Document ID: EPA-HQ-OA-2010-0757-0025
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Confidential Financial Disclosure Form for Special Government Employees Serving on Federal Advisory Committees at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Renewal)
Posted Date: 2023-09-01T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 169 (Friday, September 1, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60450-60451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18967]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OA-2010-0757; FRL-11344-01-OMS]

Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Confidential Financial Disclosure Form for Special Government Employees 
Serving on Federal Advisory Committees at the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (Renewal); EPA ICR No. 2260.08, OMB Control No. 2090-
0029

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Confidential 
Financial Disclosure Form for Special Government Employees Serving on 
Federal Advisory Committees at the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, EPA Form 3110-48 (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 2260.08, OMB Control 
No. 2090-0029) 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 June 30, 
2024. 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 November 8, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA-
2010-0757, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to [email protected], 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: Gina Moore, Office of Resources and 
Business Operations, Federal Advisory Committee Management Division, 
Mail Code 1601M, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-0462; email 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents 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, William 
Jefferson Clinton West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC The telephone number for the Docket Center is 202-566-
1744. For additional information about EPA's public docket, visit 
https://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

[[Page 60451]]

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 purpose of this information collection request is to 
assist the EPA in selecting federal advisory committee members who will 
be appointed as Special Government Employees (SGEs), mostly to the 
EPA's scientific and technical committees. To select SGE members as 
efficiently and cost effectively as possible, the Agency needs to 
evaluate potential conflicts of interest before a candidate is hired as 
an SGE and appointed as a member to a committee.
    Agency officials developed the ``Confidential Financial Disclosure 
Form for Special Government Employees Serving on Federal Advisory 
Committees at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,'' also referred 
to as Form 3110-48, for greater inclusion of information to discover 
any potential conflicts of interest as recommended by the Government 
Accountability Office.
    Form Number: EPA Form 3110-48.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are approximately 250 candidates for membership as SGEs on 
EPA federal advisory committees. SGEs are required to file a 
confidential financial disclosure report (Form 3110-48) when first 
appointed to serve on EPA advisory committees, and then annually 
thereafter. Committee members may also be required to update the 
confidential form before each meeting while they serve as SGEs.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Required in order to serve as 
an SGE on a federal advisory committee at EPA (5 CFR 2634.903).
    Estimated number of respondents: 250 (total).
    Frequency of response: When first appointed to serve on an EPA 
advisory committee and annually thereafter. Committee members may also 
be required to update the confidential form before each meeting while 
they serve as SGEs.
    Total estimated burden: 250 hours per year (1 hour per respondent). 
Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)
    Total estimated cost: $22,000 (per year), includes $0 annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: We anticipate an increase in the total 
estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by 
OMB. The estimated number of respondents needs to be revised to 
consider several committees and subcommittees with SGEs that were 
established since the ICR was last renewed, as well as SGEs who serve 
as consultants to the committees on an ad-hoc basis.

Kimberly Y. Patrick,
Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Mission Support.
[FR Doc. 2023-18967 Filed 8-31-23; 8:45 am]
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