Document Headings

                    Document headings vary by document type but may contain                    the following:                  
                -                       the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document                    
                -                       the number of the CFR title and the number of each part                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly                      related to                    
                -                       the agency docket number / agency internal file number                    
                -                       the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory                      Actions                    

                    See the                                          Document Drafting Handbook                                        for more details.                  

###### Environmental Protection Agency

          - [EPA-HQ-OARM-2011-0795; FRL-9516-3]

# 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 an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.                    

# DATES:

Additional comments may be submitted on or before May 24, 2012.

# ADDRESSES:

                        Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OARM-2011-0795, to (1) EPA online using                         *www.regulations.gov*                         (our preferred method), by email to                         *oei.docket@epa.gov,*                         or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information Docket, Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB by mail to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503.                    

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

                        Alexandra Raver, Office of Grants and Debarment, National Policy, Training and Compliance Division, Mail Code: 3903R, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-5296; fax number: (202) 565-2470; email address:                         *Raver.Alexandra@epa.gov.*

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. On October 19, 2011 (76 FR 64942), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received one comment during the comment period, which is addressed in the ICR. Any additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice.

EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OARM-2011-0795, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of Environmental Information Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8 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 Office of Environmental Information Docket is 202-566-1752.

                    Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at                     *www.regulations.gov,*                     to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select “docket search,” then key in the docket ID number identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing at                     *www.regulations.gov*                     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. For further information about the electronic docket, go to                     *www.regulations.gov.*

*Title:*                     General Administrative Requirements for Assistance Programs (Renewal).                

*ICR numbers:*                     EPA ICR No. 0938.18, OMB Control Number 2030-0020.                

*ICR Status:*                     This ICR is scheduled to expire on April 30, 2012. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 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:*                     The information is collected from applicants/recipients of EPA assistance to monitor adherence to the programmatic and administrative                           ( print page 24487)                        requirements of the Agency's financial assistance program. It is used to make awards, pay recipients, and collect information on how Federal funds are being spent. EPA needs this information to meet its Federal stewardship responsibilities. This ICR renewal requests authorization for the collection of information under EPA's General Regulation for Assistance Programs, which establishes minimum management requirements for all recipients of EPA grants or cooperative agreements (assistance agreements). Recipients must respond to these information requests to obtain and/or retain a benefit (Federal funds). 40 CFR part 30, “Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other Non-profit Organizations,” includes the management requirements for potential grantees from non-profit organizations. 40 CFR part 31, “Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments,” includes the management responsibilities for potential State and local government grantees. These regulations include only those provisions mandated by statute, required by OMB Circulars, or added by EPA to ensure sound and effective financial assistance management. This renewal request also incorporates reporting and audit requirements associated with assistance programs funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 (previously approved under Emergency ICR Number 2351.01). This ICR combines all of these requirements under OMB Control Number 2030-0020. The information required by these regulations will be used by EPA award officials to make assistance awards and assistance payments and to verify that the recipient is using Federal funds appropriately to comply with OMB Circulars A-21, A-87, A-102, A-110, A-122, and A-133, which set forth the pre-award, post-award, and after-the-grant requirements.                

*Burden Statement:*                     The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 24 hours per respondent. 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.                

*Respondents/Affected Entities:*                     Applicants and recipients of EPA assistance agreements.                

*Estimated Number of Respondents:*                     8,391.                

*Frequency of Response:*                     On occasion, quarterly or semiannually, and annually.                

*Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden:*                     205,365.                

*Estimated Total Annual Cost:*                     $11,071,840. This includes an estimated labor cost of $11,071,840 and $0 for annualized capital or O&M costs.                

*Changes in the Estimates:*                     There is an increase of 70,768 hours in the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. This increase resulted from the incorporation of reporting and audit requirements for program areas under which grants were funded for the ARRA, addition and elimination of some grant forms as well as updates to the estimated number of respondents, the annual submissions per respondent, and the burden hours for completion of the grant forms under the ICR.                

John Moses,

Director, Collection Strategies Division.

[FR Doc. 2012-9798 Filed 4-23-12; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P