E8-1186. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; State Small Business Stationary Source Technical and Environmental Compliance Assistance Programs (SBTCP) Annual Reporting Form (Renewal); ...

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (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. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

DATES:

Additional comments may be submitted on or before February 25, 2008.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-2007-0706, to: (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by e-mail to [e-mail], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Office of Environmental Information Docket (2822T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB by mail to: 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:

Angela Suber, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, 1230T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-2827; fax number: 202-566-1505; e-mail address: [e-mail], Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. On September 25, 2007, (72 FR 54444), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments during the comment period. Any additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice.

EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-2007-0706, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC 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 OEI Docket is 202-566-1752.

Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select “docket search,” then key in the docket ID number identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing at www.regulations.gov as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, Confidential Business Information (CBI), or other information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic docket, go to www.regulations.gov.

Title: State Small Business Stationary Source Technical and Environmental Compliance Assistance Programs (SBTCP) Annual Reporting Form (Renewal).

ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1748.05, OMB Control No. 2060-0337.

ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2007. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.

Abstract: As part of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, the U.S. Congress included, as part of Section 507, the requirement that each state establish a Small Business Stationary Source Technical and Environmental Compliance Assistance Program to assist small businesses in complying with the Act. These programs are generally known as state Small Business Environmental Assistance Programs (SBEAP). EPA must provide the Congress with periodic reports from the EPA Small Business Ombudsman (SBO) on these programs, including their effectiveness, difficulties encountered, and other relevant information. Each state assistance program will submit requested information to EPA for compilation and summarization. This collection of information is mandatory under Section 507(a), (d), and (e) of the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990, Public Law 101-549, November 15, 1990. This Act directs EPA to monitor the state SBEAPs and to periodically report to Congress on the effectiveness of these programs. This responsibility has been delegated to the EPA SBO. Information in the annual Report to Congress is aggregated and is not of a confidential nature. None of the information collected by this action results in/or requests sensitive information of any nature from the states.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 80 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 which have subsequently changed; 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: State Small Business Stationary Source Technical and Environmental Compliance Assistance Programs (SBTCP).

Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.

Frequency of Response: Annual.

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 4,240.

Estimated Total Annual Cost: $144,997, includes $0 annualized capital or O&M costs.

Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 2,120 hours in the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. The new total estimate of 80 hours per state to complete the Annual Survey Form presented in this ICR represents an increase of 40 hours from what was estimated to complete the previous form. A workgroup comprising representatives from several state 507 programs reviewed the reporting form and the burden estimates for this ICR. The group determined that the burden to complete the previous form was underestimated and the addition of new outcome measures to the revised form will require additional time to track and report. The new burden estimate represents an increase to 54 hours to complete the information requested in the previous form and an additional 26 hours to complete the new program outcome measures recommended by the state 507 programs.

Dated: January 17, 2008.

Sara Hisel-McCoy,

Director, Collection Strategies Division.