[Federal Register: March 3, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 42)] [Notices] [Page 10029-10030] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr03mr04-75] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [OAR-2003-0169, FRL-7630-3] Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Conflict of Interest, Rule1, EPA ICR Number 1550.06, OMB Control Number 2030-0023 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 an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on February 29, 2004. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. This ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost. DATES: Additional comments must be submitted on or before April 2, 2004. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OAR-2003- 0169, to (1) EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket (6102T), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; and (2) OMB at: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Murphy, OAM, 3802R, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-4382; fax number (202) 565-2551; e-mail address: Murphy.Patrick@epa.gov SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for [[Page 10030]] review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. On September 10, 2003 (68 FR 53367), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. OAR-2003-0169, which is available for public viewing at the Air and Radiation 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 Air and Radiation Docket is (202) 566-1742. An electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. Use EDOCKET to 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 and OMB within 30 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 . Title: Conflict of Interest, Rule 1. Abstract: Contractors performing at Superfund sites will be required to disclose business relationships and corporate affiliations to determine whether EPA's interests are jeopardized by such relationships. Because EPA has the dual responsibility of cleanup and enforcement and because its contractors are often involved in both activities, it is imperative that contractors are free from conflicts of interest so as not to prejudice response and enforcement actions. Contractors will be required to maintain a database of business relationships and report information to EPA on either an annual basis or when each work assignment is issued. 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 and are identified on the form and/or instrument, if applicable. Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1821 hours per response. 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: Large and small businesses performing contracts for the agency. Estimated Number of Respondents: 80. Frequency of Response: On occasion. Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 145,640. Estimated Total Annual Cost: $101,717.00, includes $0 annualized capital or O&M costs. Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 179,245 hours in the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. The agency based its burden estimate on actual experience in collecting, reviewing, approving, and storing this data over previous years. Because the number of respondents has decreased approximately 50% since the last renewal, the Agency burden hours should decrease commensurately. Dated: February 24, 2004. Oscar Morales, Director, Collection Strategies Division. [FR Doc. 04-4698 Filed 3-2-04; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P