Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0078-0012
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission To OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Landfill Methane Outreach Program (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 1849.05, OMB Control Number 2060-0446
Posted Date: 2009-02-24T05:00Z

[Federal Register: February 24, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 35)]
[Notices]               
[Page 8255-8256]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24fe09-66]                         

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0078; FRL-8776-2]

 
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Landfill Methane Outreach Program 
(Renewal), EPA ICR Number 1849.05, OMB Control Number 2060-0446

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection 
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to reinstate a 
previously approved ICR. The ICR that is abstracted below describes the 
nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before March 26, 
2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number EPA-HQ-
OAR-2003-0078 to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by e-mail to a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: 
EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Environmental Protection Agency, Air and 
Radiation Docket, mail code 2282T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; and (2) OMB at: Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: 
Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victoria Ludwig, Climate Change 
Division, Office of Atmospheric Programs, 6207J, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (202) 343-9291; fax number: (202) 343-2202; e-mail 
address: ludwig.victoria@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB 
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 
1320.12. On June 3, 2008 (73 FR 31681), EPA sought comments on this ICR 
pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any additional 
comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days 
of this notice.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under docket ID 
number EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0078, which is available for public viewing 
online at http://www.regulations.gov, and in person viewing at the Air 
and Radiation Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 
3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket 
Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the 
Reading Room is (202) 566-1744 and the telephone number for the Air and 
Radiation Docket is (202) 566-1742.
    Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at http://
www.regulations.gov to submit or view public comments, access the index 
listing of the contents of the docket, and access those documents in 
the docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, 
select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number identified 
above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public comments, whether 
submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public 
viewing at http://www.regulations.gov as EPA receives them and without 
change, unless the comment contains

[[Page 8256]]

copyrighted material, confidential business information (CBI), or other 
information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For 
further information about the electronic docket, go to http://
www.regulations.gov.
    Title: Landfill Methane Outreach Program (Renewal).
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR Number 1849.05, OMB Control Number 2060-0446.
    ICR Status: This ICR was discontinued on July 31, 2007. EPA is 
reinstating the previously approved ICR. 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, and 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: The Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP), created by 
EPA as part of the Climate Change Action Plan, is a voluntary program 
designed to encourage and facilitate the development of environmentally 
and economically sound landfill gas (LFG) energy projects across the 
United States in order to reduce methane emissions from landfills. LMOP 
does this by educating local governments and communities about the 
benefits of LFG recovery and use; building partnerships between state 
agencies, industry, energy service providers, local communities, and 
other stakeholders interested in developing this valuable resource in 
their community; and providing tools to evaluate LFG energy (LFGE) 
potential. LMOP signs voluntary Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with 
these organizations to enlist their support in promoting cost-effective 
LFG utilization. The information collection includes completion and 
submission of the MOU, and annual completion and submission of 
information forms that include basic information on landfill gas energy 
projects with which the organizations are involved. The information 
collection also includes a one-time effort to update the LMOP Landfill 
and Landfill Gas Energy Project Database. The information collection is 
to be utilized to maintain up-to-date data and information about LMOP 
Partners and landfill gas energy projects with which they are involved. 
The data will also be used by the public to assess LFGE project 
development opportunities in the United States. In addition, the 
information collection will assist LMOP in evaluating the reduction of 
methane emissions from landfills. Responses to the information 
collection are voluntary.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 
hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, and 
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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Landfill owners and operators (both 
public and private), landfill gas energy project developers, 
manufacturers and suppliers of landfill gas energy equipment, 
utilities, industries using landfill gas energy, state agencies 
involved in energy, air pollution, economic development and solid waste 
management, and non-profits involved in the solid waste management, 
public works, local government and renewable energy sectors.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,279.
    Frequency of Response: Initially, occasionally, annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 5,887.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $344,827, which includes $1,342 in 
annualized O&M costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 4,354 hours in 
the total estimated annual respondent burden compared with that 
identified in the ICR previously approved by OMB. This increase 
reflects a large growth in the number of LMOP Partners since the last 
renewal. Since the last ICR renewal, LMOP no longer collects 
information annually from Energy, State, and non-developer Industry 
Partners, the information forms have been simplified into pre-populated 
spreadsheets, and other collection efficiencies have been implemented 
such as the option to submit MOUs electronically. As a result of these 
changes, the average number of hours per Partner has decreased, but the 
total hourly burden for LMOP Partners still increased because of an 
increase in the number of Partners. For perspective on the magnitude of 
Partner growth, there were 365 Partners at the end of 2003 when the ICR 
was last renewed, whereas there were 675 Partners as of July 2007. This 
indicates an 85% increase in Partners since the last renewal. The 
remainder of the increase in total hourly burden comes from a planned 
initiative to collect critical landfill data from 1,000 additional 
landfill owners and operators. These data are necessary in order to 
better respond to public data requests and evaluate the potential of 
future LFGE opportunities. This type of data collection has not 
occurred during LMOP's history. This change is the result of a program 
change.

    Dated: February 18, 2009.
John Moses,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E9-3912 Filed 2-23-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P