ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-R03-CBP-2009-0500; FRL-       ]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment
Request; Chesapeake Registry; EPA ICR No. 2365.01, OMB Control No.
200908-2003-001

AGENCY:	Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:	Notice.

SUMMARY:	In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), 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).  EPA prepared the ICR, “Chesapeake
Registry,” on behalf of the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership. 
Before submitting the ICR renewal request 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-R03-CBP-2009-0500, by one of the following methods:

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

Mail:  Chesapeake Registry, Attn:  Marguerite Duffy, Chesapeake Bay
Program Office, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109, Annapolis, Maryland 21403

Hand Delivery:  Chesapeake Registry, Attn:  Marguerite Duffy, EPA
Chesapeake Bay Program Office, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109, Annapolis,
Maryland 21403.  Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket’s
normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays), and special arrangements should be made for
deliveries of boxed information.  

Instructions:  Direct your comments to Docket ID No.
EPA-R03-CBP-2009-0500.  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.  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 submit a disk or CD-ROM, EPA recommends that you
include your name and other contact information in the body of your
comment.  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:  Marguerite Duffy, USEPA Region III -
Chesapeake Bay Program Office, Annapolis City Marina, 410 Severn Avenue
Suite 109 (3CB10), Annapolis, MD 21403; telephone number: (410)
267-5764; fax number: (410) 267-5777; email address:
duffy.marguerite@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-R03-CBP-2009-0500, 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
EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109,
Annapolis, Maryland 21403.  Materials are available for viewing  SEQ
CHAPTER \h \r 1  from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays; telephone number 410-267-5700.  An electronic
version of the public docket is available at:    HYPERLINK
"http://www.regulations.gov"  www.regulations.gov .   This site can be
used to obtain a copy of the draft information collection request,
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
(EPA-R03-CBP-2009-0500).  

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.

    	3. 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
state and local governments and non-government organizations within the
Chesapeake Bay watershed.  

Title:  Chesapeake Registry (formerly called Activity Integration Plan)

ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2365.01, OMB Control No. 200908-2003-001  

ICR status:  This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on 02/28/2010. 
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:  In 2008, EPA’s Region III Chesapeake Bay Program Office and
its partners developed the Chesapeake Action Plan (CAP) to strengthen
and expand partnerships in the watershed, enhance coordination of
restoration activities, and increase the collective accountability for
protecting the Chesapeake Bay.  One component described in the CAP is a
Web-enabled reporting system known as the Activity Integration Plan now
titled Chesapeake Registry.  Through this reporting system,
participating organizations provide data about the activities in which
they are currently engaged, or plan to be engaged in, to protect and
restore the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.  The ability to capture
and account for Bay-wide implementation activities was developed in
response to recommendations by the Government Accountability Office and
directives of the Explanatory Statement of the FY 2008 Consolidated
Appropriations Act (P.L. 110-161).  CBPO conducted its first activity
data call in 2008 that included 10 federal agencies, 7 states, and 2
local organizations.  

The EPA, on behalf of the partnership, intends to expand the data call
to more than 10 non-federal agencies and organizations to strengthen the
information base on which to support implementation decisions and more
recently, to support Executive Order (EO) 13508, signed by President
Barack Obama on May 12, 2009.  Section 203(d) of the EO directs EPA to
identify the “mechanisms that will assure that governmental and other
activities, including data collection and distribution, are coordinated
and effective, relying on existing mechanisms where appropriate.” 
Section 204 further directs that “Federal actions to protect and
restore the Chesapeake Bay are closely coordinated with actions by State
and local agencies in the watershed and that the resources, authorities,
and expertise of Federal, State, and local agencies are used as
efficiently as possible.”  The Chesapeake Registry and associated data
calls provide a mechanism for coordinated data collections among federal
and non-federal entities protecting and restoring the Bay and its
watershed, and the information necessary to adaptively manage the
program in support of these mandates.

The Chesapeake Registry includes detailed information about the
activities and funding conducted and planned by partner organizations. 
The organizations provide project information on the nature of the
activity, responsible organization, organizational point of contact,
resource levels, geographic location, and major milestones on progress
towards Chesapeake Bay protection and restoration efforts.  Funds
reported in the Chesapeake Registry are linked to an organization’s
own resource base so that data associated with a set of funds is entered
only by the originator of the funding.  The information is organized by
programmatic goal and desired result, which aligns activities to the
goals of the program and helps to provide an accurate depiction of
restoration activities, progress, and results.  The information
collection, as envisioned, will be conducted annually.  Summary level
information from the Chesapeake Registry is available at   HYPERLINK
"http://cap.chesapeakebay.net"  http://cap.chesapeakebay.net .  

Each reporting organization is assigned a user ID and password. 
Security measures have been established to protect data that have been
entered, including maintaining the data on a secure server on a secure
network, and confirming the data with each reporting organization.
Participants in the information collection are able to search the
reporting system database application and view standard reports. 
Partners will use the enhanced and expanded data to update performance
management dashboards that summarize and synthesize information so the
program partners can understand, at a glance, the progress being made in
key program areas.  The dashboards include measures of progress,
information about resources and strategic analyses of what needs to be
done to improve implementation.  In addition, EPA anticipates that some
of the partners will use the reporting system as a tool for their own
management and planning efforts.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden
for this collection of information is estimated to average 64.8 hours
per response for state and local government agencies and 11.5 hours per
response for non-government organizations.  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:  50 (30 state and
local governments, 20 non-government organizations) initially but will
likely increase over time.

	Frequency of response:  Annual.

	Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent:  1.

	Estimated total annual burden hours:  2,1740.0 (64.8 hours per response
for state and local governments, 11.5 hours per response for
non-government organizations).

	Estimated total annual costs:  $104,974.20.   This includes an
estimated burden cost of $104,974.20 and an estimated cost of $0.00 for
capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.

Are There Changes in the Estimates from the Last Approval?

EPA anticipates an annual, gradual change in the total estimated
respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently
approved by OMB.

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 the technical person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Dated: 10/13/09____________     			____/s/____________________

							James Edward

							Deputy Director, 

Chesapeake Bay Program Office

							Region III.	

  

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