[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 112 (Monday, June 10, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29377-29378]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14609]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5517-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Pretesting and Evaluation of Risk 
Communication Activities

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 notice announces that the Information Collection Request 
(ICR) for pretesting and evaluation of risk communication activities 
described below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of 
the information collection and its expected burden and cost; where 
appropriate, it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 10, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY CALL: Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-
2740, and refer to EPA ICR No. 1552.03; OMB Control Number 2010-0022.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

    Title: Pretesting and Evaluation of Risk Communication Activities 
(OMB Control No. 2010-0022; EPA ICR Number 1552.03. This is a request 
for reinstatement, with change, of a previously approved collection for 
which approval has expired.
    Abstract: The U.S. EPA continues to use risk communication as a 
risk management tool. EPA uses risk communication (1) to encourage 
individuals to make voluntary behavior changes which will reduce their 
level of personal risk from exposure to specific environmental 
contaminants or conditions. and (2) to improve compliance with 
environmental regulations. Evaluating the effectiveness of risk 
communication activities is important; such evaluations allow EPA to 
learn from its efforts, improve them, and conduct them as effectively 
as possible. A number of low cost risk communication evaluation methods 
are available for pretesting materials, evaluating risk communication 
processes, and evaluating outcomes and impacts. The methods require 
only a modest respondent burden, and participation is entirely 
voluntary. There is no cost to respondents. Since many of EPA's risk 
communication activities re relatively low cost and do not warrant 
extensive or costly evaluations, this information collection request 
(ICR) seeks continued approval for conducting small scale evaluations 
of risk communication activities. 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 Federal Register notice required under 5 CFR 
1320.8(d), soliciting comments on this collection of information was 
published on March 15, 1996 (FRL-5440-6).
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average one 
hour per response. 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.

[[Page 29378]]

    Respondents/Affected Entities: any groups or individuals who might 
be audiences for EPA messages about risk.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 855 per year.
    Frequency of Response: once per year per respondent.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 870 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $ none to respondents; 
$664,092 to U.S. EPA for staff and contractor support.
    Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the 
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods 
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques to the following addresses: Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 1552.03 and OMB Control No. 2010-0022 in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OPPE Regulatory 
Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460.

    and

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: May 31, 1996.
Richard Westlund,
Acting Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 96-14609 Filed 6-7-96; 8:45 am]
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