Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Notice.
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.
Comments must be submitted on or before December 22, 2009.
Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R03–CBP–2009–0500, by one of the following methods:
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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; e-mail address:
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA–R03–CBP–2009–0500, which is available for online viewing at
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.
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
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
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
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.
EPA anticipates an annual, gradual change in the total estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by OMB.
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