Notice2022-13790
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act and Assessing the Environmental Effects Abroad of EPA Actions (Renewal)
Primary source
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Published
June 28, 2022
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), "Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act and Assessing the Environmental Effects Abroad of EPA Actions" (EPA ICR No. 2243.08, OMB Control No. 2020-0033) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, the EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through February 28, 2023. 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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 123 (Tuesday, June 28, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 28, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38397-38398]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-13790]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OA-2019-0296; FRL-OP-OFA-22]
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request;
Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act and
Assessing the Environmental Effects Abroad of EPA Actions (Renewal)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an
information collection request (ICR), ``Procedures for Implementing the
National Environmental Policy Act and Assessing the Environmental
Effects Abroad of EPA Actions'' (EPA ICR No. 2243.08, OMB Control No.
2020-0033) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before
doing so, the EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of
the proposed information collection as described below. This is a
proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through
February 28, 2023. 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.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 29, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-
2019-0296, online using <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> (our preferred method) or
by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail
Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
The EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in
the public docket without change including any personal information
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Candi Schaedle, NEPA Compliance
Division, Office of Federal Activities, Mail Code 2501G, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460;
telephone number: 202-564-6121; email address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#97e4f4fff6f2f3fbf2b9f4f6f9f3fed7f2e7f6b9f0f8e1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7c0f1f141d19181019521f1d1218153c190c1d521b130a">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West,
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional
information about the EPA's public docket, visit <a href="http://www.epa.gov/dockets">http://www.epa.gov/dockets</a>.
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, the EPA is soliciting
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. The
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. At that time, the EPA will issue another Federal
Register notice to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB.
Abstract: The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42
U.S.C. 4321-4347 establishes a national policy for the environment. The
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) oversees the NEPA
implementation. CEQ's Regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508 set
the standard for NEPA compliance. They also require agencies to
establish their own NEPA implementing procedures. The EPA's procedures
for implementing NEPA are found in 40 CFR part 6. Through this part,
the EPA adopted the CEQ Regulations and supplemented those regulations
for actions proposed by the EPA that are subject to NEPA requirements.
The EPA actions subject to NEPA include the award of wastewater
treatment construction grants under section 201 of the Clean Water Act,
the EPA's issuance of new source National Pollutant Discharge
[[Page 38398]]
Elimination System (NPDES) permits under section 402 of the Clean Water
Act, certain research and development projects, the EPA actions
involving renovations or new construction of EPA facilities, and
certain grants awarded for projects authorized by Congress through the
agency's annual appropriations act. The EPA is collecting information
from certain applicants as part of the process of complying with either
NEPA or Executive Order 12114 (``Environmental Effects Abroad of Major
Federal Actions''). The EPA's NEPA regulations apply to actions of the
EPA that are subject to NEPA in order to ensure that environmental
information is available to the agency's decision-makers and the public
before decisions are made and before actions are taken. When the EPA
conducts an environmental assessment pursuant to its Executive Order
12114 procedures, the agency generally follows its NEPA procedures.
Compliance with the procedures is the responsibility of the EPA's
Responsible Officials, and for applicant proposed actions, applicants
may be required to provide environmental information to the EPA as part
of the environmental review process. For this ICR, applicant-proposed
projects subject to either NEPA or Executive Order 12114 (and that are
not addressed in other EPA programs' ICRs) are addressed through the
NEPA process.
Form Numbers: None.
Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by
this action are certain grant or permit applicants who must submit
environmental information documentation to the EPA for their projects
to comply with NEPA or Executive Order 12114, including Wastewater
Treatment Construction Grants Program facilities funded under section
201 of the Clean Water Act, State and Tribal Assistance Grant
recipients, and new source NPDES permittees.
Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
Estimated number of respondents: 516 (total).
Frequency of response: On occasion.
Total estimated burden: 27,004 hours (per year). Burden is defined
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated cost: $2,290,209 (per year), includes $0 annualized
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
Changes in Estimates: There is an increase of 19,444 hours in the
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently
approved by OMB. This increase is due to an adjustment change in the
size of the respondent universe due to the return of congressional
earmarks in the EPA annual appropriations act.
Dated: June 23, 2022.
Robert Tomiak,
Director, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 2022-13790 Filed 6-27-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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