Notice2024-21461
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Exchange Network Grants Progress Reports (Renewal)
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 19, 2024
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), Exchange Network Grants Progress Reports (Renewal) (EPA ICR Number 2207.09, OMB Control Number 2025-0006) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, 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 11/30/2024. This notice allows for 60 days for public comments.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 182 (Thursday, September 19, 2024)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 182 (Thursday, September 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76826-76827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-21461]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OEI-2006-0037; FRL-12272-01-OMS]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Information
Collection Request; Comment Request; Exchange Network Grants Progress
Reports (Renewal)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to
submit an information collection request (ICR), Exchange Network Grants
Progress Reports (Renewal) (EPA ICR Number 2207.09, OMB Control Number
2025-0006) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing
so, 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 11/30/2024.
This notice allows for 60 days for public comments.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 21, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number [EPA-HQ-
OEI-2006-0037 to EPA, 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. 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: Erin McGown, Information Engagement
Division, Data Interoperability Partnership Branch, 2823 T,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington,
DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 566-2142; email address:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#78151b1f170f16561d0a1116381d0819561f170e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="721f11151d051c5c17001b1c321702135c151d04">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a proposed extension of the ICR,
which is currently approved through November 30, 2024. 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.
This notice allows 60 days for public comments. 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 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, 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 forms of information technology. 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, 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 Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of
Mission Support provides funding via grants to EPA's Exchange Network
partners (states, territories, and federally recognized Indian tribes)
to support the development of the Exchange Network (EN). The EN
facilitates the sharing of environmental data, especially through
shared and reusable services; streamlines data collection and exchanges
to improve timeliness for decision making; increases the quality and
access to environmental data; reduces burden and costs for co-
regulators and the regulated community; supports better decisions on
environmental and health issues; and increases capacity for
environmental data management for tribes and US territories. As part of
the terms and conditions of the EN grant program, recipients are
required to submit the following forms: (i) Semi-Annual
[[Page 76827]]
Progress Reports (EPA Form 5300-26) twice annually throughout the
lifetime of the project, Final Progress Report (EPA Form 5300-26)
within 120 calendar days after the period of performance end date, and
the IT Component and Project Registration Form, at the time of grant
close-out. The information gathered on items (i) and (ii) help EPA to
ensure that projects are on schedule to meet identified project goals
and produce high quality environmental outputs. The registration form
(item iii) provides a detailed summary of the completed project and any
developed/reused IT components; this information is made available to
future applicants to inform the development of their proposed projects,
promote the reuse of technologies, and connect to potential project
partners and mentors.
Form Numbers: EPA Form 5300-26.
Respondents/affected entities: Employees of state, tribal, or
territorial environmental government offices.
Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain or retain a
benefit (2 CFR part 200, ``Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards).
Estimated number of respondents: 223 (149 semi-annually for the
semi-annual progress report form; 38 annually for the IT Component and
Project Registration Form, and 38 annually for the Final Progress
Report Form).
Frequency of response: EPA assumes that each grant recipient will
submit two Semi-Annual Progress Report Forms each year the grant is
active. In addition, the grantees will submit the Final Progress Report
to RENC no later than 120 days after the grant performance period end
date. At this time, the IT Component and Project Registration Form will
likewise be submitted.
Total estimated burden: The sum total respondent burden hours are
493. Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
The Semi-Annual Progress Report Form has 1.2 estimated hours per
Form and is completed twice a year by an estimated 149 respondents.
Therefore, the total annual respondent burden hours for this form are
357.6. The IT Component and Project Registration Form has 2 estimated
hours per Form and EPA estimates that 38 will be completed annually.
Therefore, the total annual respondent burden hours for this form are
76. The Final Progress Report Form has 1.65 estimated hours per Form
and EPA estimates that 38 will be completed annually. Therefore, the
total annual respondent burden hours for this form are 59.4.
Total estimated cost: $29,530.70 (per year), which includes $0
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is a slight decrease of 15 (493
hours in 2024 vs 508 hours in 2021) hours in the total estimated
respondent burden as compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB.
The number of open active grants each year was estimated at 149, which
matches the 2021 estimate, as the number of new assistance agreements
has remained consistent since 2021. Estimates for the Final Progress
Reporting Form is also very similar to the 2021 estimate, with only a
slight increase in the number of expected closed-out grants (from 36 in
2021 to 38 in 2024). This slight increase reflects an expectation for
more EN assistance agreements to close out in the upcoming years, as
projects which were initially delayed due to workplace changes
associated with COVID-19 are now being completed. The slight decrease
in burden hours for respondents can be attributed primarily to the
retiring of the Quality Assurance Reporting Form, which was previously
required within 90 days of each new assistance agreement. There was a
new form added for this ICR, which was not present in the 2021 version.
The IT Component and Project Registration Form is a fillable PDF form,
that is submitted by the grantee to their Regional Exchange Network
Coordinator (RENC) at the time of grant close-out. As this form is due
at the time of grant close-out, the estimated number matches the
estimated number of Final Progress Reports (38). This new form is
estimated to take 2 hours to complete, which is a decrease of 0.6
compared to the retired Quality Assurance Reporting Form.
Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Information Engagement Division.
[FR Doc. 2024-21461 Filed 9-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 19, 2024.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.