E6-6662. Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the extension of the “BLS Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS) Cooperative Agreement Application Package.” A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice on or before July 3, 2006.

ADDRESSES:

Send comments to Amy A. Hobby, BLS Clearance Officer, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Washington, DC 20212, telephone number 202-691-7628. (This is not a toll free number.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Amy A. Hobby, BLS Clearance Officer, telephone number 202-691-7628. (See ADDRESSES section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The Secretary of Labor has delegated to the BLS the authority to collect, compile, and analyze statistical data on work-related injuries and illnesses, as authorized by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-596). The Cooperative Agreement is designed to allow the BLS to ensure conformance with program objectives. The BLS has full authority over the financial operations of the statistical program. The BLS requires financial reporting that will produce the information that is needed to monitor the financial activities of the BLS Occupational Safety and Health Statistics grantees.

II. Current Action

The BLS requests approval for a generic OSHS Cooperative Agreement from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This is not a new collection, but for the first time the BLS is soliciting comments on the application package—without its program work statements—as a generic Cooperative Agreement application. The work statements will be submitted separately to OMB for review of any minor year-to-year information collection burden changes they may contain. The Cooperative Agreement provides the basis for effectively managing the administrative and financial aspects of the program. The application package being submitted to OMB is representative of the package sent every year to State agencies and, as such, is considered to be a generic package. The existing collection of information allows Federal staff to negotiate the Cooperative Agreement with the State Grant Agencies (SGAs) and monitor their financial and programmatic performance and adherence to administrative requirements imposed by common regulations implementing OMB Circular A-102 and other grant-related regulations. The information collected also is used for planning and budgeting at the Federal level and in meeting Federal reporting requirements.

The burden estimates are based on actual experience of grantees completing the forms. Public comments on the accuracy of the burden estimates, as well as suggestions for reducing the burden, are encouraged. Signatures that certify the authenticity of the information will continue to be required.

III. Desired Focus of Comments

The BLS is particularly interested in comments that:

• 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;
• 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;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
• 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 submissions of responses.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Title: BLS Occupational Safety and Health Statistics Cooperative Agreement Application Package.

OMB Number: 1220-0149.

Affected Public: State Governments.

Forms	Total respondents	Frequency	Average burden		Estimated total burden (hours)
			Per response (hours)	Annually (hours)
BLS-OSHS Work Statements	56	1	2	2	112
BLS-OSHS2	56	4	1	4	224
Total	56	5	3	6	336

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the information collection request; they also will become a matter of public record.

Signed at Washington, DC, this 26th day of April 2006.

Cathy Kazanowski,

Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.