[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29988-29989]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-14587]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6105-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Evaluation of Jobs Through Recycling Grant Projects

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Evaluation of Jobs Through Recycling 
Grant Projects, ICR Number 1865.01. Before submitting the ICR to OMB 
for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects 
of the proposed information collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 3, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Commenters must send an original and two copies of their 
comments referencing docket number F-98-JRIP-FFFFF to: RCRA Docket 
Information Center, Office of Solid Waste (5305G), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency Headquarters (EPA, HQ), 401 M Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20460. Hand deliveries of comments should be made to the 
Arlington, VA, address below. Comments may also be submitted 
electronically through the Internet to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#384a5b4a595c575b535d4c785d485955595154165d4859165f574e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2f5d4c5d4e4b404c444a5b6f4a5f4e424e4643014a5f4e01484059">[email protected]</span></a>. 
Comments in electronic format should also be identified by the docket 
number F-98-JRIP-FFFFF. All electronic comments must be submitted as an 
ASCII file avoiding the use of encryption.
    Commenters should not submit electronically any confidential 
business information (CBI). An original and two copies of CBI must be 
submitted under separate cover to: RCRA CBI Document Control Officer, 
Office of Solid Waste (5305W), U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20460.
    Public comments and supporting materials are available for viewing 
in the RCRA Information Center (RIC), located at Crystal Gateway I, 
First Floor, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. The RIC is 
open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal 
holidays. To review docket materials, it is recommended that the public 
make an appointment by calling 703 603-9230. The public may copy a 
maximum of 100 pages from any regulatory docket at no charge. 
Additional copies cost $0.15/page. The index and some supporting 
materials are available electronically.
    The ICR is available on the Internet. Follow these instructions to 
access the information electronically:
    WWW: http://www.epa.gov/jtr/seconds/program/program.htm.
    FTP: ftp.epa.gov.
    Login: anonymous.
    Password: your Internet address.
    Files are located in /pub/epaoswer.
    The official record for this action will be kept in paper form. 
Accordingly, EPA will transfer all comments received electronically 
into paper form and place them in the official public record, which 
will also include all comments submitted directly in writing.
    EPA responses to comments, whether the comments are written or 
electronic, will be in a notice in the Federal Register. EPA will not 
immediately reply to commenters electronically other than to seek 
clarification of electronic comments that may be garbled in 
transmission or during conversion to paper form, as discussed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, contact the 
RCRA Hotline at 800 424-9346 or TDD 800 553-7672 (hearing impaired). In 
the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, call 703 412-9810 or TDD 703 
412-3323.
    For more detailed information on specific aspects of this ICR, 
contact Susan Nogas, Office of Solid Waste (5306W), U.S. EPA, 401 M 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460. Phone: 703 308-7251. Fax: 703 308-
8686.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Affected entities: Entities potentially 
affected by this action are Jobs Through Recycling (JTR) grantees, 
which include state, multistate, and tribal organizations that have 
received grant funding through JTR. Also affected are project partners 
(including state and local agencies) and selected businesses assisted 
by JTR grantees.
    Title: Evaluation of Jobs Through Recycling Grant Projects, ICR 
Number 1865.01.
    Abstract: EPA launched the JTR initiative in 1994 to help 
facilitate the growth of the recycling industry. The industry includes 
businesses involved in collecting, processing, manufacturing, and 
selling products made from recovered materials. With JTR, EPA intended 
to create jobs, increase capital invested in the recycling industry, 
create new recycling capacity, and increase the amount of secondary 
materials actually used.
    To assess the success of the JTR grant projects, EPA designed a 
methodology to evaluate the results, accomplishments, and lessons 
learned from each JTR grant. The first step in the methodology is to 
review grant workplans, progress and final reports, and grant products. 
The second step is to interview the grantees as well as one project 
partner and one business assisted by each grantee. To facilitate the 
evaluation, EPA developed an interview guide with a standard set of 
questions for grantees, project partners, and assisted businesses. The 
interview guide will enable EPA to collect both qualitative and 
quantitative information on the accomplishments of the JTR grantees 
through either phone or onsite interviews. Grantees, for example, are 
asked to describe the lessons learned and challenges overcome in 
implementing and managing their projects as well as the results, such 
as the number of jobs created, amount of capital invested, volume of 
new capacity created, and volume of secondary materials actually used. 
EPA pilot tested the evaluation process and the discussion guide with 
six 1994 JTR grants. All participation in JTR project evaluation 
interviews is voluntary.
    The purpose of the ICR is to allow EPA to continue its evaluation 
of JTR grant projects by measuring the success of the remaining 1994 
grant projects as well as the grants awarded in 1995, 1996, and 1997. 
The information compiled during these interviews will be disseminated 
to current and future program participants as well as other recycling 
market development professionals, so that others can replicate project 
successes and avoid past mistakes. In addition, EPA will use the 
information gathered to help identify opportunities to improve the 
overall JTR program and ensure its continued growth and success. 
Finally, the evaluation will assist EPA in complying with the 
Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), by measuring 
progress towards the goals and objectives detailed in the EPA Strategic 
Plan.
    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.
    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;

[[Page 29989]]

    (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: EPA estimates that a total of 35 grantees, 35 
project partners, and 35 assisted businesses will be interviewed as 
part of the ICR. Completing the JTR evaluations involves the following 
activities for each grantee, project partner, and assisted business: 
reviewing EPA's questions and preparing responses, participating in 
phone or onsite interviews, and participating in followup activities 
such as reviewing a 4-page grantee fact sheet. Specifically, JTR 
grantees will be asked to provide information on their project history, 
the types of business assistance provided, barriers and lessons 
learned, the future of the project, overall project benefits, and 
partnerships established. EPA estimates an annual burden per grantee of 
2 hours for reviewing questions and preparing responses, 3 hours for 
participating in the interview, and 1 hour for participating in 
followup activities. Thus, EPA estimates that an average annual burden 
for the 35 grantees would be 210 grantee hours or $10,500 to provide 
EPA with the requested information. Businesses assisted by JTR grantees 
will be asked to assess the services provided by the grantee and to 
estimate the direct and indirect economic benefits of the assistance. 
Project partners will be asked to discuss their interaction with the 
grantee and to evaluate the types of assistance provided. EPA estimates 
that each project partner and assisted business will annually incur 
0.75 hours to review the questions and prepare responses, 1 hour to 
participate in the interview, and 0.5 hours to participate in followup 
activities. The average annual burden for the 35 partners and the 35 
businesses would be 78.75 hours or $3,325 for each. Therefore, the 
total annual burden for the 105 grantees, project partners, and 
assisted businesses is estimated to be 367.5 hours or $17,150.
    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: May 26, 1998.
Elizabeth A. Cotsworth,
Acting Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 98-14587 Filed 6-1-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


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