ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal RegisterMar 24, 1994

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-4853-6]

Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501

et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request

(ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature

of the information collection and its expected cost and burden.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 25, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, or to obtain

a copy of the ICR, contact Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-2740.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Office of Research and Development

Title: Quality Assurance Specifications and Requirements (EPA No.

866.04; OMB No. 2080-0033).

Abstract: This ICR is an extension of existing information

collection activities associated with quality assurance (QA) procedures

as required at 40 CFR 30.503 and 31.45. Under these regulations, State

and local governments or non-profit research institutions seeking

Federal assistance for proposed projects must include written QA plans

or narrative statements that document the steps taken to assure that

the data are of the quality that is needed. The EPA needs this

documentation to ensure that all extramural projects involving

environmental measurements adhere to existing EPA QA guidelines. By so

doing, the EPA may ensure that all data used in environmental

protection efforts will be valid, scientifically sound, legally

defensible, and of known and documented quality.

Non-profit research institutions must provide a narrative statement

that describes the purpose and objectives of the proposed study, and

the QA/Quality Control (QC) procedures documenting the precision and

bias of the data produced in support of the research. State and local

governments must submit a more extensive written QA plan, as described

in the ``Interim Guidelines and Specifications for Preparing Quality

Assurance Projects Plans.'' The plan should describe in detail, or by

reference, the measurement systems used, the QC procedures to be

followed, data analysis and reporting, and any other aspects of QA/QC

used to document that the data generated are of the quality claimed and

needed to meet project objectives.

The information submitted to EPA will be used by appropriate EPA

offices and their respective Quality Assurance Managers as a basis for

recommending approval of financial assistance for projects involving

environmental measurements. The EPA project officers will maintain file

copies of the plans and narratives.

Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection of

information is estimated to average 79 hours per response, including

time for reviewing instructions, searching existing information

sources, completing and reviewing the collection of information, and

submitting the information to EPA.

Respondents: State and local governments, non-profit research

institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1395.

Frequency of Collection: Annual.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.

Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 110,325 hours.

Send comments regarding the burden estimate, or any other aspect of

this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the

burden, to:

Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Information Policy

Branch (2136), 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460.

and

Tim Hunt, Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and

Regulatory Affairs, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20530.

Dated: March 18, 1994.

Paul Lapsley,

Director, Regulatory Management Division.

[FR Doc. 94-6957 Filed 3-23-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-F

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[FRL-4853-7]