Document ID: EPA-R03-CBP-2009-0500-0001
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals
Posted Date: 2009-10-23T04:00Z

[Federal Register: October 23, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 204)]
[
Notices]               
[Page 54801-54803]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23oc09-34]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-R03-CBP-2009-0500; FRL-8972-5]

 
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 

Comment Request; Chesapeake Registry; EPA ICR No. 2365.01, OMB Control 

No. 200908-2003-001

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this 

document announces that EPA is planning to submit a request to renew an 

existing, approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB). EPA prepared the ICR, ``Chesapeake 

Registry,'' on behalf of the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership. 

Before submitting the ICR renewal request 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 December 22, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R03-

CBP-2009-0500, by one of the following methods:

     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 

instructions for submitting comments.

     Mail: Chesapeake Registry, Attn: Marguerite Duffy, 

Chesapeake Bay Program Office, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109, Annapolis, 

Maryland 21403.

     Hand Delivery: Chesapeake Registry, Attn: Marguerite 

Duffy, EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109, 

Annapolis, Maryland 21403. Such deliveries are only accepted during the 

Docket's normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday 

through Friday, excluding legal holidays), and special arrangements 

should be made for deliveries of boxed information.

    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-R03-CBP-

2009-0500. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 

in the public docket without change and may be made available online at 

http://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 http://

www.regulations.gov. The http://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 submit a disk or CD-ROM, EPA recommends that you 

include your name and other contact information in the body of your 

comment. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marguerite Duffy, USEPA Region III--

Chesapeake Bay Program Office, Annapolis City Marina, 410 Severn 

Avenue, Suite 109 (3CB10), Annapolis, MD 21403; telephone number: (410) 

267-5764; fax number: (410) 267-5777; e-mail address: 

duffy.marguerite@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 

No. EPA-R03-CBP-2009-0500, which is available for online viewing at 

http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the EPA Chesapeake 

Bay Program Office, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109, Annapolis, Maryland 

21403. Materials are available for viewing from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays; telephone number 410-

267-5700. An electronic version of the public docket is available at: 

http://www.regulations.gov. This site can be used to obtain a copy of 

the draft information collection request, submit or view public 

comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and 

to access those documents in the public docket that are available 

electronically. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the 

docket ID number identified in this document (EPA-R03-CBP-2009-0500).

What Information Is EPA Particularly Interested in?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically 

solicits 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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from 

very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of 

specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork 

burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What Should I Consider When I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 

comments:

    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific 

examples.

    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.

    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 

that support your views.

    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 

arrived at the estimate that you provide.

    5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.

    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 

under DATES.

    7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 

ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page 

of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal 

Register citation.

What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 

state and local governments and non-government

[[Page 54802]]

organizations within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

    Title: Chesapeake Registry (formerly called Activity Integration 

Plan).

    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2365.01, OMB Control No. 200908-2003-001.

    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on 02/28/

2010. 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 in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal 

Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed 

either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate 

means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if 

applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA 

regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.

    Abstract: In 2008, EPA's Region III Chesapeake Bay Program Office 

and its partners developed the Chesapeake Action Plan (CAP) to 

strengthen and expand partnerships in the watershed, enhance 

coordination of restoration activities, and increase the collective 

accountability for protecting the Chesapeake Bay. One component 

described in the CAP is a Web-enabled reporting system known as the 

Activity Integration Plan now titled Chesapeake Registry. Through this 

reporting system, participating organizations provide data about the 

activities in which they are currently engaged, or plan to be engaged 

in, to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. The 

ability to capture and account for Bay-wide implementation activities 

was developed in response to recommendations by the Government 

Accountability Office and directives of the Explanatory Statement of 

the FY 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 110-161). CBPO 

conducted its first activity data call in 2008 that included 10 federal 

agencies, 7 states, and 2 local organizations.

    The EPA, on behalf of the partnership, intends to expand the data 

call to more than 10 non-federal agencies and organizations to 

strengthen the information base on which to support implementation 

decisions and more recently, to support Executive Order (EO) 13508, 

signed by President Barack Obama on May 12, 2009. Section 203(d) of the 

EO directs EPA to identify the ``mechanisms that will assure that 

governmental and other activities, including data collection and 

distribution, are coordinated and effective, relying on existing 

mechanisms where appropriate.'' Section 204 further directs that 

``Federal actions to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay are closely 

coordinated with actions by State and local agencies in the watershed 

and that the resources, authorities, and expertise of Federal, State, 

and local agencies are used as efficiently as possible.'' The 

Chesapeake Registry and associated data calls provide a mechanism for 

coordinated data collections among federal and non-federal entities 

protecting and restoring the Bay and its watershed, and the information 

necessary to adaptively manage the program in support of these 

mandates.

    The Chesapeake Registry includes detailed information about the 

activities and funding conducted and planned by partner organizations. 

The organizations provide project information on the nature of the 

activity, responsible organization, organizational point of contact, 

resource levels, geographic location, and major milestones on progress 

towards Chesapeake Bay protection and restoration efforts. Funds 

reported in the Chesapeake Registry are linked to an organization's own 

resource base so that data associated with a set of funds is entered 

only by the originator of the funding. The information is organized by 

programmatic goal and desired result, which aligns activities to the 

goals of the program and helps to provide an accurate depiction of 

restoration activities, progress, and results. The information 

collection, as envisioned, will be conducted annually. Summary level 

information from the Chesapeake Registry is available at http://

cap.chesapeakebay.net.

    Each reporting organization is assigned a user ID and password. 

Security measures have been established to protect data that have been 

entered, including maintaining the data on a secure server on a secure 

network, and confirming the data with each reporting organization. 

Participants in the information collection are able to search the 

reporting system database application and view standard reports. 

Partners will use the enhanced and expanded data to update performance 

management dashboards that summarize and synthesize information so the 

program partners can understand, at a glance, the progress being made 

in key program areas. The dashboards include measures of progress, 

information about resources and strategic analyses of what needs to be 

done to improve implementation. In addition, EPA anticipates that some 

of the partners will use the reporting system as a tool for their own 

management and planning efforts.

    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 

burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 64.8 

hours per response for state and local government agencies and 11.5 

hours per response for non-government organizations. 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 which have 

subsequently changed; 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. The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's 

estimate, which is only briefly summarized here:

    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 50 (30 state and 

local governments, 20 non-government organizations) initially but will 

likely increase over time.

    Frequency of response: Annual.

    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.

    Estimated total annual burden hours: 2,174.0 (64.8 hours per 

response for state and local governments, 11.5 hours per response for 

non-government organizations).

    Estimated total annual costs: $104,974.20. This includes an 

estimated burden cost of $104,974.20 and an estimated cost of $0.00 for 

capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.

Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval?

    EPA anticipates an annual, gradual change in the total estimated 

respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently 

approved by OMB.

What Is the Next Step in the Process for This ICR?

    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 pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will 

issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 

1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to

[[Page 54803]]

OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you 

have any questions about this ICR or the approval process, please 

contact the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 

CONTACT.

    Dated: October 13, 2009.

James Edward,

Deputy Director, Chesapeake Bay Program Office, Region III.

[FR Doc. E9-25588 Filed 10-22-09; 8:45 am]

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