1

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OECA-2005-0062; FRL 9007-7]

Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 40 CFR Part 6: 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.

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an information 

collection request (ICR), “40 CFR Part 6: Procedures for Implementing the National 

Environmental Policy Act and Assessing the Environmental Effects Abroad of EPA Actions”

(EPA ICR No. 2243.06, OMB Control No. 2020-0033) to the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 

3501 et seq.). 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 August 31, 2013. 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 Tuesday, April 23, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OECA-2005-0062

online using www.regulations.gov (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 
2

whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jessica Trice, Office of Federal Activities,

Mail Code 2252A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW,

Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-6646; fax number: (202) 564-0072; email

address: trice.jessica@epa.gov.

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 

www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, EPA 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 

http://www.epa.gov/dockets.

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 automated electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 

electronic submission of responses. 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 
3

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. EPA’s procedures for implementing NEPA are found in 40 CFR Part 

6. Through this part, EPA adopted the CEQ Regulations and supplemented those regulations for 

actions by EPA that are subject to NEPA requirements. EPA actions subject to NEPA include 

the award of wastewater treatment construction grants under Title II of the Clean Water Act, 

EPA’s issuance of new source National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) 

permits under section 402 of the Clean Water Act, certain research and development projects, 

development and issuance of regulations, EPA actions involving renovations or new construction 

of facilities, and certain grants awarded for projects authorized by Congress through the 

Agency’s annual Appropriations Act. 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’’). EPA’s NEPA regulations apply to the actions of 

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 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 EPA’s Responsible Officials, and for applicant proposed actions 

applicants may be required to provide environmental information to EPA as part of the

environmental review process. For this Information Collection Request (ICR), applicant-
4

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 EPA for their 

projects to comply with NEPA or Executive Order 12114, including Wastewater Treatment 

Construction Grants Program facilities, State and Tribal Assistance Grant recipients and new 

source National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permittees.

Respondent’s obligation to respond: Voluntary

Estimated number of respondents: 312.

Frequency of response: On occasion

Total estimated burden: 38,472 hours 

Total estimated cost: $3,503,245, includes $7,638 annualized capital or operation & 

maintenance costs.

Changes in Estimates: The above estimates are based on information and data available through 

the current ICR supporting documentation. However, it is anticipated that there will be slight 

decrease in hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 

approved by OMB. This slight decrease is due to changes in the number of respondents and their 

associated EPA actions eligible for categorical exclusions which results in a reduction in total 

hours and burden.

Dated: _____________________________________ 

___________________________________________

Cliff Rader

Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities