07-5709. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Disclosure Requirements; EPA ICR No. 1710.05, OMB No. 2070-0151

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. 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 December 19, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-0969 to (1) EPA online http://www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by e-mail to [e-mail] or by mail to: Document Control Office (DCO), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 7407T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, 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:

Barbara Cunningham, Director, Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 7408-M, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-554-1404; e-mail address: [e-mail].

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 March 13, 2007 (72 FR 11354), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments during the comment period. Any comments related to 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-OPPT-2006-0969, which is available for online viewing at http://www.regulations.gov,, or in person inspection at the OPPT Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8 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 Pollution Prevention and Toxics Docket is 202-566-0280.

Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at http://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 http://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 http://www.regulations.gov.

Title: Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Disclosure Requirements.

ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1710.05; OMB Control No. 2070-0151.

ICR Status: This ICR is currently 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. 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 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: Section 1018 of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 4852d) requires that sellers and lessors of most residential housing build before 1978 disclose known information on the presence of lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards, and provide an EPA-approved pamphlet to purchasers and renters before selling or leasing the housing. Sellers of pre-1978 housing are also required to provide prospective purchasers with 10 days to conduct an inspection or risk assessment for lead-based paint hazards before obligating purchasers under contracts to purchase the property. The rule does not apply to rental housing that has been found to be free of lead-based paint, zero-bedroom dwellings, housing for the elderly, housing for the handicapped or short-term leases. Responses to the collection of information are mandatory (see 40 CFR part 745, subpart F, and 24 CFR part 35, subpart H). This information collection addresses the information collection-related requirements related to each affected party as described below.

1. Sellers of pre-1978 residential housing. Sellers of pre-1978 housing must attach certain notification and disclosure language to their sales/leasing contracts. The attachment lists the information disclosed and acknowledges compliance by the seller, purchaser and any agents involved in the transaction.

2. Lessors of pre-1978 residential housing. Lessors of pre-1978 housing must attach notification and disclosure language to their leasing contracts. The attachment, which lists the information disclosed and acknowledges compliance with all elements of the rule, must be signed by the lessor, lessee and any agents on their behalf. Agents and lessees must retain the information for 3 years from the completion of the transaction.

3. Agents acting on behalf of sellers or lessors. Section 1018 of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 specifically directs EPA and HUD to require agents acting on behalf of sellers or lessors to ensure compliance with the disclosure regulations.

Burden Statement: The total annual burden for this ICR is estimated to be 7,744,616 hours and involves slightly more than 49.5 million estimated annual responses. These responses correspond to the various information activities related to an estimated 3,720,000 annual target housing sales and an estimated 7,500,000 annual target housing rentals. The burden associated with the vast majority of these response activities is estimated to be 5 minutes or less. For new sellers, lessors, and agents, the burden associated with one-time rule familiarization activities is estimated to be 1 hour per event. The burden associated both with disclosures and related acknowledgements by sellers, lessors, offerors, their respective agents, and tenants is estimated to be about 5 minutes per event. The burden associated with related recordkeeping activities by sellers, lessors, and their agents is estimated to be less than 1 minute per event. 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: Entities potentially affected by this action are persons engaged in selling, purchasing or leasing certain residential dwellings built before 1978, or who are real estate agents representing such parties.

Estimated No. of Responses: 49,501,582.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 7,744,616 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Labor Costs: $136,475,304.

Changes in Burden Estimates: There is a decrease of 1,110,994 hours (from 8,855,610 hours to 7,744,616 hours) in the total estimated respondent burden compared with that currently in the OMB inventory. This decrease reflects a gradual reduction in the annual number of real estate sales and residential property rentals involving target housing subject to the rule's requirements. The decrease is an adjustment.

Dated: November 8, 2007.

Sara Hisel-McCoy,

Director, Collection Strategies Division.