[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44918-44919]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21426]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6424-5]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB
review; Comment Request; 1999 EPCRA Implementation Status Questionnaire
for State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs), Local Emergency
Planning Committees (LEPCs) and California Certified Unified Program
Agencies (CUPAs)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this document announces that the following Information
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: 1999 EPCRA Implementation
Status Questionnaire for State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs),
Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs), and California Certified
Unified Program Agencies (CUPAs), EPA ICR No. 1905.01. The ICR
describes the nature of the information collection and its expected
burden and cost; where appropriate, it includes the actual data
collection instrument.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 17, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact Sandy Farmer at EPA by phone at (202)
260-2740, by email at farmer.sandy@epa.gov, or download a copy of the
ICR off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR
No.1905.01.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: 1999 EPCRA Implementation Status
Questionnaire for State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs), Local
Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) and California Certified Unified
Program Agencies (CUPAs), EPA ICR No. 1905.01. This is a new
collection.
Abstract: The Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX, proposes
to conduct a Regional survey of State
[[Page 44919]]
Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs), Local Emergency Planning
Committees (LEPCs) and California Certified Unified Program Agencies
(CUPAs). The information collected in this survey will be used to
assess the general progress, status, and activity level of SERCs, LEPCs
and CUPAs. The information will also be used by Region IX staff to have
a better understanding of their Region's actual implementation of
EPCRA.
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986
(EPCRA) introduced a fundamental change in the regulation of chemical
facilities and the prevention of and preparedness for chemical
accidents. This law seeks to improve emergency preparedness and reduce
the risk of chemical accidents by providing information to citizens
about the chemicals in their community. EPCRA is premised on the
concept that the more informed local citizens are about chemical
hazards in their communities the more involved they will be in
prevention and preparedness activities. For this ``informational
regulation'' to be effective, the public must receive accurate and
reliable information, which is easy to understand and practical to use.
EPCRA sought to create partnerships between all levels of government,
the public and the regulated community to identify, prevent, plan,
prepare and respond to hazardous material risks in our communities, and
the purpose of this survey is to obtain input from these organizations
to improve Region IX's EPCRA program.
The primary goals of this research are to: (1) track the progress
of SERCs, LEPCs and CUPAs by updating baseline data on a series of key
performance indicators; and (2) probe current SERC, LEPC and CUPA
practices and preferences regarding several important sets of issues--
particularly including communications with local citizens, proactive
accident prevention efforts, and the effectiveness of selected Region
IX products and services. Region IX wants to improve customer service
and meet the changing needs of hazardous material prevention and
emergency response planning, which are influenced by new electronic
capabilities and a rapidly expanding knowledge base of environmental
issues.
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 are listed in 40 CFR Part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15. The
Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting
comments on this collection of information, was published on 5/14/99
(FRL-6341-7). No comments were received.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average one
and a half hour 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; 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: SERCs, LEPCs, CUPAs.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 190.
Frequency of Response: Once.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 285 hours.
Estimated Total Annualized Capital and Operating and Maintenance
Cost Burden: $0.
Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of
automated collection techniques to the following addresses: ( please
refer to EPA ICR No.1905.01 in any correspondence):
Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Policy, Regulatory Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20460;
and
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20503.
Dated: August 12, 1999.
Richard T. Westlund,
Acting Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 99-21426 Filed 8-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
