately 
1,800 hours, and there are no capital/startup or operations and 
maintenance costs associated with this ICR. 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.

    Dated: July 16, 2004.
Dana S. Tulis,
Acting Director, Office of Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and 
Response.
[FR Doc. 04-17791 Filed 8-9-04; 8:45 am]

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