[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69936-69937]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29769]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6904-9]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Soil Ingestion Research Study
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit the
following proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB): Soil Ingestion Research Study ( EPA ICR
Number 1965.01). 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 January 22, 2001.
ADDRESSES: Comments submitted by regular U.S. Postal Service mail
should be sent to: Docket Coordinator, Superfund Docket Office, Mail
Code 5201G, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters, Ariel
Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. To
ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify docket
control number SOIL-INGEST in the subject line on the first page of
your comment. Comments may also be submitted electronically or in
person. Please follow the detailed instructions for these submission
methods as provided in unit III of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section. Copies of the ICR may be obtained from this office (contact
Larry Zaragoza 703-603-8867), or the Office of Environmental
Information's ICR website at http://www.epa.gov/icr/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Zaragoza, Office of Emergency
and Remedial Response, at 703-603-8867/703-603-9133 (fax), email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
those which
[[Page 69937]]
agree to participate in a research study on soil ingestion.
Title: Soil Ingestion Research, (EPA ICR No. 1965.01).
Abstract: This ICR supports research to examine the amount of soil
ingested. Soil is ingested in two ways, incidental ingestion from
everyday hand to mouth activity and ingestion resulting from inhaled
particles of soil that are deposited in upper and middle respiratory
tract and swallowed. The ingestion of soil is important because
contaminated soils from a hazardous waste site poses risks to
individuals exposed to contaminated soil. This research should help any
environmental program concerned with contaminated soils but is
specifically being sponsored by Superfund. This research will evaluate
ingestion by comparing the amount of trace metals that are ingested in
food with the amount of metals that are excreted, any amount in excess
of the ingested trace metals is attributed to incidental soil
ingestion. Because of the possibility of trace metal ingestion from a
variety of sources (like food and toothpaste), a questionnaire to
identify and characterize sources of trace metals that can affect daily
variation in trace metals is an important part of the experimental
design of these studies. About 20 study volunteers are paid and are
expected to participate in this study for about two weeks. Each night
the study participants would participate in a questionnaire that will
later be used to help interpret daily variations in trace metals. 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.
The EPA would like to solicit comments 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.
Burden Statement: During the study, paid research subjects would
fill out a questionnaire on a daily basis. Questions could take 5
minutes. This reporting burden would involve approximately 20 research
subjects who are expected to participate in a study for 2 weeks. This
information would be collected by the researchers at the research
institution conducting the study and the data would be maintained by
this group, not the Federal government. 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.
Dated: October 24, 2000.
Elaine F. Davies,
Acting Director, Office of Emergency and Remedial Response.
[FR Doc. 00-29769 Filed 11-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U