Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; The 2005 National Survey of Local Emergency Planning Committees, EPA ICR Number 1903.02, OMB Control Number 2050-0162, 54044-54046 [05-18091]
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54044
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 176 / Tuesday, September 13, 2005 / Notices
C–3.
Docket# CP05–353–001, El Paso Natural
Gas Company
C–4.
Omitted
C–5.
Docket# CP05–55–000, Northern Natural
Gas Company
CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
The Capitol Connection offers the
opportunity for remote listening and
viewing of the meeting. It is available
for a fee, live over the Internet, via CBand Satellite. Persons interested in
receiving the broadcast, or who need
information on making arrangements
should contact David Reininger or Julia
Morelli at the Capitol Connection (703)
993–3100 as soon as possible or visit the
Capitol Connection Web site at https://
www.capitolconnection.gmu.edu and
click on ‘‘FERC’’.
Immediately following the conclusion
of the Commission Meeting, a press
briefing will be held in Hearing Room
2. Members of the public may view this
briefing in the Commission Meeting
overflow room. This statement is
intended to notify the public that the
press briefings that follow Commission
meetings may now be viewed remotely
at Commission headquarters, but will
not be telecast through the Capitol
Connection service.
[FR Doc. 05–18299 Filed 9–9–05; 3:57 pm]
Magalie R. Salas, Secretary, Telephone
(202) 502–8400.
Chairman Kelliher and
Commissioners Brownell and Kelly
voted to hold a closed meeting on
September 15, 2005. The certification of
the General Counsel explaining the
action closing the meeting is available
for public inspection in the
Commission’s Public Reference Room at
888 First Street, NW., Washington, DC
20426.
The Chairman and the
Commissioners, their assistants, the
Commission’s Secretary and her
assistant, the General Counsel and
members of her staff, and a stenographer
are expected to attend the meeting.
Other staff members from the
Commission’s program offices who will
advise the Commissioners in the matters
discussed will also be present.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05–18300 Filed 9–9–05; 3:57 pm]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket Nos. EY05–14–001; RM01–10–000]
BILLING CODE 6717–17–P
Standards of Conduct for
Transmission Providers; Notice
Waiving Record Keeping
Requirements
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
September 7, 2005.
Notice of Meeting, Notice of Vote,
Explanation of Action Closing Meeting
and List of Persons To Attend
September 8, 2005.
The following notice of meeting is
published pursuant to Section 3(a) of
the Government in the Sunshine Act
(Pub. L. 94–409), 5 U.S.C. 552b:
Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission.
AGENCY HOLDING MEETING:
September 15, 2005
(within a relatively short time after the
Commission’s open meeting on
September 15, 2005).
DATE AND TIME:
888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426.
PLACE:
STATUS:
Closed.
Non-Public
Investigations and Inquiries,
Enforcement Related Matters, and
Security of Regulated Facilities.
MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED:
VerDate Aug<18>2005
16:06 Sep 12, 2005
Jkt 205001
Due to the emergency conditions in
the Gulf Coast area of the United States
created by Hurricane Katrina, on August
31, 2005, the Commission issued a
Notice Granting Extension Of Time To
Comply With Posting And Other
Requirements. That Notice, among other
things, allowed affected transmission
providers to delay, until September 30,
2005, compliance with the requirement
of section 358.4(a)(2) of the
Commission’s regulations, 18 CFR
358.4(a)(2)(2005), to report to the
Commission and post on the OASIS or
Internet website, as applicable, each
emergency that resulted in any
deviation from the standards of conduct.
Due to the extreme nature of the
emergency, the Commission will also
waive, until September 16, 2005, the
requirement to record and retain a
record of each deviation of the
standards of conduct. The Commission
PO 00000
Frm 00040
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
will consider extending the waiver if it
continues to be needed after that date.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5–4989 Filed 9–12–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[SFUND–2004–0014, FRL–7968–2]
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; The 2005 National
Survey of Local Emergency Planning
Committees, EPA ICR Number 1903.02,
OMB Control Number 2050–0162
Environmental Protection
Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.), this document announces
that EPA is planning to submit a
proposed Information Collection
Request (ICR) to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). This is
a request for a continuing collection.
The prior collection for the 1999
National Survey of Local Emergency
Planning Committees expired on June
30, 2002. 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 November 14, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
referencing docket ID number SFUND–
2004–0014, to EPA online using
EDOCKET (our preferred method), by email to superfund.docket@epa.gov, or
by mail to: EPA Docket Center,
Environmental Protection Agency,
Superfund Docket, Mailcode 5202T,
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim
Jennings, Office of Emergency
Management (OEM), OSWER, Mailcode
5104A, Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number: (202) 564–7998; fax number:
(202) 564–8222; e-mail address:
jennings.kim@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has
established a public docket for this ICR
under Docket ID number SFUND–2004–
0014, which is available for public
viewing at the Superfund Docket in the
EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA
West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution
E:\FR\FM\13SEN1.SGM
13SEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 176 / Tuesday, September 13, 2005 / Notices
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA
Docket Center 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 Superfund
Docket is (202) 566–0276. An electronic
version of the public docket is available
through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at
https://www.epas.gov/edocket. Use
EDOCKET to obtain a copy of the draft
collection of information, to submit to
view public comments, to access the
index listing of the contents of the
public 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 above.
Any comments related to this ICR
should be submitted to EPA within 60
days of this notice. EPA’s policy is that
public comments, whether submitted
electronically or in paper, will be made
available for public viewing in
EDOCKET 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. When
EPA identifies a comment containing
copyrighted material, EPA will provide
a reference to that material in the
version of the comment that is placed in
EDOCKET. The entire printed comment,
including the copyrighted material, will
be available in the public docket.
Although identified as an item in the
official docket, information claimed as
CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise
restricted by statute, is not included in
the official public docket, and will not
be available for public viewing in
EDOCKET. For further information
about the electronic docket, see EPA’s
Federal Register notice describing the
electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May
31, 2002), or go to https://www.epa.gov/
edocket.
Affected entitles: Entities potentially
affected by this action are those which
hold a leadership position on Local
Emergency Planning Committees
(LEPCs). It is anticipated that the
majority of respondents will be LEPC
chairs.
Title: National Survey of Local
Emergency Planning Committees.
Abstract: The Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Emergency
Response (OEM) proposes to conduct a
nationwide survey of Local Emergency
Planning Committees (LEPCs). The
information will be used to assess the
general progress, status, and activity
level of LEPCs. This collection also
addresses reporting requirements under
VerDate Aug<18>2005
16:06 Sep 12, 2005
Jkt 205001
the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, which
stipulates that agencies focus on
evaluating their program activities in
terms of outputs and outcomes. This
ICR is necessary to evaluate whether
OEM is successfully providing national
leadership and assistance to local
communities in preparing for and
preventing chemical emergencies.
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 chemical
hazards in their community. EPCRA is
premised on the concept that the more
informed local citizens are, the more
involved they will become in
prevention and preparedness activities.
For this ‘‘informational regulation’’ to be
effective, the public must receive
accurate and reliable information that is
easy to understand and practical to use.
EPCRA mandates the creation of
LEPCs as a means for local government,
law enforcement, health officials, and
emergency responders to work with
chemical facilities, the media and
community groups to develop formal
plans for responding to chemical
emergencies.
LEPC activities include: Receiving
chemical hazards data from facilities in
their community and providing this
information to the local public;
developing local emergency response
plans, which are annually reviewed,
tested, and updated; serving as a point
of contact for discussing and sharing
information about hazardous
substances, emergency planning, and
health and environmental risk; and
notifying the public of LEPC activities
and other pertinent information.
In general, LEPCs provide local
citizens an opportunity to participate
actively in understanding chemical
hazards, planning for emergency
response and reducing the risk of
chemical emergencies. To be judged
effective, LEPCs must be compliant with
the requirements of EPCRA and actively
carry out these responsibilities. LEPC’s
level of satisfaction with the
information, guidance, and support they
receive will heavily influence their
ability to fulfill their duties. The 2005
National Survey of LEPCs will collect
information to evaluate the status and
activity level of these planning bodies
and their satisfaction with OEM
products and services.
PO 00000
Frm 00041
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
54045
This proposed information collection
builds upon previous assessments
conducted by OEM. In 1999, a
nationwide survey of LEPCs revealed
various strengths and weaknesses
among LEPCs. Since that time, no
systematic nationwide measurement of
the progress of LEPCs has been
conducted. Over the past five years,
local emergency planning has evolved,
most notably, in the amount of
information that is now available to
assist LEPCs in preparing for and
preventing chemical emergencies. In
June 1999, this information expanded
further with the addition of facility
specific chemical hazards data and risk
management plans made available
under amendments to the Clean Air Act
in 1990 (section 112(r)—the Risk
Management Program Rule for the
prevention of chemical accidents).
The primary goals of this research are
to: (1) Track the progress of LEPCs by
updating the 1999 baseline data on a
series of key performance indicators;
and (2) probe current LEPC practices
and preferences regarding several
important sets of issues, including:
communications with local citizens,
proactive accident prevention efforts,
and the effectiveness of selected OEM
products and services.
The EPA would like to solicit
comments 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.
Burden Statement: OEM estimates
that there will be 3,300 respondents to
this information collection and each
respondent will spend 15 minutes
completing and submitting an on-line
response form, for a total response of
825 hours. Based on an average hourly
rate of $30.06 (an average hourly rate,
including benefits, of both private and
state employees), the survey developers
expect that the average per-respondent
cost for the pilot survey will be $7.51
E:\FR\FM\13SEN1.SGM
13SEN1
54046
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 176 / Tuesday, September 13, 2005 / Notices
and the corresponding one-time total
cost to all respondents will be $24,800.
Since this information collection is
voluntary and does not involve any
special equipment, respondents will not
incur any capital or operation and
maintenance (O&M) costs.
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.
Dated: September 2, 2005.
Deborah Y. Dietrich,
Director, Office of Emergency Management.
[FR Doc. 05–18091 Filed 9–12–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–M
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[FRL–7968–8]
Science Advisory Board Staff Office;
Notification To Convene Workgroups
of Experts for Rapid Consultative
Advice on Scientific and Technical
Issues From Hurricane Katrina
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory
Board (SAB) Staff Office announces its
intent to convene workgroups of experts
drawn from the U.S. EPA SAB, the
Clean Air Scientific Advisory
Committee, and the Advisory Council
on Clean Air Compliance Analysis
(chartered advisory committees), their
standing committees, subcommittees,
and advisory panels to provide rapid
consultative advice on scientific and
technical issues in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Members of the public who wish to
obtain information about the rapid
consultative advice process and projects
may contact Dr. Anthony F.
Maciorowski, Associate Director for
Science, Science Advisory Board Staff
VerDate Aug<18>2005
16:06 Sep 12, 2005
Jkt 205001
Office, by telephone at (202) 343–9983;
by e-mail at
maciorowski.anthony@epa.gov; or by
mail at the U.S. EPA, Science Advisory
Board (1400F), 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460.
The SAB
was established by 42 U.S.C. 4365 to
provide independent scientific and
technical advice, consultation, and
recommendations to the EPA
Administrator on a technical basis for
Agency positions and regulations. The
SAB anticipates that the scope and scale
of environmental destruction in
Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama
will lead EPA Program Offices and
Regions to request advice on an array of
scientific and technical issues. Rapid
consultative advice from nationally
recognized scientists and engineers will
assist the Agency in developing and
implementing timely and scientifically
appropriate responses to Hurricane
Katrina induced destruction and
contamination along the Gulf Coast.
To expedite the development of
advice on Hurricane Katrina related
issues, the SAB Staff Office will
convene workgroups of technical
experts drawn from the U.S. EPA SAB,
the Clean Air Scientific Advisory
Committee, the Advisory Council on
Clean Air Compliance Analysis
(chartered advisory committees), their
standing committees, subcommittees,
and advisory panels. Workgroup
members will be invited to serve based
on their scientific and technical
expertise, knowledge, and experience;
availability and willingness to serve;
absence of financial conflicts of interest;
and scientific credibility and
impartiality. Due to critical mission and
schedule requirements, there is
insufficient time to provide the full 15
days notice in the Federal Register prior
to advisory committee meetings,
pursuant to the final rule on Federal
Advisory Committee Management
codified at 41 CFR 102–3.150.
Therefore, information on the
workgroup consultations will be posted
on the SAB Web site at https://
www.epa.gov/sab as they are available.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: September 8, 2005.
Vanessa Vu,
Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff
Office.
[FR Doc. 05–18227 Filed 9–12–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[OAR–2003–0032; FRL–7965–4]
Interim Guidance on Control of Volatile
Organic Compounds in Ozone State
Implementation Plans
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of interim guidance on
SIP development.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) encourages States to
consider recent scientific information
on the photochemical reactivity of
volatile organic compounds (VOC) in
the development of State
implementation plans (SIPs) designed to
meet the national ambient air quality
standard (NAAQS) for ozone. This
interim guidance summarizes recent
scientific findings, provides examples of
innovative applications of reactivity
information in the development of VOC
control measures, and clarifies the
relationship between innovative
reactivity-based policies and EPA’s
current definition of VOC. This interim
guidance does not change any existing
rules.
DATES: This interim guidance is
effective on September 13, 2005.
ADDRESSES: EPA has established a
docket for this action under Docket ID
No. OAR–2003–0032. All documents in
the docket are listed in the EDOCKET
index at https://www.epa.gov/edocket.
Although listed in the index, some
information may not be publicly
available, i.e., Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Certain other material, such as
copyrighted material, is not placed on
the Internet and will be publicly
available only in hard copy form.
Publicly available docket materials are
available either electronically in
EDOCKET or in hard copy at the Docket
ID No. OAR–2003–0032, EPA/DC, EPA
West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The 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 Public Reading Room is
(202) 566–1744, and the telephone
number for the Air Docket is (202) 566–
1742.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
William L. Johnson, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards, Air
Quality Strategies and Standards
Division, Mail code C539–02, Research
Triangle Park, NC 27711, telephone
(919) 541–5245.; fax number: (919) 541–
E:\FR\FM\13SEN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54044-54046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18091]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[SFUND-2004-0014, FRL-7968-2]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; The 2005 National Survey of Local Emergency Planning
Committees, EPA ICR Number 1903.02, OMB Control Number 2050-0162
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a
proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request for a continuing
collection. The prior collection for the 1999 National Survey of Local
Emergency Planning Committees expired on June 30, 2002. 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 November 14, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number SFUND-
2004-0014, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-
mail to superfund.docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center,
Environmental Protection Agency, Superfund Docket, Mailcode 5202T, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Jennings, Office of Emergency
Management (OEM), OSWER, Mailcode 5104A, Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number: (202) 564-7998; fax number: (202) 564-8222; e-mail address:
jennings.kim@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this
ICR under Docket ID number SFUND-2004-0014, which is available for
public viewing at the Superfund Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/
DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution
[[Page 54045]]
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center 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 Superfund Docket is (202) 566-
0276. An electronic version of the public docket is available through
EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at https://www.epas.gov/edocket. Use EDOCKET to
obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, to submit to view
public comments, to access the index listing of the contents of the
public 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 above.
Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA within
60 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments, whether
submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public
viewing in EDOCKET 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. When EPA identifies a comment containing
copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that material in
the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The entire
printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be available
in the public docket. Although identified as an item in the official
docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise
restricted by statute, is not included in the official public docket,
and will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET. For further
information about the electronic docket, see EPA's Federal Register
notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002),
or go to https://www.epa.gov/edocket.
Affected entitles: Entities potentially affected by this action are
those which hold a leadership position on Local Emergency Planning
Committees (LEPCs). It is anticipated that the majority of respondents
will be LEPC chairs.
Title: National Survey of Local Emergency Planning Committees.
Abstract: The Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Emergency
Response (OEM) proposes to conduct a nationwide survey of Local
Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs). The information will be used to
assess the general progress, status, and activity level of LEPCs. This
collection also addresses reporting requirements under the Government
Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, which stipulates that
agencies focus on evaluating their program activities in terms of
outputs and outcomes. This ICR is necessary to evaluate whether OEM is
successfully providing national leadership and assistance to local
communities in preparing for and preventing chemical emergencies.
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 chemical hazards in their community. EPCRA is premised on the
concept that the more informed local citizens are, the more involved
they will become in prevention and preparedness activities. For this
``informational regulation'' to be effective, the public must receive
accurate and reliable information that is easy to understand and
practical to use.
EPCRA mandates the creation of LEPCs as a means for local
government, law enforcement, health officials, and emergency responders
to work with chemical facilities, the media and community groups to
develop formal plans for responding to chemical emergencies.
LEPC activities include: Receiving chemical hazards data from
facilities in their community and providing this information to the
local public; developing local emergency response plans, which are
annually reviewed, tested, and updated; serving as a point of contact
for discussing and sharing information about hazardous substances,
emergency planning, and health and environmental risk; and notifying
the public of LEPC activities and other pertinent information.
In general, LEPCs provide local citizens an opportunity to
participate actively in understanding chemical hazards, planning for
emergency response and reducing the risk of chemical emergencies. To be
judged effective, LEPCs must be compliant with the requirements of
EPCRA and actively carry out these responsibilities. LEPC's level of
satisfaction with the information, guidance, and support they receive
will heavily influence their ability to fulfill their duties. The 2005
National Survey of LEPCs will collect information to evaluate the
status and activity level of these planning bodies and their
satisfaction with OEM products and services.
This proposed information collection builds upon previous
assessments conducted by OEM. In 1999, a nationwide survey of LEPCs
revealed various strengths and weaknesses among LEPCs. Since that time,
no systematic nationwide measurement of the progress of LEPCs has been
conducted. Over the past five years, local emergency planning has
evolved, most notably, in the amount of information that is now
available to assist LEPCs in preparing for and preventing chemical
emergencies. In June 1999, this information expanded further with the
addition of facility specific chemical hazards data and risk management
plans made available under amendments to the Clean Air Act in 1990
(section 112(r)--the Risk Management Program Rule for the prevention of
chemical accidents).
The primary goals of this research are to: (1) Track the progress
of LEPCs by updating the 1999 baseline data on a series of key
performance indicators; and (2) probe current LEPC practices and
preferences regarding several important sets of issues, including:
communications with local citizens, proactive accident prevention
efforts, and the effectiveness of selected OEM products and services.
The EPA would like to solicit comments 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.
Burden Statement: OEM estimates that there will be 3,300
respondents to this information collection and each respondent will
spend 15 minutes completing and submitting an on-line response form,
for a total response of 825 hours. Based on an average hourly rate of
$30.06 (an average hourly rate, including benefits, of both private and
state employees), the survey developers expect that the average per-
respondent cost for the pilot survey will be $7.51
[[Page 54046]]
and the corresponding one-time total cost to all respondents will be
$24,800. Since this information collection is voluntary and does not
involve any special equipment, respondents will not incur any capital
or operation and maintenance (O&M) costs.
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.
Dated: September 2, 2005.
Deborah Y. Dietrich,
Director, Office of Emergency Management.
[FR Doc. 05-18091 Filed 9-12-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M