REQUEST FOR FY2008 REAPPROVAL OF INFORMATION COLLECTION ACTIVITY
March 31, 2007
EPA REGION 2
COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE SECTION
Patrick Harvey, Branch Chief, 212-637-3267
Linda Longo, Compliance Assistance Coordinator, 212-637-3565
Background
Under The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the region is required to report to the Office of Compliance (OC) on outcome measurements achieved from direct compliance assistance provided to regulated entities. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2006, the Region must report the percent of regulated entities that (1) increased understanding, (2) changed environmental management practices, and (3) reduced, treated or eliminated pollution as a result of EPA assistance.
The region collects compliance assistance outcome data from many programs and numerous sector initiatives. Therefore, this survey will be used by regional staff contacting sector recipients from various media and programs. The affected audience for this Information Collection Request (ICR) includes members of the regulated community and, to a lesser extent, state and local regulators and compliance assistance providers that receive EPA compliance assistance tools or services. We estimate reaching out to approximately 15,000 recipients through Fiscal Year 2008.
Survey Purpose and Description
We propose to use the same survey which was approved for the FY07 reporting period for Region 2 which expires on March 31, 2008 (OMB Control # 2020-0015). The same survey was also translated into Spanish with OMB approval in February 2007 and was submitted to OMB. We will use the Spanish version for our Puerto Rico recipients.
Measurement will be collected from facility visits, facility re-visits, on-going facility specific work, response to inquiry, workshops, training courses, and presentations. Regulated entities receiving this direct assistance will be contacted several months after the event to review if knowledge of environmental requirements and best management practices was increased and acted on.
The proposed survey below does not involve fact-finding for the purposes of regulatory development or enforcement. The burden estimate in section IV below takes this into account.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 2 Compliance Assistance Survey
Fiscal Year 2008
Please check all boxes that apply. Thank you.
1. What regulatory actions as a result of the compliance assistance activity:
Did you take |
Do you intend to take |
□ File a notification □ Obtain a permit or certification □ Provide data to EPA, state, or local regulator □ Submit reports to EPA, state, or local regulator □ Comply with an environmental requirement □ No regulatory actions will be taken Other, specify:__________________________ |
□ File a notification □ Obtain a permit or certification □ Provide data to EPA, state, or local regulator □ Submit reports to EPA, state, or local regulator □ Comply with an environmental requirement □ No regulatory actions will be taken Other, specify:__________________________ |
2. What process changes at your facility as a result of the compliance assistance activity:
Did you make |
Do you intend to make |
□ Change the storage or handling of a waste or emission □ Change a process or practice □ Purchase new process equipment □ Implement material or waste recycling system □ Install pollution control equipment (e.g., scrubbers, control technique) □ Install a waste treatment system □ Switch to renewable energy □ No process changes will be taken Other, specify:__________________________ |
□ Change the storage or handling of a waste or emission □ Change a process or practice □ Purchase new process equipment □ Implement material or waste recycling system □ Install pollution control equipment (e.g., scrubbers, control technique) □ Install a waste treatment system □ Switch to renewable energy □ No process changes will be taken Other, specify:__________________________ |
What management changes at your facility as a result of the compliance assistance activity:
Did you take |
Do you intend to take |
□ Conduct a self audit □ Institute an environmental management policy, system or procedure □ Institute training or other communication to improve awareness and/or practices □ Identify pollution prevention opportunity □ No management action will be taken Other, specify:__________________________ |
□ Conduct a self audit □ Institute an environmental management policy, system or procedure □ Institute training or other communication to improve awareness and/or practices □ Identify pollution prevention opportunity □ No management action will be taken Other, specify:__________________________ |
Who (if anyone) have you contacted for further assistance as a result of the compliance assistance activity:
Who have you contacted |
Who do you intend to contact |
□ A vendor □ A state or local regulatory agency □ A non-regulatory local source for additional compliance assistance □ No contacts will be made □ Other, specify:________________________ |
□ A vendor □ A state or local regulatory agency □ A non-regulatory local source for additional compliance assistance □ No contacts will be made □ Other, specify:________________________ |
Please identify any reductions or the elimination of a pollutant(s) that resulted, or will result, from the actions taken as a result of the compliance assistance activity.
Resulted |
Will result |
□ Reduced or eliminated waste (solid/hazardous) □ Reduced or eliminated air emissions (air, fugitive) □ Reduced or eliminated pollution emissions (e.g. wastewater) □ None □ Don’t know Other, specify:__________________________
|
□ Reduced or eliminated waste (solid/hazardous) □ Reduced or eliminated air emissions (air, fugitive) □ Reduced or eliminated pollution emissions (e.g. wastewater) □ None □ Don’t know Other, specify:__________________________
|
OMB Control # 2020-0015 OMB Control # 2020
6. Have you realized, or expect to realize, a cost savings from actions taken as a result of the compliance assistance activity.
__ Yes
__ No
The contact information below is OPTIONAL. We will contact you if we need clarification
on the survey. Your contact information will not be included in any aggregated reports.
Respondent Name:___ ____________________________________________________
Facility Name: ____________________________________________________________
Facility Address:___________________________________________________________
Contact Phone Number: _____________________________________________________
E-Mail Address: ___________________________________________________________
Thank you very much for your time and support in helping us better serve environmental assistance to the regulated community.
Questions on the survey, please contact Linda Longo, 212-637-3565, longo.linda@epa.gov
Thank you for your input!
Patrick Harvey, Branch Chief
Compliance Assistance & Program Support Branch
Division of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance, Region 2
Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to average 10 minutes per response, including time for
reviewing instructions, gathering information, and completing and reviewing the information. Send comments on
the Agency=s need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimate, and any suggestions for
reducing the burden, including the use of automated collection techniques, to the Director, Office of Environmental
Information, Collection Strategies Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency (mail Code 2822),
1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, D.C. 20460; and to the Office of Information & Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management & Budget, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington D.C. 20503, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA.
Include the EPA ICR 1860.03 and the OMB control number 2020-0015 in any correspondence. Approval expires 9-
30-08 Do not send completed survey to the Washington, D.C address.
Send competed surveys to the following address:
Linda Longo
Environmental Assistance Coordinator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2
290 Broadway, 21st floor
New York, NY 10007
III. Survey Methodology and Use of Results
The region will normally notify the regulated entity at the time of compliance assistance delivery that EPA plans to follow up with them to assess the quality of the assistance. At this time regional staff will indicate the assessment method to be used (e.g., phone, letter, email). The method of survey delivery will primarily be through mailed surveys or phone conversations conducted several months after the direct assistance to determine if actual changes were made.
Results will be recorded in the Compliance Assistance Module of the Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS) and reported to regional managers for certification to Office of Compliance at mid-year and end-of-year.
The use of these results will be accompanied by the following qualifying language:
"These performance measures are not calculated from a representative sample of the regulated entity universe. The percentages are based on the number of regulated entities that answer affirmatively to these questions on our voluntary surveys. The percentages do not account for the number of regulated entities who chose not answer these questions or the majority of entities who chose not to answer the survey."
Respondents Burden
To minimize the respondent burden, the simple and clear six (6) generic survey questions approved by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be used.
a) How many respondents do you anticipate will respond to the survey?
15,000
b) How long will it take to complete the survey?
10 minutes
c) Calculate the cost per hour for the respondent. The ICR calculates $68.63/hour
Total Burden Hours:
15,000 x 10 min. / 60 min. = 2,500 hours over a three year period
2,500 / 3 = 833 hours for one year
Total Respondents Cost:
2,500 x $68.63 = $171,575 over a three year period
$171,575 / 3 = $57,192 for one year
Agency Burden
Time it will take staff to review the responses and conduct analysis. The ICR calculates $41.25/hour.
Total Agency Burden (EPA staff time in hours multiplied by cost per hour):
2,500 hours x $41.25 = $103,125 over a three year period
$103,125 / 3 = $34,375 for one year
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF INFORMATION COLLECTION ACTIVITY |
| Author | llongo |
| File Modified | 2008-04-30 |
| File Created | 2008-04-30 |