E9-14239. Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Critical Public Information Needs During Drinking Water Emergencies (New); EPA ICR No. 2322.01, OMB Control No. 2080-NEW

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 EPA is planning to submit a request for a new Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before August 17, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0313 by one of the following methods:

• www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
• E-mail: [e-mail].
• Fax: [phone].
• Mail: Office of Research & Development Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
• Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Public Reading Room, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20004. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.

Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0313. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at www.regulations.gov,, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The www.regulations.gov Web site is an “anonymous access” system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/​dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Scott Minamyer, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code NG-16, Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive; telephone number: 513-569-7175; fax number: 513-487-2559; e-mail address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?

EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2009-0313, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov,, or in person viewing at the ORD 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 ORD Docket is 202-566-1752.

Use www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select “search,” then key in the docket ID number identified in this document.

What Feedback Is EPA Particularly Interested in?

Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically solicits 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;

(iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

(iv) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond

What Should I Consider When I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your comments:

1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific examples.

2. Describe any assumptions you used.

3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used that support your views.

4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you arrived at the estimate you provide.

5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.

6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified under DATES.

7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal Register citation.

What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?

Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are municipal water utility managers and members of the public participating in focus groups.

Title: Critical Public Information Needs during Drinking Water Emergencies (New)

ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2322.01, OMB Control No. 2080-NEW.

ICR status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity. 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 is collecting this information as part of a formative research study to identify critical information the public will need from water utilities and other decision-makers during a crisis event impacting drinking water. The research will probe consumers' and water sector professionals' beliefs, opinions, and knowledge about water security risks to assist public officials in planning effective crisis communication strategies for such emergencies. Good communication can rally support, calm fears, provide needed instructions, and encourage cooperative behaviors.

Study participants will also provide feedback on the effectiveness of draft sample messages previously developed by EPA in consultation with subject matter experts from water utilities, public health, emergency response, law enforcement, and water trade/professional organizations. Voluntary participants for this one-time study will include water utility managers, public information officers, and members of the public who consume drinking water supplied by water utilities. Confidentiality of responses from respondents will be assured by using an independent contractor to collect the information, enacting procedures to prevent unauthorized access to respondent data, and preventing public disclosure of the responses of individual participants.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.7 hours per response. Burden is defined as 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.

The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, which is only briefly summarized here:

Estimated total number of potential respondents: 52 water utility professional staff and 128 members of the public participating in focus group discussions.

Frequency of response: Once.

Estimated total average number of burden hours for each respondent: 1 hour for water utility professional staff and 2 hours for members of the public participating in focus group discussions.

Estimated total annual respondent burden hours: 308 hours.

Estimated total annual costs: $1,380.46. This includes an estimated burden cost of $1,380.46 for participating water utility professional staff and $0 for members of the public participating in focus group discussions and an estimated cost of $0 for capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.

What Is the Next Step in the Process for This ICR?

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 pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Dated: May 29, 2009.

Cynthia Sonich-Mullin,

Acting Director, National Homeland Security Research Center, Office of Research and Development.