Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Reporting Requirements Under EPA's Green Power Partnership and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Partnership, EPA ICR Number 2173.02 (Renewal), 81491-81493 [2011-33262]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 249 / Wednesday, December 28, 2011 / Notices
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
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: All contractors who
have completed an EPA cost
reimbursement type contract will be
required to submit EPA Form 1900–10.
These contractors represent a wide
range of industries which include, but
are not limited to: custom computer
programming, management and
consulting services, medical
laboratories, and testing laboratories.
Title: Contractor Cumulative Claim
and Reconciliation.
ICR number: EPA ICR No. 0246.11,
OMB Control No. 2030–0016.
ICR status: This ICR is currently
scheduled to expire on May 31, 2012.
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: All contractors who have
completed an EPA cost reimbursement
type contract will be required to submit
EPA Form 1900–10. EPA Form 1900–10
summarizes all costs incurred in
performance of the contract and sets
forth the final indirect rates. This form
is reviewed by the contracting officer to
determine the final costs reimbursable
to the contractor. FAR 52.216–7 states
that the Government will pay only the
costs determined to be allowable by the
contracting officer in accordance with
FAR 31.2. Furthermore, FAR 52.216–7
states that indirect cost rates shall be
established for each fiscal year at the
close of a contractor’s fiscal year. EPA
Form 1900–10 summarizes this
information for the entire contract
period and provides a basis for cost
review by contracting, finance, and
audit personnel. As stated previously,
FAR 4.804–5 mandates that the office
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18:22 Dec 27, 2011
Jkt 226001
administering the contract shall ensure
that the costs and indirect cost rates are
settled.
Burden Statement: The annual public
reporting and recordkeeping burden for
this collection of information is
estimated to average four hours. 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 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: 20.
Frequency of response: at end of
contract.
Estimated total average number of
responses for each respondent: 1.
Estimated total annual burden hours:
4 hours.
Estimated total annual costs to all
respondents: $8,491.00. This includes
an estimated burden cost of $412.55/
respondent and an estimated cost of
$12.00/respondent for maintenance and
operational costs. Capital investment
costs are not necessary for respondents
to provide the requested information.
Are there changes in the estimates from
the last approval?
EPA estimates that the hourly burden
will remain the same as reported in the
previous information collection because
there has been no change in the
information being collected and
approximately the same number of
contracts remains active.
What is the next step in the process for
this ICR?
EPA will consider the comments
received and amend the ICRs 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
PO 00000
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81491
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: December 20, 2011.
John R. Bashista,
Director, Office of Acquisition Management.
[FR Doc. 2011–33257 Filed 12–27–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OAR–2004–0501; FRL–9612–2]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Reporting
Requirements Under EPA’s Green
Power Partnership and Combined Heat
and Power (CHP) Partnership, EPA ICR
Number 2173.02 (Renewal)
Environmental Protection
Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
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 to renew an existing
approved Information Collection
Request (ICR) to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). This
ICR is scheduled to expire on June 30,
2012. 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 February 27, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
OAR–2004–0501 by one of the following
methods:
• www.regulations.gov: Follow the
on-line instructions for submitting
comments.
• Email: a-and-rdocket@epamail.epa.gov.
• Fax: (202) 566–9744.
• Mail: EPA Docket Center,
Environmental Protection Agency, Air
and Radiation Docket, Mailcode:
28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. 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 accepted
only during the Docket’s normal hours
of operation, and special arrangements
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\28DEN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 249 / Wednesday, December 28, 2011 / Notices
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
should be made for deliveries of boxed
information.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2004–
0501. 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 email. 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 email
comment directly to EPA without going
through www.regulations.gov your email
address will be captured automatically
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
https://www.epa.gov/epahome/
dockets.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mollie Lemon, Climate Protection
Partnerships Division, Office of
Atmospheric Programs, MC 6202J,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington,
DC 20460; telephone number: (202)
343–9859; fax number: (202) 343–2208;
email address: lemon.mollie@epa.gov.
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–OAR–2004–0501, which is
available for online viewing at
www.regulations.gov, or in person
viewing at the Air and Radiation Docket
in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC),
EPA West, Room 3334, 1301
Constitution Ave. NW., Washington,
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:22 Dec 27, 2011
Jkt 226001
DC, 20004. 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 Air
and Radiation Docket is (202) 566–1742.
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 information 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,
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. In
particular, EPA is requesting comments
from very small businesses (those that
employ fewer than 25) on examples of
specific additional efforts that EPA
could make to reduce the paperwork
burden for very small businesses
affected by this collection.
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 that 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 that you provide.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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.
To what information collection activity
or ICR does this apply?
Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2004–
0501
Affected entities: Entities potentially
affected by this action are company,
institutional, and public sector
organizations that voluntarily
participate in the EPA’s Green Power
Partnership (GPP) or Combined Heat
and Power Partnership (CHPP). These
include service and goods providing
industries, educational institutions and
non-governmental organizations,
commercial and industrial
organizations, and local, state, or federal
level government agencies.
Title: Reporting requirements Under
EPA’s Green Power Partnership and
Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
Partnership.
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2173.02,
OMB Control No. 2060–0532.
ICR status: This ICR is currently
scheduled to expire on June 30, 2012.
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: In 2001, EPA launched two
new partnership programs with industry
and other stakeholders: the Green Power
Partnership (GPP) and the Combined
Heat and Power Partnership (CHPP).
These voluntary partnership programs
encourage organizations to invest in
clean, efficient energy technologies,
including renewable energy and
combined heat and power. To continue
to be successful, it is critical that EPA
collect information from GPP and CHPP
Partners to ensure these organizations
are meeting their renewable energy and
CHP goals and to assure the credibility
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 249 / Wednesday, December 28, 2011 / Notices
of these voluntary partnership
programs.
EPA has developed this ICR to obtain
authorization to collect information
from organizations participating in the
GPP and CHPP. Organizations that join
these programs voluntarily agree to the
following respective actions: (1)
Designating a Green Power or CHP
liaison and filling out a Partnership
Agreement or Letter of Intent (LOI)
respectively, (2) for the GPP, reporting
to EPA, on an annual basis, their
progress toward their green power
commitment via a 3-page reporting
form; (3) for the CHP Partnership,
reporting to EPA information on their
existing CHP projects, new project
development, and other CHP-related
activities via a one-page reporting form
(for projects) or via an informal email or
phone call (for other CHP-related
activities). EPA uses the data obtained
from its Partners to assess the success of
these programs in achieving their
national energy and greenhouse gas
(GHG) reduction goals. Partners are
organizational entities that have
volunteered to participate in either
Partnership program.
Burden Statement: Please note that
the following burden hour and labor
rates may change in the final ICR,
pending the application of survey
results of Partners. The annual public
reporting and recordkeeping burden for
this collection of information is
estimated to equal 10,407 hours for
submission and processing and to
average 4.79 hours per year per
respondent. The average number of
annual burden hours on first-year
Partners for each type of one-time
response is: 4.4 hours for a Partnership
Agreement (a one-time burden for GPP
Partners) and 2.5 hours for a Letter of
Intent (a one-time burden for CHPP
Partners). Annual burden hours on
existing Partners for yearly reports are
estimated at 2.6 hours for the Partner
Yearly Report for the GPP and 3.5 hours
for the Partner Yearly Report for the
CHPP.
Partners from both programs may also
submit voluntary updates of simple
information, such as contact
information or company profiles, via the
EPA Web site. These updates would
take from 15 minutes to 0.5 hours each.
A subset of Partners may participate in
brief (i.e., 15 minute) telephone calls
with EPA to clarify questions pertaining
to the Partnership Agreement or LOI,
GPP Yearly Report or CHPP Partner
project reporting. All of these activities
are included in the annual burden
estimate.
The estimated number of annual
respondents averaged over three (3)
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years is 2,174 which include an average
of 1,660 for the GPP and 514
respondents for the CHPP.
There are no capital or start-up costs
associated with this information
collection. The average annual
operation and maintenance cost
resulting for this collection of
information is $3 per respondent. The
average annual labor cost is $152.09 per
respondent, pending the application of
survey results of Partners. The resulting
total annual cost for Partners averaged
over the three year period is $337,166.
In the previous ICR the total cost
averaged over the 3-year period was
$521,937. The total cost estimate
decrease for Partners is due to a
corrected downward adjustment in the
labor rates used to calculate respondent
burden, partially offset by an increase in
the number of Partners.
Burden means the total time, effort, or
financial resources expended by persons
to generate, maintain, retain, 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 Number of Respondents:
2,174.
Frequency of Response: Annually, on
Occasion, One time.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden:
10,407.
Estimated Total Annual Cost
(including Partner, EPA, and contractor
costs): $473,979, which includes $0
annualized Capital Startup costs, $6,522
annualized Operating and Maintenance
(O&M) costs and $467,457 annualized
Labor costs.
Are there changes in the estimates from
the last approval?
Since the last ICR renewal, both the
GPP and CHPP have introduced
program efficiencies to reduce program
burden by encouraging the electronic
submission of documents directly to the
program support contractors. The
average number of hours per Partner
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81493
remained the same, at 3.24 hours,
pending a partner survey to determine
the results of these efficiencies. The
total hourly burden increased due to an
increase in the number of Partners. For
perspective on the magnitude of partner
growth, the number of Partners at the
end of 2008 was 1,286, whereas by the
end of 2011 there will be an estimated
1,725. The total cost estimate over the
3-year period for this renewal ICR is
$1,421,937, or an average of $473,979
per year, of which $6,522 is O&M costs.
The total cost to GPP and CHPP Partners
is $1,011,498 ($19,566 is O&M), or
$337,166 ($6,522 is O&M) per year. In
the previous 2008 ICR renewal, the total
cost over the 3-year period was
$1,991,978. The total cost estimate
decrease for Partners is due to a
corrected downward adjustment in the
labor rates for respondents, partially
offset by an increase in the number of
Partners.
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 then
will 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: December 21, 2011.
Elizabeth Craig,
Director, Climate Protection Partnerships
Division.
[FR Doc. 2011–33262 Filed 12–27–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OECA–2011–0229; FRL–9509–9]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; NESHAP for Iron and Steel
Foundry Area Sources (Renewal)
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.), this document announces
that an Information Collection Request
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81491-81493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33262]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0501; FRL-9612-2]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Reporting Requirements Under EPA's Green Power
Partnership and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Partnership, EPA ICR
Number 2173.02 (Renewal)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
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 to renew an existing approved Information Collection
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is
scheduled to expire on June 30, 2012. 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 February 27, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2004-0501 by one of the following methods:
www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for
submitting comments.
Email: a-and-r-docket@epamail.epa.gov.
Fax: (202) 566-9744.
Mail: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency,
Air and Radiation Docket, Mailcode: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. 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 accepted only during the Docket's normal
hours of operation, and special arrangements
[[Page 81492]]
should be made for deliveries of boxed information.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2004-0501. 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 email. 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 email comment
directly to EPA without going through www.regulations.gov your email
address will be captured automatically 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 https://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mollie Lemon, Climate Protection
Partnerships Division, Office of Atmospheric Programs, MC 6202J,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 343-9859; fax number:
(202) 343-2208; email address: lemon.mollie@epa.gov.
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-OAR-2004-0501, which is available for online viewing at
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air and Radiation
Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301
Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC, 20004. 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 Air and Radiation
Docket is (202) 566-1742.
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 information 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, 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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from
very small businesses (those that employ fewer than 25) on examples of
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.
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 that 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 that 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.
To what information collection activity or ICR does this apply?
Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0501
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
company, institutional, and public sector organizations that
voluntarily participate in the EPA's Green Power Partnership (GPP) or
Combined Heat and Power Partnership (CHPP). These include service and
goods providing industries, educational institutions and non-
governmental organizations, commercial and industrial organizations,
and local, state, or federal level government agencies.
Title: Reporting requirements Under EPA's Green Power Partnership
and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Partnership.
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2173.02, OMB Control No. 2060-0532.
ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on June 30,
2012. 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: In 2001, EPA launched two new partnership programs with
industry and other stakeholders: the Green Power Partnership (GPP) and
the Combined Heat and Power Partnership (CHPP). These voluntary
partnership programs encourage organizations to invest in clean,
efficient energy technologies, including renewable energy and combined
heat and power. To continue to be successful, it is critical that EPA
collect information from GPP and CHPP Partners to ensure these
organizations are meeting their renewable energy and CHP goals and to
assure the credibility
[[Page 81493]]
of these voluntary partnership programs.
EPA has developed this ICR to obtain authorization to collect
information from organizations participating in the GPP and CHPP.
Organizations that join these programs voluntarily agree to the
following respective actions: (1) Designating a Green Power or CHP
liaison and filling out a Partnership Agreement or Letter of Intent
(LOI) respectively, (2) for the GPP, reporting to EPA, on an annual
basis, their progress toward their green power commitment via a 3-page
reporting form; (3) for the CHP Partnership, reporting to EPA
information on their existing CHP projects, new project development,
and other CHP-related activities via a one-page reporting form (for
projects) or via an informal email or phone call (for other CHP-related
activities). EPA uses the data obtained from its Partners to assess the
success of these programs in achieving their national energy and
greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals. Partners are organizational
entities that have volunteered to participate in either Partnership
program.
Burden Statement: Please note that the following burden hour and
labor rates may change in the final ICR, pending the application of
survey results of Partners. The annual public reporting and
recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to
equal 10,407 hours for submission and processing and to average 4.79
hours per year per respondent. The average number of annual burden
hours on first-year Partners for each type of one-time response is: 4.4
hours for a Partnership Agreement (a one-time burden for GPP Partners)
and 2.5 hours for a Letter of Intent (a one-time burden for CHPP
Partners). Annual burden hours on existing Partners for yearly reports
are estimated at 2.6 hours for the Partner Yearly Report for the GPP
and 3.5 hours for the Partner Yearly Report for the CHPP.
Partners from both programs may also submit voluntary updates of
simple information, such as contact information or company profiles,
via the EPA Web site. These updates would take from 15 minutes to 0.5
hours each. A subset of Partners may participate in brief (i.e., 15
minute) telephone calls with EPA to clarify questions pertaining to the
Partnership Agreement or LOI, GPP Yearly Report or CHPP Partner project
reporting. All of these activities are included in the annual burden
estimate.
The estimated number of annual respondents averaged over three (3)
years is 2,174 which include an average of 1,660 for the GPP and 514
respondents for the CHPP.
There are no capital or start-up costs associated with this
information collection. The average annual operation and maintenance
cost resulting for this collection of information is $3 per respondent.
The average annual labor cost is $152.09 per respondent, pending the
application of survey results of Partners. The resulting total annual
cost for Partners averaged over the three year period is $337,166. In
the previous ICR the total cost averaged over the 3-year period was
$521,937. The total cost estimate decrease for Partners is due to a
corrected downward adjustment in the labor rates used to calculate
respondent burden, partially offset by an increase in the number of
Partners.
Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, 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 Number of Respondents: 2,174.
Frequency of Response: Annually, on Occasion, One time.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 10,407.
Estimated Total Annual Cost (including Partner, EPA, and contractor
costs): $473,979, which includes $0 annualized Capital Startup costs,
$6,522 annualized Operating and Maintenance (O&M) costs and $467,457
annualized Labor costs.
Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?
Since the last ICR renewal, both the GPP and CHPP have introduced
program efficiencies to reduce program burden by encouraging the
electronic submission of documents directly to the program support
contractors. The average number of hours per Partner remained the same,
at 3.24 hours, pending a partner survey to determine the results of
these efficiencies. The total hourly burden increased due to an
increase in the number of Partners. For perspective on the magnitude of
partner growth, the number of Partners at the end of 2008 was 1,286,
whereas by the end of 2011 there will be an estimated 1,725. The total
cost estimate over the 3-year period for this renewal ICR is
$1,421,937, or an average of $473,979 per year, of which $6,522 is O&M
costs. The total cost to GPP and CHPP Partners is $1,011,498 ($19,566
is O&M), or $337,166 ($6,522 is O&M) per year. In the previous 2008 ICR
renewal, the total cost over the 3-year period was $1,991,978. The
total cost estimate decrease for Partners is due to a corrected
downward adjustment in the labor rates for respondents, partially
offset by an increase in the number of Partners.
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 then will 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: December 21, 2011.
Elizabeth Craig,
Director, Climate Protection Partnerships Division.
[FR Doc. 2011-33262 Filed 12-27-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
