E9-3268. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Background Checks for Contractor Employees (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 2159.03, OMB Control Number 2030-0043

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

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 for 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 March 19, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OARM-2008-0828, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by e-mail to [e-mail], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information Docket, Mail Code 2822IT, 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:

Donna Blanding, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Acquisition Management, Mail Code 3802R, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; [phone]; fax number: [phone]; 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 November 13, 2008 (73 FR 67152), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. 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-OARM-2008-0828, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at 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 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 [phone].

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: Background Checks for Contractor Employees (Renewal).

ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2159.03, OMB Control No. 2030-0043.

ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2009. 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: EPA uses contractors to perform services throughout the nation with regard to environmental emergencies involving the release, or threatened release, of oil, radioactive materials or hazardous chemicals that may potentially affect communities and the surrounding environment. Releases may be accidental, deliberate, or may be caused by natural disasters. Emergency responders are available 24 hours-a-day to an incident, and respond with necessary personnel and equipment to eliminate dangers to the public and environment. Contractors responding to any of these types of incidents are responsible for conducting background checks and applying Government-established suitability criteria in determining whether employees are acceptable to perform on given sites or on specific projects prior to contract employee performance. The information to be collected under the ICR for Background Checks for Contractor Employees covers citizenship or valid visa, criminal convictions, weapons offenses, felony convictions, parties prohibited from receiving federal contracts. The Contractor shall maintain records of all background checks. The collection of information is required to obtain or retain a contract with work of this nature (Title 5, CFR parts 731, 732, and 736).

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.55 minutes 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: Entities affected by this action are contractors involved with Emergency Response that have significant security concerns, as determined by the Contracting Officer on a case-by-case basis, to provide qualified personnel that meet the background check requirements developed by EPA.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1000 per year.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 550.

Estimated Total Annual Cost: $81,410, includes $0 annualized capital or O&M costs.

Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 450 hours in the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. This decrease is due to just adjustments to the estimates.

Dated: February 9, 2009.

John Moses,

Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.