ICR SUPPORTING STATEMENT OUTLINE
Part A 


1. Identification of the Information Collection

1(a) Title of the Information Collection

EPA Form 5800-068 - Ethnicity, Race and Gender Self-Identification Form for Nominees Considered for Appointment on Federal Advisory Committees at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (New); EPA ICR No. 2090-NEW, OMB Control No. 2090-NEW

1(b) Short Characterization/Abstract

The purpose of this information collection request is to assist the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) when selecting members to EPA's scientific and technical federal advisory committees to ensure that members and future nominees reflect the diversity of America in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, geography, and other characteristics. 

Agency officials developed the "Ethnicity, Race and Gender Self-Identification Form" to comply with Executive Order 14035 that directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to collect and analyze voluntarily self-reported demographic data regarding the membership of federal advisory committees to pursue opportunities to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

2. Need for and use of the Collection
	
2(a) Need/Authority for the Collection

In June 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14035 entitled "Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce." The order directs the Federal Government to strengthen its ability to recruit, hire, develop, promote, and retain our Nation's talent and remove barriers to equal opportunity.  It must also provide resources and opportunities to strengthen and advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility across the Federal Government.  The Federal Government should have a workforce that reflects the diversity of the American people.  A growing body of evidence demonstrates that diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workplaces yield higher-performing organizations. 

Recommendations include gathering the required information before a member is selected, specifically:

::	The head of each agency shall collect and analyze voluntarily self-reported demographic data regarding the membership of advisory committees, commissions, and boards in a manner consistent with applicable law, including privacy and confidentiality protections, and with statistical standards where applicable.  For agencies that have external advisory committees, commissions, or boards to which agencies appoint members, agency heads shall pursue opportunities to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility on such committees, commissions, and boards.

As part of that effort to respond to Executive Order 14035, EPA developed EPA Form 5800-068 for nominees to voluntarily complete as part of the member selection process and before they are invited to serve as a member of a federal advisory committee at EPA. The form is reviewed by the Federal Advisory Committee Management Division and demographic data is input on an aggregate chart and submitted to the Office of the Administrator for approval. 


2(b) Practical Utility/Users of the Data

Information gathered from the form will strengthen EPA's opportunity to advance diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility by cultivating a workforce that draws from the full diversity of the Nation.

3. Non duplication, Consultations, and Other Collection Criteria-

3(a) Non duplication

Almost all information requested from respondents under this ICR is personal in nature, and in most cases, is not available from other sources.

3(b) Public Notice Required Prior to ICR submission to OMB

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, EPA issued public notice EPA ICR No. 2090-NEW in the Federal Register on March 2, 2022 (87 FR 11704) and provided a 60-day comment period.  No significantly relevant comments were received.

3(c) Consultations

After consulting with folks ....

(3(d) Effects of Less Frequent Collection

The form is optional.

3(e) General Guidelines

This ICR complies with OMB's general guidelines for the collection of information.

3(f) Confidentiality

            
Ethnicity, race and gender information is requested under the authority and in compliance with Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government and under the authority and in compliance with Executive Order 14035, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce.  Pursuant to this order, EPA will collect and analyze self-reported demographic data regarding the membership of federal advisory committees.  Providing this information is voluntary and has no impact on membership status. 

The Federal Advisory Committee Act's implementing regulations suggest several factors for agencies to consider when composing their advisory committees, including: "(i) the advisory committee's mission; (ii) the geographic, ethnic, social, economic or scientific impact of the advisory committee's recommendations; (iii) the types of specific perspectives required, for example, such as those of consumers, technical experts, the public-at-large, academia, business, or other sectors; (iv) the need to obtain divergent points of view on the issues before the advisory committee; and (v) the relevance of state, local or tribal governments to the development of the advisory committee's recommendations."  Appendix A to Subpart B of Federal Advisory Committee Act, Final Rule 41 C. F. R. Part 102-3, gender, ethnicity and race information is relevant when considering several if not all of those factors.

This information is used in the aggregate, as necessary, to plan for equal opportunity as the EPA appoints members to its federal advisory committees.  It is also used in the aggregate in the productions of summary descriptive statistics and analytical studies in support of the function for which the records are collected and maintained, or for related committee membership composition studies. 


3(g) Sensitive Questions

See response to 3(f).

4. The Respondents and the Information Requested

4(a) Respondents/SIC Codes

4(b) Information Requested

 Data items, including record keeping requirements

The Agency will maintain records of the form under EPA records schedule 1034(e), as a temporary non-substantive committee record and is considered disposable after three years. 
The Federal Advisory Committee Management Division who manages federal advisory committees for the Agency will retain files of the completed form. The Agency does not anticipate any recordkeeping activities on the part of the respondents under this ICR.  


 Respondent Activities

When applying to become a member of a federal advisory committee at EPA, respondents will be asked to complete the form. The completion of the form is voluntary. 

5. The Information Collected - Agency Activities, Collection Methodology, and Information Management
	
5(a) Agency Activities

To respond to this ICR, we estimated the federal advisory committee membership coordinator spends five minutes reviewing each form. 

Agency (EPA) activities associated with the collection of information include:

5(b) Collection Methodology and Management

In collecting and analyzing the information associated with this ICR, EPA will use personal computers, e-mail and websites from which the respondents can obtain blank forms. They may return the form by e-mail as an original signature is not required.

Although EPA will use e-mail to distribute the blank forms, this form is not a survey instrument, and no database is necessary to aggregate results. This information is not available to the public.

5(c) Small Entity Flexibility

Not applicable.

5(d) Collection Schedule
			
   ::	When applying for membership on a federal advisory committee, respondents are asked to complete the form. The completion of the form is voluntary. (No schedule  -  dates are variable).
   
6. Estimating the Burden and Cost of the Collection
	
6(a) Estimating Respondent Burden

The completion of EPA Form 5800-068 is voluntary.  No one receives compensation for time, no capital or O&MN costs.
            
6(b) Estimating Respondent Costs

 Estimating Labor Costs

Respondent Activity
Burden Hours/Respondent
Labor Cost/Hour (Loaded)
Number of Respondents
Total Cost/Year
Complete and submit form
5 minutes
$0
200
$0

(ii) Estimating Capital and Operations and Maintenance Costs

Not applicable.

 Capital/Start-up Operating and Maintenance (O&M) Costs

Not applicable.

 Annualizing Capital Costs

Not applicable.

6(c) Estimating Agency Burden and Cost

Agency Activity
Burden Hours/Respondent
Labor Cost/Hour (Loaded)
Number of Respondents
Total Cost/Year

Review form and Maintain record copy
16.6 per year
$0
200
$0





Total Cost




            
6(d) Estimating the Respondent Universe and Total Burden and Costs

See 6(a) and (b).

6(e) Bottom Line Burden Hours and Cost Tables

 Respondent Tally

Respondent Activity
Burden Hours/Respondent
Labor Cost/Hour (Loaded)
Number of Respondents
Total Cost/Year
Complete and submit form
5 minutes
$0
200
$0

 The Agency Tally

Agency Activity
Burden Hours/Respondent
Labor Cost/Hour (Loaded)
Number of Respondents
Total Cost/Year

Review form and forward to DEO for approval; Maintain record copy
5 minutes
$0
200
$0

Review and approve form
5 minutes
$133
200
$22,080
Total



$

(iii) Variations in the Annual Bottom Line

We do not anticipate major variations in the annual bottom line burden hours and costs for the respondents or the Agency.

6(f) Reasons for Change in Burden

No change in burden, new information collection request.

6(g) Burden Statement

No burden, this is a new information collection request. 
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 Number EPA-HQ-01-2010, FRL-9549-01-OMS, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of Mission Support Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 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 Mission Support Docket is (202) 566-9744. An electronic version of the public docket is available at www.regulations.gov. This site can be used 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. When in the system, select "search," then 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, D.C. 20503, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA. Please include the EPA Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-01-2010, FRL-9549-01-OMS and OMB Control No. 2030-NEW in any correspondence.
