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Office of Research and Development; Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Health Effects of
Microbial Pathogens in Recreational Waters
[Federal Register: February 15, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 32)]
[Notices]
[Page 7150-7151]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15fe02-68]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7146-6]
Office of Research and Development; Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Health Effects of
Microbial Pathogens in Recreational Waters
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 EPA is planning to submit the
following Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB).
TITLE: Health Effects of Microbial Pathogens in Recreational Waters.
Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, the EPA
is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information
collection as described below.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 16, 2002.
ADDRESSES: Public comments should be submitted to: Dr. Rebecca L.
Calderon, US EPA (M D 58-C), Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested persons may obtain a copy
of the ICR without charge by contacting: Dr. Rebecca L. Calderon, (919)
966-0617, FAX: (919) 966-0655, E-mail:
calderon.rebecca@epamail.epa.gov, or by mailing a request to the
address above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
families frequenting fresh and marine water beaches in the continental
United States.
Title: Health Effects of Microbial Pathogens in Recreational
Waters.
Abstract: This study will be conducted, and the information
collected, by the Epidemiology and Biomarkers Branch, Human Studies
Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Research
Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). Participation of adults and children in this
collection of information is strictly voluntary.
This information is being collected as part of a research program
consistent with the Sec. 3(a)(v)(1) of the Beaches Environmental
Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000 and the strategic
[[Page 7151]]
plan for EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the Office
of Water entitled ``Action Plan for Beaches and Recreational Water.''
The Beaches Act and ORD's strategic plan has identified research on
effects of microbial pathogens in recreational waters as a high-
priority research area with particular emphasis on developing new water
quality indicator guidelines for recreational waters. The EPA has broad
legislative authority to establish water quality criteria and to
conduct research to support these criteria. This data collection is for
a series of epidemiological studies to evaluate exposure to and effects
of microbial pathogens in marine and fresh recreational waters as part
of the EPA's research program on exposure and health effects of
microbial pathogens in recreational waters. The research plan includes
piloting the collection of both recreational information and water
quality information during the summer months of 2002. Multiple sites
with refined study design will be conducted in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The
information collected by this study program will be used to estimate
the relationship between water quality indicators and health effects.
The questionnaire health data will be compared with routinely collected
water quality measurements. The analysis will focus on determining
whether any water quality parameters are associated with increased
prevalence of swimming-related health effects.
Burden Statement
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.
Table 1.--Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
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Estimated Annual
Type of respondent Respondent number of Burden Frequency reporting Annual cost
activities respondents hours burden
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Parent......................... Beach Interview... 1500 0.40 1 600 \a\ $8,832
Parent......................... Complete home 1200 0.33 1 396 \a\ 5,830
interview I (80%).
Parent......................... Complete home 960 0.17 1 163 2,400
interview II
(80%).
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Totals..................... .................. ........... ......... ......... 1,159 hr 17,062
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\a\ $14.72/hour (average hourly wage).
There are no direct respondent costs for this data collection.
No Annual Record Keeping Burden
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.
Dated: February 4, 2002.
Linda Birnbaum,
Director, Human Studies Division, National Health & Environmental
Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development.
[FR Doc. 02-3771 Filed 2-14-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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