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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 submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB.

Abstract: The USEPA Office of Research and Development is investigating public values for Chinook salmon and Winter steelhead recovery in the Willamette basin of Oregon. These values will be estimated via a willingness to pay mail survey instrument. There are two effluent-dominated perennial reaches considered in the survey. The primary goal of conducting economic valuation studies should be to improve the way in which communities frame choices regarding the allocation of scarce resources and to clarify the trade-offs between alternative outcomes. This problem is particularly relevant to salmon conservation efforts in the Pacific Northwest. Despite the deep cultural importance of salmon to the citizens of the Pacific Northwest, there is a remarkable lack of valid empirical economic studies quantifying this importance to the general public. This survey will estimate the benefits of salmon and steelhead recovery in the Willamette basin as outlined in the Upper Willamette River Conservation and Recovery Plan.

The public benefits associated with several recovery options will be estimated in this survey. The first option is labeled ’minimum recovery’ and represents a permanent increase in the number of wild origin Chinook salmon and steelhead that return annually to the Willamette basin watershed. The increase in fish abundance is also associated with a reduction in the risk of extinction that is great enough to ’de-list’ these species from the endangered species list. The second recovery status evaluated in the survey is labeled ’broadsense recovery’. This recovery option also represents a reduction in extinction risk great enough to remove both species form the endangered species list but also represents an even larger increase in wild origin fish than under the ‘minimal recovery’ option. In addition to the different recovery options, public preferences for the time to recovery will be evaluated.

For the survey, a choice experiment framework is used with statistically designed tradeoff questions. Recovery options for wild origin Chinook salmon and steelhead and time to recovery are posed as increases in a yearly household tax for the next 25 years. Each choice question allows a zero cost ‘‘opt out’’ option. A few additional questions to further understand respondent choice motivations, their river-related recreation behavior, and their attitudes towards wild origin versus hatchery origin fish are also included. Several pages of background introduce the issue to respondents. A small number of sociodemographic questions are included to gauge how well the sample respondents represent the target population. A sample from across the state of Oregon will receive the survey. The survey will target three subpopulations of Oregon to be studied—the urban population of the Willamette valley, the rural population within the Willamette valley, and the population residing outside the Willamette valley. The primary reason for the survey is public value research. All survey responses will be kept confidential.

Form Numbers: None. Respondents/affected entities: The target respondents for this survey are representatives 18 yrs or older of households across the state of Oregon. A sample of household representatives 18 yrs or older will be contacted by mail following the multiple contact protocol in Dillman (2009). A response rate of 30% will be targeted. To increase response rates from the sample, several contacts will be used, including a prenotice to all recipients, a reminder postcard, and follow-up mailing as needed.

Respondent’s obligation to respond: Voluntary.

Estimated number of respondents: The number of target responses from each subpopulation within Oregon is 250 households each, or 750 households total.

Frequency of response: One-time
response.

Total estimated burden: For a typical respondent, a conservative estimate of their time to review and respond to survey questions is 30 minutes. Assuming the target of 750 people total respond to the survey, the burden is 375 hours. Total estimated cost: The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports average wage rates for Oregon for all occupations (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011). The average hourly wage for all occupations in Oregon was $21.75, or an average cost per participant of $10.88. Assuming 750 participants fill out the survey, the total estimated respondent labor cost is $8,160. This would be a one-time expenditure of their time.

Changes in Estimates: This is the first notice; there is no change in estimates at this time.

Dated: June 10, 2013. Thomas D. Fontaine III, Western Ecology Division Director.
[FR Doc. 2013–15754 Filed 6–28–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 6560–50–P**

**ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY** 

**[FRL–9829–9]**

**Forum on Environmental Measurements Announcement of**  **Competency Policy for Assistance Agreements—Implementation**  **Extension**

**AGENCY :**  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

**ACTION :**  Notice. Announcement of Implementation Extension for Competency Policy for Assistance Agreements.

**SUMMARY :**  As published in the Federal Register on April 29, 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Forum on Environmental Measurements (FEM) is implementing a policy requiring organizations generating or using environmental data under certain Agency-funded assistance agreements to submit documentation of their competency prior to award of the agreement, or if that is not practicable, prior to beginning any work involving the generation or use of environmental data under the agreement. The Policy was originally approved on December 12, 2012 by the Science Technology Policy Council (STPC). Because implementation tools are currently being developed by the Agency based on outreach with internal and external stakeholders, EPA is delaying the required effective date of the Policy to October 1, 2013. Webinars and materials to aid with implementation are available on the FEM Web site (http:// www.epa.gov/fem/lab

_comp.htm ). Accordingly, this revision means that the policy will apply to:

• Awards made under competitive solicitations issued on or after October


### 39284 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 126 / Monday, July 1, 2013 / Notices

1, 2013* that are expected to exceed $200,000 (in federal funding) in maximum value and involve the use or generation of environmental data; and

• Non-competitive assistance agreements awarded on or after October 1, 2013* that are expected to exceed $200,000 (in federal funding) in total maximum value and involve the use or generation of environmental data.

*While the effective date of this policy is being changed to October 1, 2013, EPA offices may apply this policy prior to that date at their discretion.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Comments or questions should be sent to Ms. Lara P. Phelps, US EPA (E243– 05), 109 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709; emailed to phelps.lara@epa.gov ≤ ; or call (919) 541–5544.

Dated: June 20, 2013. Glenn Paulson,
Science Advisor.
[FR Doc. 2013–15753 Filed 6–28–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 6560–50–P**

**ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY** 

**[EPA–HQ–OA–2013–0320; FRL–9830–1]**

**Technical Guidance for Assessing Environmental Justice in Regulatory**  **Analysis**

**AGENCY :**  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

**ACTION :**  Notice. Announcement of 60- day extension of public comment period for draft guidance.

**SUMMARY :**  On May 9, 2013 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued for public comment a document entitled, ‘‘Technical Guidance for Assessing Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis.’’ The purpose of this notice is to extend the public comment period by 60 days. The public comment period will now close on September 6, 2013.

**DATES :**  Comments must be received on or before September 6, 2013.

**ADDRESSES :**  Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– OA–2013–0320 by one of the following methods:

• www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting
comments.

• Email: maguire.kelly@epa.gov

.

• Fax: 202–566–2363.

• Mail: Technical Guidance for Assessing Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 1890T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.

• Hand Delivery: EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket’s normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.

Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OA–2013– 0320. EPA’s policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov or email. The www.regulations.gov Web site is an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an email comment directly to EPA without going through www.regulations.gov your email address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD–ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA’s public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http:// www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm

.

Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically in www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Technical Guidance for Assessing Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis Docket, EPA/DC, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566–1744, and the telephone number for the Technical Guidance for Assessing Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis is (202) 566–2273.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Dr. Kelly Maguire, Office of Policy, National Center for Environmental Economics, Mail code 1809T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Mail code 1809T, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202–566–2273; fax number: 202–566–2363; email address: maguire.kelly@epa.gov

.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  The Technical Guidance for Assessing Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis is available in the public docket for this notice. 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

. I. General Information

EPA is extending the public comment period for the draft Technical Guidance for Assessing Environmental Justice in Regulatory Analysis by 60 days. The public comment period will now close on September 6, 2013. EPA has been doing environmental justice assessments of its regulatory actions for years. This experience and body of work assessing regulatory actions provide the foundation for this draft guidance. This guidance begins to address the issue of how to analytically consider environmental justice in regulatory analyses. It provides a set of questions to guide analysts in evaluating potential environmental justice concerns in EPA rules, provides a set of recommendations and best practices for analyses, and defines key terms. No new risk assessment or socio-economic assessment methods are required, thus minimizing resource or analytical burdens. This guidance takes into account EPA’s past experience in integrating EJ into the rulemaking process and will enable EPA to conduct consistent, better analysis of regulations to inform the public and decision makers.