Document ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2003-0013-0008
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities: Title IV of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002: Drinking Water Security and Safety (Act); Comment Request; Notice.
Posted Date: 2003-05-20T04:00Z

27555
Federal
Register
/
Vol.
68,
No.
97
/
Tuesday,
May
20,
2003
/
Notices
order.
The
Commission
will
issue
further
orders
as
that
review
progresses.

Magalie
R.
Salas,
Secretary.
[
FR
Doc.
03
 
12623
Filed
5
 
19
 
03;
8:
45
am]

BILLING
CODE
6717
 
01
 
P
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
AGENCY
[
OW
 
2003
 
0013,
FRL
 
7501
 
2]

Agency
Information
Collection
Activities:
Title
IV
of
the
Public
Health
Security
and
Bioterrorism
Preparedness
and
Response
Act
of
2002:
Drinking
Water
Security
and
Safety
(
Act);
Comment
Request
AGENCY:
Environmental
Protection
Agency.
ACTION:
Notice.

SUMMARY:
In
compliance
with
the
Paperwork
Reduction
Act
(
44
U.
S.
C.
3501
et
seq.),
this
document
announces
that
EPA
is
planning
to
submit
the
following
continuing
Information
Collection
Request
(
ICR)
to
the
Office
of
Management
and
Budget
(
OMB):
Title
IV
of
the
Public
Health
Security
and
Bioterrorism
Preparedness
and
Response
Act
of
2002:
Drinking
Water
Security
and
Safety
(
Act),
hereinafter
referred
to
as
the
Bioterrorism
Act;
ICR
No.
2103.02;
OMB
Control
No.
2040
 
0253;
expiration
date
September
30,
2003.
Before
submitting
this
continuing
ICR
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
July
21,
2003.
ADDRESSES:
Follow
the
detailed
instructions
in
SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION.

FOR
FURTHER
INFORMATION
CONTACT:
Susan
Dolgin,
Water
Protection
Task
Force,
Office
of
Ground
Water
and
Drinking
Water,
4601M,
Environmental
Protection
Agency,
1200
Pennsylvania
Ave.,
NW.,
Washington,
DC
20460;
telephone
number:
(
202)
564
 
9895;
fax
number:
(
202)
564
 
3753;
e­
mail
address:
dolgin.
susan@
epa.
gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION:
EPA
has
established
a
public
docket
for
this
ICR
under
Docket
ID
number
OW
 
2003
 
0013,
which
is
available
for
public
viewing
at
the
Water
Docket
in
the
EPA
Docket
Center
(
EPA/
DC),
EPA
West,
Room
B102,
1301
Constitution
Ave.,
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
Water
Docket
is
(
202)
566
 
2426.
An
electronic
version
of
the
public
docket
is
available
through
EPA
Dockets
(
EDOCKET)
at
http://
www.
epa.
gov/
edocket.
Use
EDOCKET
to
obtain
a
copy
of
the
draft
collection
of
information,
submit
or
view
public
comments,
access
the
index
listing
of
the
contents
of
the
public
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
above.
Any
comments
related
to
this
ICR
should
be
submitted
to
EPA
within
60
days
of
this
notice,
and
according
to
the
following
detailed
instructions:
(
1)
Submit
your
comments
to
EPA
online
using
EDOCKET
(
our
preferred
method),
(
2)
by
email
to
OW­
Docket@
epa.
gov,
or
(
3)
by
mail
to:
EPA
Docket
Center,
Environmental
Protection
Agency,
Water
Docket
(
mail
code
4101T),
1200
Pennsylvania
Ave.,
NW.,
Washington,
DC
20460.
EPA's
policy
is
that
public
comments,
whether
submitted
electronically
or
on
paper,
will
be
made
available
for
public
viewing
in
EDOCKET
as
EPA
receives
them
and
without
change,
unless
the
comment
contains
copyrighted
material,
CBI,
or
other
information
for
which
public
disclosure
is
restricted
by
statute.
When
EPA
identifies
a
comment
containing
copyrighted
material,
EPA
will
provide
a
reference
to
that
material
in
the
version
of
the
comment
that
is
placed
in
EDOCKET.
The
entire
printed
comment,
including
the
copyrighted
material,
will
be
available
in
the
public
docket.
Although
identified
as
an
item
in
the
official
docket,
information
claimed
as
CBI,
or
whose
disclosure
is
otherwise
restricted
by
statute,
is
not
included
in
the
official
public
docket,
and
will
not
be
available
for
public
viewing
in
EDOCKET.
For
further
information
about
the
electronic
docket,
see
EPA's
Federal
Register
notice
describing
the
electronic
docket
at
67
FR
38102
(
May
31,
2002),
or
go
to
http:/
/
www.
epa.
gov./
edocket.
Affected
Entities:
Entities
potentially
affected
by
this
action
are
community
water
systems
serving
more
than
3,300
people.
Title:
Title
IV
of
the
Public
Health
Security
and
Bioterrorism
Preparedness
and
Response
Act
of
2002:
Drinking
Water
Security
and
Safety
(
Act);
OMB
Control
Number
2040
 
0253;
EPA
ICR
Number
2103.02;
expiring
September
30,
2003.
Abstract:
The
Bioterrorism
Act
requires
each
community
water
system
serving
a
population
of
more
than
3,300
people
to
conduct
a
vulnerability
assessment
of
its
water
system
and
to
prepare
or
revise
an
emergency
response
plan
that
incorporates
the
results
of
the
vulnerability
assessment.
These
requirements
are
mandatory
under
the
statute.
EPA
will
use
the
information
collected
under
this
ICR
to
determine
whether
community
water
systems
have
conducted
vulnerability
assessments
and
prepared
or
revised
emergency
response
plans
in
compliance
with
that
Act.
EPA
is
required
to
protect
all
vulnerability
assessments
and
all
information
derived
from
them
from
disclosure
to
unauthorized
parties
and
has
established
an
Information
Protection
Protocol
describing
how
that
will
be
accomplished.
This
Notice
provides
the
opportunity
to
comment
on
EPA's
request
to
renew
this
ICR,
which
was
approved
by
the
Office
of
Management
and
Budget
(
OMB)
on
an
emergency
basis
for
180
days,
beginning
March
31,
2003.
During
the
10­
day
comment
period
that
was
provided
during
that
action,
the
following
comments
were
raised:
i.
EPA
should
reassess
its
burden
estimates
for
developing
emergency
response
plans;
ii.
EPA
should
present
total
burden
estimates
in
a
clearer
format;
iii.
EPA
should
explain
more
clearly
what
is
meant
by
a
``
compliance
review;''
iv.
EPA
should
clarify
the
statutory
deadlines
for
submitting
emergency
response
plan
certifications.
EPA
has
changed
the
information
document
that
supports
this
Notice
to
explain
more
clearly
what
is
meant
by
a
vulnerability
assessment
``
compliance
review''
and
also
to
clarify
the
statutory
deadlines
for
submitting
emergency
response
plan
certifications
to
EPA.
At
this
time,
EPA
would
like
to
solicit
comments
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
(
especially
pertaining
to
the
development
of
emergency
response
plans),
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
the
use
of
appropriate
automated
electronic,
mechanical,
or
other
technological
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27556
Federal
Register
/
Vol.
68,
No.
97
/
Tuesday,
May
20,
2003
/
Notices
collection
techniques
or
other
forms
of
information
technology,
e.
g.,
permitting
electronic
submission
of
responses.
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.
Burden
Statement:
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.
Respondents
or
Affected
Entities:
Community
water
systems
serving
populations
greater
than
3,300
persons.
Estimated
Number
of
Respondents:
8,487
systems.
Average
Annual
Reporting
Burden:
2,652,393
hours/
year
over
a
three­
year
period.
This
includes
the
burden
required
for
all
affected
community
water
systems
to
conduct
vulnerability
assessments,
prepare
or
update
emergency
response
plans,
and
submit
the
required
items
to
EPA.
The
total
burden
for
these
systems
is
7,957,179
hours,
which
is
largely
concentrated
in
calendar
years
2003
and
2004.
Average
burden
per
response:
117.9
hours/
response.
This
figure
is
an
average
that
was
calculated
from
burden
estimates
applicable
to
systems
ranging
in
size
from
the
smallest
(
serving
3,301
persons)
up
to
the
very
largest
(
serving
millions
of
persons).
The
burden
hours
vary
widely,
then,
depending
on
system
size,
and
the
average
burden
figure
should
not
be
interpreted
as
applicable
to
all
systems.
Frequency
of
Response:
Varies
based
on
statutory
schedule
and
system
size.
Average
Annual
Cost:
$
156,540,365;
includes
$
82,211
O&
M
costs
and
$
0
capital
and
startup
costs.

Dated:
May
13,
2003.
Cynthia
C.
Dougherty,
Director,
Office
of
Ground
Water
and
Drinking
Water.
[
FR
Doc.
03
 
12617
Filed
5
 
19
 
03;
8:
45
am]

BILLING
CODE
6560
 
50
 
P
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
AGENCY
[
FRL
 
7501
 
1]

Notice
of
Extension
of
Public
Comment
Period
for
Development
of
a
National
Agenda
for
the
Environment
and
the
Aging
AGENCY:
Environmental
Protection
Agency
(
EPA).
ACTION:
Notice
of
extension
of
public
comment
period.

SUMMARY:
In
October
2002
EPA
launched
an
Aging
Initiative
to
study
the
effects
of
environmental
health
hazards
on
older
persons
and
examine
the
impact
that
a
rapidly
aging
population
will
have
on
the
environment.
The
Initiative
will
also
identify
model
programs
that
will
provide
opportunities
for
older
persons
to
volunteer
in
their
communities
to
reduce
environmental
hazards
and
protect
the
environment
for
future
generations.

DATES:
On
March
4,
2003
(
68
FR
10238)
EPA
published
a
notice
seeking
public
comment
on
the
National
Agenda
on
the
Environment
and
the
Aging
with
a
deadline
of
May
16,
2003.
EPA
has
extended
the
deadline
for
public
comments
through
Tuesday,
September
30,
2003.

FOR
FURTHER
INFORMATION
CONTACT:
Kathy
Sykes,
EPA's
Aging
Initiative
Coordinator,
at
(
202)
564
 
2188
or
by
email:
aging.
info@
epa.
gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION:

I.
Identifying
Research
Gaps
in
Environmental
Health
Strategy
To
Address
Environmental
Hazards
That
Threaten
the
Health
of
Older
Persons:
Research
and
Educational
Priorities
The
National
Agenda
for
the
Environment
and
the
Aging
will
lay
out
a
strategy
that
combines
research
and
educational
programs
that
promote
preventive
actions
to
address
environmental
health
hazards.
One
fundamental
question
is:
How
do
environmental
hazards
affect
older
persons
differently
from
younger
persons?
Understanding
the
biology
underlying
differing
age­
related
responses
can
inform
a
scientific
rationale
for
decisions
on
how
to
appropriately
incorporate
the
differential
sensitivity
of
those
who
are
aging
into
environmental
risk
assessment,
decisions
and
actions.
EPA's
effort
to
develop
a
national
agenda
to
address
environmental
issues
that
affect
the
health
and
well­
being
of
the
nation's
older
persons
has
been
advanced
by
a
workshop
on
the
``
Differential
Susceptibility
and
Exposure
of
Older
Persons
to
Environmental
Hazards''
convened
by
the
National
Academy
of
Sciences
in
December
2002.
At
that
meeting,
experts
discussed
priority
issues
for
the
National
Agenda
for
the
Environment
and
the
Aging.
Experts
focused
on
exposures
to
environmental
hazards
found
in
drinking
water,
indoor
and
outdoor
air,
and
food
residues
that
may
have
health
effects
including
respiratory
and
cardiopulmonary
disease,
neurotoxicity,
infectious
disease
and
cancer.
EPA
invites
public
comments
on
environmental
hazards
that
may
affect
the
health
of
older
persons
in
states
and
local
communities.
Among
questions
which
may
be
considered
are:
What
specific
environmental
exposures
in
your
community
particularly
affect
the
health
of
older
persons?
Which
health
conditions
specific
to
older
adults
may
increase
their
susceptibility
to
chemical
toxicants?
Which
lifestyle
factors
of
older
adults
may
increase
the
exposure
to
environmental
hazards?
What
steps
may
individuals
and
communities
take
to
reduce
the
potential
environmental
health
risks
that
older
adults
may
face?

II.
Preparing
for
an
Aging
Society
Impact
of
an
Aging
Population
on
the
Environment
The
EPA
invites
comments
on
the
extent
to
which
an
aging
population
may
affect
the
environment.
The
nation's
demographics
will
have
changed
dramatically
by
2030:
the
U.
S.
population
over
65
years
of
age
is
expected
to
double.
The
largest
cohort
born
in
U.
S.
history
(
76
million
Americans
were
born
between
1946
and
1964)
begins
to
turn
65
in
2011
and
will
markedly
influence
the
quality
of
life
for
both
older
persons
and
young
people.
The
National
Agenda
will
focus
on
the
interface
between
older
persons
and
their
environment.
As
an
increasing
number
of
adults
approach
retirement
age,
migration
may
substantially
increase
to
areas
characterized
by
temperate
climates,
lower
population
and
traffic
density,
and
better
environmental
quality.
These
areas
may
be
sparsely
populated
and
ecologically
diverse
regions.
To
ensure
harmony
between
the
needs
of
this
growing
population
and
preserving
important
natural
resources,
it
is
important
to
have
the
tools
available
for
regional
and
landscape
planning.
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