2019-01539. Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Brownfields Program-Accomplishment Reporting (Renewal)

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), “Brownfields Program—Accomplishment Reporting (Renewal)” (EPA ICR No. 2104.07, OMB Control No. 2050-0192 to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through July 31, 2019. 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.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before April 9, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-SFUND-2012-0104 online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by email to [e-mail] or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.

EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kelly Gorini, Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization, (5105T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: [phone]; fax number: [phone]; email address: [e-mail]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Supporting documents which explain in detail the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/​dockets.

Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting comments and information to enable it to: (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (iv) minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and approval. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB.

Abstract: This ICR covers the collection of information from those organizations that receive cooperative agreements from EPA under the authority of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) as amended by the Brownfields Utilization, Investment, and Local Development (BUILD) Act (Pub. L. 115-141). CERCLA, as amended, authorizes EPA to award grants or cooperative agreements to states, tribes, local governments, and other eligible entities to support the assessment and cleanup of brownfields sites. Under the Brownfields Amendments, a brownfields site means real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. For funding purposes, EPA uses the term “brownfields property(ies)” synonymously with the term “brownfields sites.” The Brownfields Amendments authorize EPA to award several types of cooperative agreements to eligible entities on a competitive basis.

Under subtitle A of the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, states, tribes, local governments, and other eligible entities can receive assessment cooperative agreements to inventory, characterize, assess, and conduct planning and community involvement related to brownfields properties; cleanup cooperative agreements to carry out cleanup activities at brownfields properties; multipurpose cooperative agreements to conduct activities allowed under both assessment and cleanup cooperative agreements; cooperative agreements to capitalize revolving loan funds and provide subgrants for cleanup activities; area-wide planning cooperative agreements to develop revitalization plans for brownfields; and environmental workforce and development job training and placement programs. Under subtitle C of the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, states and tribes can receive cooperative agreements to establish and enhance their response programs through the four elements and meet the public record requirements under the statute. Cooperative agreement recipients (“recipients”) have general reporting and record keeping requirements as a condition of their cooperative agreement that result in burden. A portion of this reporting and record keeping burden is authorized under 2 CFR part 1500 and identified in the EPA's general grants ICR (OMB Control Number 2030-0020). EPA requires Brownfields program recipients to maintain and report additional information to EPA on the uses and accomplishments associated with funded brownfields activities. EPA uses several forms to assist recipients in reporting the information and to ensure consistency of the information collected. EPA uses this information to meet Federal stewardship responsibilities to manage and track how program funds are being spent, to evaluate the performance of the Brownfields Cleanup and Land Revitalization Program, to meet the Agency's reporting requirements under the Government Performance Results Act, and to report to Congress and other program stakeholders on the status and accomplishments of the program.

Form numbers: EPA ICR No. 2104.06, OMB Control No. 2050-0192.

Respondents/affected entities: State/local/tribal governments; Non-Profits.

Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain or Retain Benefits (2 CFR part 1500).

Estimated number of respondents: 5,517 (total).

Frequency of response: Bi-annual for subtitle C recipients; quarterly for subtitle A recipients.

Total estimated burden: 6,144 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).

Total estimated cost: $712,108 (per year), includes $0 annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.

Changes in estimates: There is an increase of 2,267 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. This increase is partially the result of adding the new Program Activity Levels Form for 128(a) recipients to fill out annually. The remainder of the burden increase is the result of an overall increase in wages and the large increase in the number of responses submitted to ACRES annually as a result of more grants being awarded. Even with this increase, respondents indicated that improvements in the ACRES reporting system and increased familiarity with the program lead to a lower burden per individual entry.

Dated: December 19, 2018.

David R. Lloyd,

Director, Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization.