Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 183 / Monday, September 22, 1997 / Notices 49513

be implemented primarily in the states

as states are delegated the majority of

EPA programs and will be the

predominant providers of on-site

compliance assistance. States may be

implementing EPA’s small business

policy or a comparable state policy.

Accordingly, in order to report

comprehensively to Congress on the

impact of the Agency’s program to

reduce/waive penalties for small

entities, it is important that EPA obtain

information from the states on their

implementation of a comparable policy

or program.

EPA, working alone or with stateaffiliated organizations, will send a brief

questionnaire to each state

environmental regulatory agency .

Specifically, the Agency will request

information on: the scope of a state’s

program or policy to reduce/waive

penalties for small entities, the number

of enforcement actions against small

entities that qualified/did not qualify for

the program or policy, the total amount

of penalty reductions/waivers and the

behavioral/environmental impact of a

state’s program or policy. Responses to

the collection of information are

voluntary. This information will enable

the Agency to: fulfill its statutory

obligation to Report to Congress; better

understand the impact of its Small

Business Policy or comparable state

policies on small entities and the

environment; tailor its policies and

programs to assist small entities in

complying with regulatory requirements

and reduce or waive penalties levied on

first-time violators. The information, in

addition, will be used by Congress to

evaluate the implementation of the

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement

Fairness Act of 1996.

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 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: The total burden

of responding to the questionnaire is

summarized by the following

information: Review instructions (.25

person/hour); Collection/aggregation

and validation of information (10

person/hours); Filling out the

questionnaire (.5 person/hours). The

average hourly burden to the states for

this one-time report to Congress is

estimated to be 10.75 person/hours. The

respondent costs have been calculated

on the basis of $33 per hour for a total

of $354.75. The total cost burden for this

one-time report to Congress for all states

is estimated to be $17,737.50. 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 12, 1997.

Elaine G. Stanley,

Director, Office of Compliance.

[FR Doc. 97–25091 Filed 9–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–U

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–5896–5]

National Environmental Justice

Advisory Council; Notification of

Charter Renewal

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory

Committee Act (FACA), Public Law 92–

463, the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency hereby announces the

recharting of the National Environment

Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) for an

additional 2 year period effective

9/29/97. The Advisory Council provides

advice to the Administrator of EPA on

issues related to managing

environmental justice. This council

consists of 25 individuals selected to

represent the seven major stakeholder

categories; academia, community

organizations, industry, state/local

governments, tribal governments, nongovernment organizations, and

environmental organizations. This

council convenes to review resolutions

prepared in the subcommittees and to

hear public comments during the Public

Comment Period held during each

meeting, normally for two nights for at

least two hours each night. The

Advisory Council has six

subcommittees to help develop strategic

options for EPA. Each subcommittee is

comprised of approximately ten

individuals knowledgeable in the

subject area, from the NEJAC Council as

well as from other stakeholder

organizations. These subcommittees are:

Waste and Facility Siting, Enforcement,

Health and Research, Public

Participation and Accountability,

Indigenous Peoples, and International.

Copies of the new revised charter,

information regarding the NEJAC

membership and other pertinent

Environmental Justice knowledge can be

obtained by dialing the 24 Hour Office

of Environment Justice Line on 1–800–

962–6215;

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Marva E. King, NEJAC Program Manager

at 202–564–2599.

Dated: September 11, 1997.

Robert J. Knox,

Designated Federal Official, National

Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

[FR Doc. 97–25093 Filed 9–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–M

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPPTS–140262; FRL–5744–5]

Access to Confidential Business

Information by General Sciences

Corporation

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: EPA has authorized its

contractor, General Sciences

Corporation (GSC), of Laurel, Maryland,

access to information which has been

submitted to EPA under sections 4, 5, 6,

and 8 of the Toxic Substances Control

Act (TSCA). Some of the information

may be claimed or determined to be

confidential business information (CBI).