[Federal Register: April 16, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 73)]
[Notices]               
[Page 18898-18899]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ap99-67]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6327-4]

 
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Collection of Information for the Office of 
Mobile Sources' National Communications and Outreach Program

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 the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: EPA ICR No. 1833.01: 
``Collection of Information for the Office of Mobile Sources'' National 
Communications and Outreach Program.'' As this is a new ICR. The ICR 
describes the nature of the information collection and its expected 
burden and cost.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 17, 1999.


[[Page 18899]]


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. 
1833.01.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: EPA ICR No. 1833.01: ``Collection of Information for the 
Office of Mobile Sources'' National Communications and Outreach 
Program.'' This is a new collection.
    Abstract: EPA's Office of Mobile Sources (OMS) and its partners in 
Federal, State, and local air and transportation agencies are working 
to increase public awareness of air quality, the impact of mobile 
sources, and the choices individuals can make to help solve the problem 
of air pollution. As part of this effort, EPA will be sponsoring 
communications and outreach activities at the State and local and 
national levels. At the State and local level, EPA will be providing 
funds (through cooperative agreements) to State/local government 
agencies for a series of community-based communications and outreach 
projects. At the national level, EPA will be conducting a series of 
communications and outreach projects. Participation in these 
information collection activities will be strictly voluntary.
    Before expending limited Federal resources on projects at either 
level, EPA intends to collect information (either directly, or through 
its State/local agency partners) that will help to determine the most 
effective and appropriate means of providing public education. Prior to 
conducting communications and outreach projects at the State and local 
level, State and local agencies will conduct focus groups or telephone 
surveys to aid in the development of appropriate and effective 
communications and outreach materials and strategies. Post-project 
focus groups or telephone surveys also will be conducted to evaluate 
the effectiveness of these projects.
    Prior to conducting communications and outreach projects on the 
national level, EPA will evaluate the nature and extent of existing 
communications and outreach projects by sending questionnaires to 
State/local government agencies. This will minimize any duplication of 
effort between projects conducted at the national and State/local 
levels. EPA also will conduct pre-project focus groups or telephone 
surveys with the general public to gauge public awareness of mobile 
source issues, identify information needs, and aid in the development 
of appropriate and effective communications and outreach materials; and 
post-project focus groups or telephone surveys to evaluate the 
effectiveness of OMS'' communications and outreach projects.
    An agency may not conduct of 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 December 
30, 1997 (62 FR 67861); Two comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual reporting burden to the individuals 
(there is no recordkeeping burden) for this collection of information 
is estimated to average 2 hours for participants in focus groups, 10 
minutes for participants in telephone surveys, and 30 minutes for 
respondents filling out questionnaires. Annual burden for state/local 
agencies is estimated to be 196 hours for each focus group project with 
operating and maintenance (O and M) costs of $1,300 per project. State/
local agency burden for each telephone survey project is estimated to 
be 428 hours with O and M costs of $250 per project. 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: General public, State and local 
government agencies.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 8,880 annually; 26,640 over three 
years.
    Frequency of Response: One-time.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 16,770 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized operating and Maintenance Cost Burden: 
$55,000.
    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. 1833.01 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: April 9, 1999.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 99-9600 Filed 4-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P