ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OA-2007-0933; FRL -  ]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment
Request; Confidential Financial Disclosure Form for Special Government
Employees Serving on Federal Advisory Committees at the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency; EPA ICR No. 2260.02, OMB Control No.
2090-0029. 

AGENCY:	Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION:	Notice.

SUMMARY:	In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a
request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).  This ICR is
scheduled to expire on 2/29/2008.  Before submitting the 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 [insert date 60 days
after publication in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES:  Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No.
EPA-HQ-OA-2007-0933 by one of the following methods:

  HYPERLINK "http://www.regulations.gov"  www.regulations.gov : Follow
the on-line instructions for submitting comments.

     	•	E-mail: oei.docket.@epa.gov.

     	•	Fax:  202-566-9744

Mail:  OEI Docket, USEPA, Mail Ccode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave.,
NW, Washington, DC 20460.  Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, EPA West
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460.   Such
deliveries are 

	only accepted during the Docket’s normal hours of operation, and
special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.

Instructions:  Direct your comments to Docket ID No.
EPA-HQ-OA-2007-0933.  EPA's policy is that all comments received will be
included in the public docket without change and may be made available
online at   HYPERLINK "http://www.regulations.gov"  www.regulations.gov
, including any personal information provided, unless the comment
includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information
(CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do
not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise
protected through www.regulations.gov or e-mail.  The   HYPERLINK
"http://www.regulations.gov"  www.regulations.gov  website is an
“anonymous access” system, which means EPA will not know your
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of
your comment.  If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without
going through www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet.  If you
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any
disk or CD-ROM you submit.  If EPA cannot read your comment due to
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may
not be able to consider your comment.  Electronic files should avoid the
use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any
defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA’s public
docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at   HYPERLINK
"http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm" 
http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm . 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Vicki Ellis, Office of Cooperative
Environmental Management, Mail Code 1601M, Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number: 202-564-1203; fax number:

202-564-8129; e-mail address: ellis.vicki@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  

How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?

	EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No.
EPA-HQ-OA-2007-0933, which is available for   SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 online
viewing at   HYPERLINK "http://www.regulations.gov"  www.regulations.gov
,   SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 or in person viewing at the Environmental
Information Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West Room
3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460.  The EPA/DC
Public Reading Room   SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 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 Environmental Information Docket is 202-566-9744.  

	Use   HYPERLINK "http://www.regulations.gov"  www.regulations.gov  to
obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, submit or view
public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the 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 in this document.  

What Information is EPA Particularly Interested in?   

	Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically solicits
comments and information to enable it 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, 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 through the use of appropriate automated
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What Should I Consider when I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your
comments:

    	1. 	Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific
examples.

    	2. 	Describe any assumptions that you used.

    	33. 	Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you
used that support your views.

    	4. 	If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you
arrived at the estimate that you provide.

    	5. 	Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.

    	6. 	Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified
under DATES.

    	7. 	To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket
ID number                                                      assigned
to this action in the subject line on the first page of your response.
You may also provide the name, date, and Federal Register citation.

What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does this Apply to?

Affected entities:  Entities potentially affected by this action are
approximately 300 candidates for membership as Special Government
Employees (SGEs) on EPA federal advisory committees.  

The Form 3110-48 is completed as part of the member selection process
and before they are invited to serve as a member of a federal advisory
committee (FAC) at EPA. 

Title:  Confidential Financial Disclosure Form for Special Government
Employees Serving on Federal Advisory Committees at the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency

ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2260.02, OMB Control No. 2090-0029.   

ICR status:  This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on 02/29/2008. 
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, 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 purpose of this information collection request is to
assist the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the
Agency) in selecting Federal advisory committee members who will be
appointed as Special Government Employees (SGEs), mostly to EPA’s
scientific and technical committees.  To select SGE members as
efficiently and cost effectively as possible, the  Agency needs to
evaluate potential conflicts of interest before a candidate is hired as
an SGE and appointed as a member to a committee by EPA’s Administrator
or Deputy Administrator. 

Agency officials developed  the “Confidential Financial Disclosure
Form for Special Government Employees Serving on Federal Advisory
Committees at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,” also referred
to as Form 3110-48, for a greater inclusion of information to discover
any potential conflicts of interest as recommended by the Government
Accountability Office.  

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden
for this collection of information is estimated to average one hour 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 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.   

	The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency’s estimate,
which is only briefly summarized here:

	Estimated total number of potential respondents: 300.

	Frequency of response:  Annual.

	Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent:  1

	Estimated total annual burden hours: 300 hours/1 hour per respondent.

	Estimated total annual costs: $33,000. There are no capital investment
or maintenance and operational costs. 

Are There Changes in the Estimates from the Last Approval?

	The burden estimates have been changed to reflect an expected increase
of the number of respondents (from 276 to 300), as well as an increase
of respondents costs to complete the form, to cover the next 3 years.  

What is the Next Step in the Process for this ICR?

	EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as
appropriate.  The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12.  At that time, EPA will
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv)
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to
submit 

additional comments to OMB.  If you have any questions about this ICR or
the approval process, please contact Vicki Ellis, Office of Cooperative
Environmental Management, Mail Code 1601M, Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number: 202-564-1203; fax number:  

202-564-8129; e-mail address: ellis.vicki@epa.gov.

Dated: ____________________________

  

__________________________________

Rafael DeLleon, Director

Office of Cooperative Environmental Management

Office of the Administrator

 

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