Document ID: EPA-HQ-OEI-2017-0380-0001
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery
Posted Date: 2017-07-21T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 139 (Friday, July 21, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33908-33909]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-15345]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OEI-2017-0380; FRL-9964-69-OEI]

Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Generic 
Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service 
Delivery (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Generic Clearance for the 
Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery'' to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. 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 November 30, 2017. 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 September 19, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OEI-
2017-0380 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 whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Courtney Kerwin, Office of 
Environmental Information, Regulatory Support Division, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code 2822T 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-1669 and email address: 
Kerwin.courtney@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The supporting documents for this ICR 
(Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency 
Service

[[Page 33909]]

Delivery, EPA ICR No. 2434.75, OMB Control No. 2010-0042), 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, 
WJC 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 submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: The information collection activity provides a means to 
garner qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback in an efficient, 
timely manner, in accordance with the Administration's commitment to 
improving service delivery. Qualitative feedback includes information 
that provides useful insights on perceptions and opinions, but are not 
statistical surveys that yield quantitative results that can be 
generalized to the population of study.
    This feedback will provide insights into customer or stakeholder 
perceptions, experiences and expectations, provide an early warning of 
issues with service, or focus attention on areas where communication, 
training or changes in operations might improve delivery of products or 
services. These collections will allow for ongoing, collaborative and 
actionable communications between the Agency and its customers and 
stakeholders. It will also allow feedback to contribute directly to the 
improvement of program management. The solicitation of feedback will 
target areas such as: Timeliness, appropriateness, accuracy of 
information, courtesy, efficiency of service delivery, and resolution 
of issues with service delivery. Responses will be assessed to plan and 
inform efforts to improve or maintain the quality of service offered to 
the public. If this information is not collected, vital feedback from 
customers and stakeholders on the Agency's services will be 
unavailable.
    The Agency will only submit a collection for approval under this 
generic clearance if: The collections are voluntary; the collections 
are low-burden for respondents and are low-cost for both the 
respondents and the Federal Government; the collections are 
noncontroversial and do not raise issues of concern to other Federal 
agencies; the collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions 
from respondents who have experience with the program or may have 
experience with the program in the near future; personally identifiable 
information (PII) is collected only to the extent necessary and is not 
retained; information gathered will be used only internally for general 
service improvement and program management purposes and is not intended 
for release outside of the agency; information gathered will not be 
used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy 
decisions; information gathered will yield qualitative information.
    Respondents/affected entities: Individuals and Households; 
Businesses and Organizations; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 120,000 (total).
    Frequency of response: Once per request.
    Total estimated burden: 30,000 hours. Burden is defined at 5 CFR 
1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: There are no annualized capital or operation 
& maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: There is an increase of 10,000 hours annually 
in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR 
currently approved by OMB. This increase in hours is due to the 
increase in the use of surveys by the Agency.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2017-15345 Filed 7-20-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P