The United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) is committed to strengthening EPA/state
relations and engaging the states more fully in the Agencys
planning and budgeting process. States have consistently expressed
concerns about continued increases in reporting requirements,
including measures, especially at a time when grant funds are
declining. The purpose of this information collection request (ICR)
is to assist EPA in identifying opportunities for streamlining or
eliminating specific state reporting requirements and associated
measures and communicating the results across the states, regions
and EPA headquarters. EPAs efforts in this area are twofold. As a
part of this relationship with the states, EPA is seeking to gather
feedback on the most burdensome state reporting requirements and to
identify areas of potential burden reduction. Additionally, EPA is
seeking to identify opportunities to streamline a subset of
performance measures which involve specific state activities to
support the strategic goals and targets of EPAs national programs,
as identified in National Program Manager (NPM) Guidance documents.
EPA plans to use this information to influence development of FY08
NPM Guidance, Performance Partnership Agreements, Performance
Partnership Grants and other state-EPA agreements. Therefore, the
Agency is requesting an emergency information collection request
to: (1) be responsive to our state partners in implementing
opportunities for reduce reporting burdens in FY08; and (2)
expeditiously gather information to allow EPA to determine the
breadth and extent of the above-referenced reporting
burden.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.