Renewal of an
Information collection request
for
Regulatory Pilot Projects
OMB Control No. 2010-0026
EPA ICR No. 1755.08
The United States Environmental Protection Agency
September 2007
Table of Contents
1. Identification of the Information Collection 3
1(a) Title and Number of the Information Collection 3
2. Need for and Use of the Collection 5
2(a) Need/Authority for the Collection 5
2(b) Practical Utility/Uses of the Data 5
3. Nonduplication, Consultations, and Other Collection Criteria 6
3(b) Public Notice Required Prior to ICR Submission to OMB 6
4. The Respondents and the Information Requested 7
4(a) Respondents/NAICS Codes 7
5(b) Collection Methodology and Information Management 9
5(c) Small Entity Flexibility. 9
6. Estimating the Burden and the Cost of the Collection 10
6(a) Estimating Respondent Burden and Cost to State Agencies 10
6(b) Estimating Respondent Burden for Participating Facilities (Private Entities) 11
6(c) Estimating Agency (EPA) Burden and Cost 13
6(d) Estimating the Respondent Universe and Total Burden and Costs 15
Title: Regulatory Innovation Pilot Projects, ICR No. 1755.08, OMB Control No. 2010-0026.
This is a request for renewal of currently approved ICR No. 1755.07, which authorizes the solicitation of proposals for innovative pilot projects. A 60-day comment period for this ICR renewal in the Federal Register concluded on August 14, 2007, during which no comments were received.
In 1995, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began to solicit innovative pilot projects in response to a challenge to transform the environmental regulatory system to better meet the needs of a rapidly changing society while maintaining the nation’s commitment to protect human health and safeguard the natural environment. Since then, through a number of mechanisms including: site‑specific agreements with project sponsors at the facility or community level; broader agreements under the Joint EPA – State Agreement to Pursue Regulatory Innovation (http://www.ecos.org/files/1426_file_Agreement.pdf); and at the State whole-regulatory program-level through the Agency’s State Innovation Grant Program, EPA has been working effectively with partners to test innovative approaches to environmental regulation that focus on better environmental outcomes and better efficiency. Under prior Information Collection Requests (ICRs), EPA has been gathering data on performance under the earlier, facility-specific innovation projects identified under Project XL (http://www.epa.gov/projctxl/). Project experience gained in these earlier projects is helping the Agency redesign current approaches in pursuit of improved public health and environmental protection and more efficient use of limited resources. Through these projects, sponsors (private facilities, multiple facilities, industry sectors, Federal facilities, communities, universities, Tribes and States) are implementing innovative strategies that produce superior environmental performance, provide flexibility, cost savings, paperwork reduction or other benefits to sponsors, and promote greater accountability to the public.
The intent of conducting and supporting innovative pilot projects is to allow EPA to experiment with untried, potentially promising regulatory approaches, both to assess whether they provide superior environmental performance or other benefits, and whether they should be considered for wider application. Using this piloting approach, EPA can rely on carefully controlled, but smaller scale tests to evaluate methodically the broader applicability of any specific regulatory innovation. This piloting approach provides EPA with a structured, applied policy laboratory where tests of innovation at a manageable scale can be controlled and evaluated carefully much the same as engineering innovations require component-by component tests and evaluation to bring an innovation to implementation. The piloting, or applied policy laboratory approach allows EPA to propose and adopt changes based upon an actual assessment of success at a small scale. Thus, the careful piloting of a regulatory innovation allows EPA to identify possible new policy approaches within the general statutory directive, and suggest alternative regulatory approaches aimed at better results and better efficiency, so long as the alternative proposed is permissible under statute.
The intended consumers of the performance information from these innovation pilot projects are state environmental regulatory agencies, EPA and other sponsors of these projects. Data generated through this information collection request are not intended to produce estimates of performance or benefits that can be applied to situations outside these projects.
The adoption of such alternative approaches or interpretations in the context of a pilot project does not, however, signal EPA's willingness to adopt that interpretation as a general matter, or even in the context of other pilot projects. It would be inconsistent with the forward‑looking nature of these pilot projects to adopt such innovative approaches prematurely on a widespread basis without first determining whether or not they are viable in practice and successful for the particular projects that embody them. These pilot projects are not intended to be a means for piecemeal revision of entire programs. Depending on the results of these projects, EPA may or may not be willing to consider adopting the alternative approach or interpretation again, either generally or for other specific facilities. EPA believes that testing alternative policy approaches and/or interpretations, on a limited basis (e.g., in a site-specific circumstance or within a specific, state-managed permitting program) and under the tight control of a carefully selected pilot project is consistent with the expectations of Congress about EPA's role in implementing the environmental statutes (so long as EPA acts within the discretion allowed by the statute). Congress' recognition that there is a need for experimentation and research, as well as ongoing reevaluation of environmental programs, is reflected in a variety of statutory provisions.
EPA’s National Center for Environmental Innovation (NCEI) receives proposals for innovative pilot projects through formal mechanisms such as the State Innovation Grant Program and previously under Project XL, as well as informally by states, tribes and regulated entities. NCEI and has been given responsibility for managing a careful program to pilot test, evaluate and implement select innovations in support of the Agencies regulatory programs. Since 1995, EPA has implemented pilot projects to test innovative ideas working with EPA headquarters, EPA regions, Federal, State, and local government agencies, as well as individual facilities and whole business sectors. The renewal of this ICR is important as it will allow the Agency to continue its work with regulated entities that are interested in participating in innovative pilot projects as well as allow the Agency to continue its commitment to testing innovation and regulatory flexibility with facilities, communities, States, and Tribes to achieve improved environmental results. The renewal of this ICR will allow OEPI to continue to work with project sponsors on proposals for innovation, including those directly through EPA, as well as other state-led mechanisms such as the Joint EPA-State Agreement to Pursue Regulatory Innovation. In addition, the renewal of this ICR is necessary to allow EPA to continue information collection supporting its commitments to current projects under previous approved ICR iterations (1755.03-1755.07).
The information is needed to allow the Agency to continue its ongoing work with states, regulated entities, and other stakeholders that are already engaged in innovative regulatory piloting projects. The information is of value to the Agency in meeting its commitment to document and transfer practical innovation and regulatory flexibility for attainment of compliance and superior environmental results in partnership with regulated facilities, communities, states and tribes. The information will support the reporting of improved environmental results and the analysis of pilot projects to determine their efficacy and potential for broader use. Under the Grant Program, states have been awarded grants to test, "innovation in permitting programs", the general theme of the State Innovation Grant Program solicitations. These permitting programs are operated by the states under delegations of authority for individual programs for the Federal environmental statutory programs granted by the EPA..
States implementing innovative regulatory pilot tests in projects funded by a State Innovation Grant are required to report on progress during the operation of a project and to provide a final project report summarizing outcomes and major findings of each project. EPA’s policy on performance measurement in assistance agreements is an implementation outcome under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA § 1115 (a)(4) and §1116(c) ). In the case of the State Innovation Grant Program, EPA requires funded state projects to identify outcomes and appropriate measures and the Agency’s National Center for Environmental innovation (NCEI) reports annually on the number of completed projects that have met their goals.
The renewal of this ICR will allow OEPI to continue to receive and work with project sponsors on proposals for innovation as well as document results from those projects.
Responses related to inquiries by EPA about Project XL pilot projects are voluntary, as are any responses by state environmental agencies to EPA’s request for input for the design of the annual competition. Under this ICR, EPA would be allowed to solicit its co-regulators and the regulated entities for their best ideas on regulatory innovation, for pilot projects to test those ideas, and for information that will document the processes and environmental outcomes of pilot testing. Potential project sponsors for new projects will continue to submit proposals to the National Center for Environmental Innovation at EPA.
Information collected under this ICR renewal will have two purposes. First, EPA seeks to document the results of regulatory innovation pilot projects: to provide accountability reflected in environmental results; to understand the circumstances under which these innovative approaches work best; and to fully document the projects and their outcomes in a way that allows other states or tribes to work with regulated entities to adopt successful approaches. Second, new project proposals to be collected pursuant to this renewal will be used to articulate full-fledged pilot projects and then to document the implementation of the projects. The information collection supports the competitive identification of new innovation as well as supporting the collection of performance information essential for documenting success in providing improved environmental results.
A competitive process ensures that EPA can choose from a pool of useful project ideas. In the State Innovation Grant Program, EPA has adopted a simple and flexible proposal format that allows State co-regulators, working with a diversity of regulated entities, small as well as large firms, agencies, and communities, to develop proposals. EPA uses the proposal submissions to screen ideas and select the most promising ones for further project development.
Similarly, EPA requires states and other project sponsors to report on results in ways that allow the Agency to characterize the benefits of the innovation being tested and document the innovation process to allow for transferability to other states and regulated entities.
Data gathered through this information collection request are not intended to produce estimates of performance or benefits that can be applied to situations outside these projects.
The information to be obtained under this ICR has not been collected by EPA or any other Federal agency.
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), EPA is currently soliciting comments on specific aspects of this ICR. A Federal Register (FR) notice for this ICR package was first published in the Federal Register on June 15, 2007, (Volume 72, Number 115 page 33218. No public comments were received.
This notice was developed by the National Center for Environmental Innovation in consultation with EPA Regional personnel.
This ICR complies with OMB’s general guidelines for the collection of information.
The nature of the data being requested as part of this information collection is not confidential.
The information gathering activities discussed in this ICR do not involve any sensitive questions.
EPA works with a variety of businesses, organizations, and communities within the regulated community, as well as Federal facilities, states, tribes, and local governments. Potential respondents include all entities regulated by EPA and its co-regulators in state and tribal agencies pursuant to its authority under the various environmental statutes who wish to participate in innovative pilot projects.
No new proposals are being accepted through Project XL. For new projects in development, EPA currently relies on its State Innovation Grant program as the principal mechanism to support and stimulate innovation testing. Therefore the information collection activities fall generally into three categories within this ICR: (1) results reporting for projects in implementation under Project XL and the ECOS-EPA Joint Agreement on Environmental Innovation; (2) new proposals developed under the ECOS-EPA Joint Agreement on Environmental Innovation and the State Innovation Grant Program, and; (3) progress and final reporting under the State Innovation Grant Program.
For projects in implementation under Project XL and the ECOS-EPA Joint Agreement on Environmental Innovation, EPA anticipates collection of information to allow the Agency to document and evaluate the outcomes of the pilot project, including measurements of environmental outcomes. For implemented projects underway through the auspices of Project XL or the ECOS-EPA Joint Agreement on Environmental Innovation, a final project report, as identified in a Final Project Agreement or a project work plan will provide the information required to assess the success and outcomes of each project.
For new proposals developed under the ECOS-EPA Joint Agreement on Environmental Innovation and the State Innovation Grant Program, EPA generally solicits initial input from states on topic areas to be included in the annual solicitation and asks states on a voluntary basis to submit proposals for innovation projects.
For progress and final reporting under the State Innovation Grant Program, States receiving an assistance agreement supporting an innovative pilot project under this program are required to prepare a brief progress report each quarter to synopsize progress on the approved work plan and report financial expenditures. States are also required to provide a final project report to document environmental outcome measures and steps and impediments involved in implementation of their project. A final financial report is also required to document the expenditure for Federal funds and provide accountability for those expenditures.
Agency activities associated with the collection of information for innovative pilot projects include:
Gather information from sponsors regarding innovative ideas during pre-proposal and final proposal phases;
Evaluate pre-proposal ideas with cross-Agency team;
Gather additional information from sponsor entities regarding innovative pilot projects ideas to assist sponsor entities in developing proposals;
Distribute proposals across Agency; and
Evaluate proposals with cross-Agency team.
For projects implemented through for all projects under Project XL: progress reports, correspondence, and final reports are submitted by each project sponsor by email or mail and following review these reports are kept in project files by EPA project personnel. For projects submitted under the ECOS-EPA Joint Agreement on Environmental Innovation, a project final report is generally prepared by the state and submitted to EPA at the completion or termination of the state-initiated innovation pilot project. For projects conducted under the State Innovation Grant Program, States voluntarily submit brief pre-proposals under the annual solicitation/ competition. State’s with projects selected in the competition must prepare and submit a final, detailed project workplan/ final proposal, quarterly reports and a final project report. All of these progress and final reports are sent to EPA electronically. Project pre-proposals and final workplans are submitted through the Department of Commerce www.grants.gov website.
Facilities participating in innovation projects under all projects under Project XL participate on a voluntary basis and entities can choose not to participate at any time if undue burden exists. Facilities participating under the ECOS-EPA Joint Agreement for Environmental Innovation or State Innovation Grant Program may participate under the auspices of both a voluntary program or in the context of compliance with a required permitting program.
No new proposals are being accepted through Project XL. For regulatory innovation projects in implementation under Project XL, a final project report is required as specified under their final project agreement (FPA). Projects implemented under the ECOS-EPA Joint Agreement on Environmental Innovation may require a final project accomplishments report. Projects implemented by States under the State Innovation Grant Program are required to provide quarterly progress reports as well as a final project report within 90 days of project completion or termination.
This section presents EPA’s estimates of the burden and costs necessary to complete the information collection activities associated with this collection. Burden hours and costs were based upon estimates provided by EPA staff with extensive experience working with State agencies funded for projects under the State Innovation Grant Program and innovative pilot project sponsors in industry.
EPA estimates average hourly respondent labor cost (including fringe and overhead) for State Innovation Grant solicitation response and reporting by State agencies to be $61.05 for legal staff, $59.48 for managerial staff, $34.60 for technical staff, and $22.74 for clerical staff. EPA estimates the hourly respondent labor cost for industry staff providing periodic reporting on best environmental business practices under these projects to be approximately the same.
For activities related to the collection of State input into the design of the innovation grants solicitation target areas, EPA anticipates that States and Tribes may expend up to 16 hours each to develop and submit comment to the Agency for a total annual burden of 768 hours costing approximately $36,193.
For activities related to the collection of progress reports and final reports for projects under the State Innovation Grant Program, EPA estimates that States would expend up to 2,060 hours in total costing approximately $55,091.
The total annual burden to States during the period of this ICR is expected to be approximately 2,828 hours with an estimated cost of $91,284.
Staff in the Office of Environmental Policy Innovation that work on the development of innovative pilot projects have reviewed the cost findings of the report and found them to be reasonable and sound estimates of current and future costs.
No capital expenditures are needed for states to respond since responses may be made using existing equipment (telephone, fax, email or paper correspondence). Similarly, no operating or maintenance costs are needed since the activities can be conducted using existing equipment, as well.
Table 1. Average Annual Burden and Cost to Respondents
Table 1. Average Annual Burden and Cost to State Agency Respondents
Collection Activity |
Burden Hours and Individual Costs per Recipient |
Total Costs |
|||||||||
Hours per Respondent per Activity |
Costs per Respondent per Activity |
Total Hours for all Respondents |
Total Costs for all Respondents |
||||||||
Legal |
Mgmt |
Tech |
Cler |
||||||||
STATE INNOVATION GRANT SPONSORS: PRE-PROPOSAL PHASE |
|
|
|
||||||||
Preliminary discussions with EPA on projects, solicitation strategic focus, and pre-proposal submission (24) |
8 |
8 |
16 |
|
$ 1,508.08 |
768 |
$ 36,193 |
||||
TOTAL |
8 |
8 |
16 |
|
$ 1,508.08 |
768 |
$ 36,193 |
||||
STATE INNOVATION GRANT SPONSORS: PROGRESS AND OUTCOME REPORTING PHASE
|
|
||||||||||
Quarterly and Final Project Reporting on State Innovation Grant Projects (140 annually)
|
1 |
2 |
8 |
2 |
$ 322.28 |
1,820 |
$ 45,119 |
||||
Final Project Reports on State Innovation Grant Projects (4 annually)
|
4 |
16 |
32 |
8 |
$2,493.00 |
240 |
$ 9,972 |
||||
TOTAL
|
5 |
18 |
40 |
10 |
$2,815.28 |
2060 |
$ 55,091 |
||||
ANNUAL BURDEN TOTAL FOR STATES
|
13 |
26 |
56 |
10 |
$ 4,323.36 |
2,828 |
$ 91,284 |
||||
This section provides our estimate of the burden and costs for facilities participating in the regulatory pilot projects. There are information collection activities related to two groups of projects: the close-out of Project XL projects; and, projects proposed and implemented under the State Innovation Grant program.
Only final reporting is anticipated for a small number of the Project XL pilots. In these cases, EPA estimates that facility operators (principally private sector) have an average hourly labor rate of $85.42 for legal staff, $70.16 for managerial staff, $24.06 for technical staff, and $18.51 for clerical staff. To derive these estimates, EPA considered the general ICR announcement, “Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments on Thirty-One Proposed Information Collection Requests (ICRs)”, from March 9, 2007 [Docket ID Numbers EPA-HQ-OECA-2007-0032 to 0035, 0043 to 0065 and 0125 to 0128; FRL-8285-8] and on the 2005 Employment Cost Indexes developed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In using this analysis EPA considered that some respondents will be asked to provide information related to certification of compliance with permit requirements and that activity is covered under ICRs relating to compliance reporting across the many EPA programs. Other facilities will be asked to report to States on the success of adopting best environmental business practices for their business sector. In both instances, facilities reporting to States under the State Innovation Grant Program, or directly to EPA under project XL have some expected value attached with their participation. Not unlike a contracts-based Request for Proposals, one would not expect a response from any entity where the burdens associated with preparing the response outweigh the expected benefits to the sponsor.
EPA anticipates final project reports from 18 XL Projects during the lifetime of this ICR that will provide information key to closing out and documenting the results of these projects and evaluating the further applicability of the ideas tested in these demonstrations.
No capital expenditures are needed by the respondent to complete the interview since the responses can be made using existing equipment (e.g., telephone). Moreover, no operating and maintenance costs are needed since the activities (reviewing instructions, writing, discussions, and submissions of proposals) can be conducted in with existing equipment (e.g., phone, computer).
For final reporting on XL Projects, EPA projects that each project will require up to 20 hours to compile, compose and edit material to fulfill the commitment made by the project sponsors in the Final Project Agreement to report fully on the outcomes of these voluntary projects. Thus, approximately 360 hours will be required over the lifetime of this ICR (120 hours annually) for these reports. The cost of this is estimated to be $5,300 annually.
Facilities participating in projects implemented by states supported under the State Innovation Grant Program will be required to report on their environmental performance in order to allow states to meet their obligation under the assistance agreements to measure the environmental outcomes of their projects. The nature of the metrics and reports vary with the type of projects proposed. They may range from pre- and post-implementation compliance reporting which is generally covered under programmatic ICR to reporting with innovative measures such as the adoption of best environmental business practices that result in pollution prevention through elimination of waste and business process change. An example of the type of data collection states may use to document project results in projects funded under the State Innovation Grant Program appears as an addendum to this renewal request. Three files appear in the addendum: a project fact sheet with a general description of a project undertaken by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection; their compliance self-certification workbook for the auto body sector; and, their compliance self-certification checklist form. This ICR is intended to allow the collection of this type of information which provides a more reliable measure of the results of innovative practice. EPA anticipates that up to 1200 facilities annually may be asked to provide information on performance measures related to adoption of innovation requiring 4800 hours annually at an estimated cost of $ 240, 176.
Table 2. Average Annual Burden and Cost to Facility Respondents
Collection Activity
|
Burden Hours and Individual Costs Per Facility
|
Total Costs |
|||||||||||
Hours per Respondent per Activity |
Costs per Respondent per Activity |
Total Hours for all Respondents |
Total Costs for all Respondents |
||||||||||
Legal |
Mgmt |
Tech |
Cler |
||||||||||
PROJECT XL FINAL REPORTING |
|
||||||||||||
Compile project information and develop final project report and closeout (assume 6 annually) |
2 |
6 |
8 |
2 |
$805.26 |
108 |
$4,831.56 |
||||||
Consult with EPA to resolve any questions on final report and respond to brief evaluation survey for closeout activities (assume 6 annually) |
|
|
2 |
|
$78.12 |
12 |
$468.72 |
||||||
TOTAL |
2 |
6 |
10 |
2 |
$883.38 |
120 |
$5,300 |
||||||
STATE INNOVATION GRANT FACILITY REPORTING
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Collection of Annual Compliance and Other Performance Information By Participating Facilities to Report to State Agencies (Assumes 1200 Facilities Annually)
|
1 |
1
|
2 |
|
$195.73
|
4,800 |
$234,876 |
||||||
EXTERNAL BURDEN TOTAL (PRIVATE) |
3 |
7 |
12 |
2 |
$ 1,079.11 |
4,920 |
$ 240,176 |
||||||
Agency burden hours and costs were based upon estimates provided by EPA staff with extensive experience working with innovative pilot project sponsors and States to assess innovative pilot project ideas and proposals. The rate EPA used to estimate agency hourly wage was based upon 2007 GS-13/01 salary of $79,397 (or $38.17/hour) with an additional overhead multiplier of 1.6 factored in, resulting in a cost of $61.07/hour.
Staff in the Office of Environmental Policy Innovation that work on the development of innovative pilot projects have reviewed the cost findings of the report and found them to be reasonable and sound estimates.
EPA estimates that, annually, 30 State, Tribal, local and other stakeholder respondents will be involved in pre-proposal concept information collection activities prior to the release of a grants solicitation and that EPA will expend approximately 60 hours to analyze that information at a cost of $3,664. Similarly, based upon its experience in five previous competitions under the State Innovation Grant Program, EPA estimates that approximately 20 States will respond annually to the solicitation and that EPA will expend 160 hours of time evaluating those pre-proposals at a cost of $ 9,771.
EPA currently has 35 projects funded through the Grant Program and their quarterly reporting will provide 140 short progress reports to the Agency and 4 final project reports annually based upon the projected terms of the projects under the assistance agreements for the next 3 years. EPA estimate that it will expend 140 hours annually at a cost of $ 8,550 to review those quarterly reports and 40 hours annually to review the final project reports at a cost of $ 1,954.
Similarly for projects implemented under earlier categories of regulatory innovation, notably Project XL,. EPA’s cost to collect, analyze and manage information under all parts of this ICR will be approximately $ 5,863 for an estimated 96 hours of labor.
To perform the necessary activities associated with this information collection, EPA estimates that it will require the Agency 488 hours and cost the Agency $29,802 per year.
Table 3. Annual Average Burden and Cost to Agency
Collection Activity |
Costs |
|||
Labor |
Total Hours |
Total Costs |
||
Hours |
Costs |
|||
EPA |
||||
Gather information from potential sponsor entities regarding innovative idea during pre‑proposal phase through discussions (assume 30 State and Tribal responses annually) |
2 |
$122 |
60 |
$3,664 |
Evaluation of State Innovation Grant Pre-proposals (assume 20 annually)
|
8 |
$489 |
160 |
$9,771 |
Evaluation of State Innovation Grant Project Progress Reports (assume 140 quarterly annually)
|
1 |
$ 61 |
140 |
$8,550 |
Evaluation of State innovation Grant Final Reports (assume 4 annually)
|
8 |
$489 |
32 |
$ 1,954 |
Evaluate Project XL and ECOS Joint Agreement Final Reports (assume 6 annually) |
16 |
$ 978 |
96 |
$ 5,863 |
INTERNAL BURDEN TOTAL |
35 |
$2,138 |
488 |
$29,802 |
EPA is amending this ICR to address the continuing need for effective documentation of pilot project results that was the subject of the earlier requests, and to fulfill the requirement to effectively document the results of innovation projects supported under Agency assistance agreements. To fulfill these requirements, EPA anticipates a total annual burden to all entities (states and tribes, participating private facilities and the Agency itself) of 8,236 hours at an estimated annual cost of $361,262. Extended over the lifetime of the ICR, EPA anticipates a total burden to the universe of respondents and to the Agency itself of 24,708 hours at a cost of $1,083,786.
Table 4. Summary of ICR Burdens for Respondent Universe
Summary of ICR Burdens and Costs
|
||||
Entity
|
Annual Hours Required |
Annual Costs |
Total Hours Over ICR Lifetime (3 yr) |
Total Costs Over ICR Lifetime (3yr) |
States and Tribes |
2,828 |
$ 91,284 |
8,484 |
$ 273,852 |
Private Facility Participants |
4,920 |
$ 240,176 |
14,760 |
$720,528 |
EPA
|
488 |
$ 29,802 |
1,464 |
$ 89,406 |
TOTAL |
8,236 |
$ 361,262 |
24,708 |
$1,083,786 |
EPA required 888 hours annually (2664 hours over the lifetime of the ICR) from the public to perform information collection activities described in previous iterations of this ICR (1755.03, 1755.04, 1755.05, 1755.06, and 1755.07). With the renewal of this ICR, the total annual burden on the public needed to conduct the information collection activities described in this ICR will be increased by 6,860 hours. This difference is largely a result of the requirement to collect information sufficient to provide measurement of beneficial outcomes in projects funded by EPA cooperative agreements to states that support pilot projects testing regulatory innovation by state environmental agencies.
The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average approximately 6 hours per response. 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. 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.
To comment on the Agency's need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods for minimizing respondent burden, including the use of automated collection techniques, EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-AO-2007-0408, which is available for public viewing at the Office of the Administrator Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 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 Office of the Administrator Docket is (202) 566-0219. An electronic version of the public docket is available through the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) at http://www.regulations.gov/. Use FDMS to 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, key in the docket ID number identified above. Also, you can send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk Office for EPA. Please include the EPA Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-AO-2007-0408 and OMB control number 2010-0026 in any correspondence.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | Regulatory Pilot Projects ICR v.8 |
| File Modified | 2008-03-05 |
| File Created | 2008-03-04 |