Agency Generic Information Collection Request: Regional Compliance Assistance Program Evaluation

Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are those businesses and technical assistance providers who receive and/or participate in EPA's Regional compliance assistance activities. Technical assistance providers are comprised of such groups as: state pollution prevention programs, state small business assistance programs, small business development centers, manufacturing extension partnership programs, and trade associations. The request for information from these affected entities will be voluntary. Title: Regional Compliance Assistance Activities Program Evaluation. (OMB) Control No. XXXX-XXXX: EPA ICR No. 1758.02). This is a new collection. Abstract: Since EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) was formed three years ago, there has been an increased focus on the use of compliance assistance as an appropriate tool to assist the regulated community in improving its compliance. In particular, OECA has focussed its compliance assistance on small business and small communities that have not had much exposure to traditional enforcement and therefore may not be fully aware of their compliance obligations. Compliance assistance consists of information and technical assistance provided to the regulated community to help it meet the requirements of environmental law. First and foremost, compliance assistance ensures that the regulated community understands its obligations by providing clear and consistent descriptions of regulatory requirements. The bulk of OECA's compliance assistance activities are undertaken in our regional offices. Regional

compliance assistance activities commonly include: hotlines, workshops/ seminar/trainings, compliance guides (e.g., plain language explanations of regulations, videos), and on-site visits. Since compliance assistance is a rather new tool for OECA, we are very interested in learning about its effectiveness. In particular, we are interested in learning about the ``outcome'' of compliance assistance on a continuum of potential outcomes. The continuum includes determining the ``reach'' of activity within the intended audience; determining their ``satisfaction'' with the activity; and determining what ``behavioral changes'' they make as a result of the activity. The purpose of this generic ICR is to enable OECA to collect data on the program effectiveness of their compliance assistance program so that we can begin to understand which of our various types of compliance assistance activities are most effective as well as to obtain anectdotal information on the outcomes of these assistance efforts. Moreover, since measuring the impact of compliance assistance is a new activity for OECA, we are also interested in experimenting with different types of measurement methods (e.g., comment cards, mailed surveys, phone surveys) to better direct our program evaluation program. Moreover, we are interested in learning if this data can be obtained using statistically-valid methods and will be supporting our measurement activities with analysis in this area. In each instance we will be measuring whether or not the compliance assistance activity is meeting its intended goal. Typical goals for compliance assistance activities include: informing the regulated community of their compliance obligations (e.g., plain-language guides); assisting the regulated community in their understanding of complex federal and/or state requirements (e.g., Section 215 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act asks EPA to undertake demonstration projects with states to develop compliance assistance tools that integrate state and federal rules); and motivating behavioral change (e.g., pollutants reduced, permits adopted) from on-site visits, in-depth workshops/trainings. This activity is being undertaken to assist EPA in its implementation of the National Performance Measures Strategy that was finalized on December 22, 1997, which includes compliance assistance. None of the information collected by this action results in or requests sensitive information of any nature from the states. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it display 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 is soliciting 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 the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of response. The Office of Compliance (OC) will use this information to evaluate the effectiveness of our compliance assistance programs so that we can plan more effective programs in the future. OC will also include highlights in its end-of-year accomplishments report. This information also will be provided to Congressional staffs and committees interested in environmental matters and small business assistance activities at the EPA regional and state level (the SBREFA Section 215 projects are being conducted as cooperative agreements with state assistance programs). In addition, we will share our lessons learned about compliance assistance program effectiveness widely with state and local assistance programs. Since compliance assistance is a relatively new program for most state programs, this program effectiveness information should be of great interest and value to them. Burden Statement: This information collection request is for three years with an OMB review of progress after 18 months. The information collection request is a generic request for all surveys conducted over the 3-year period. Sample surveys are attached to the ICR and actural surveys will be submitted to OMB with a 10-day comment period from OMB. OC will minimize the numbers of surveys by providing consistent surveys for several similar activities. This will also increase the ability to compare program effectiveness across program activities. For each respondent, the annual cost burden is estimated to be $4.20. Total capital and start-up cost component annualized over its expected useful life is $0. Total operations and maintenance is estimated at $0, and the cost for purchase of services is estimated at $0. Total annual burden for the 155,163 respondents is estimated to be 19,470 hours at a cost of $218,090. Federal burden is estimated to be 53 hours a year at an annual labor cost of $15,510. Total capital and start-up cost component annualized over its expected useful life is $0. Total operations and maintenance is estimated at $0, and the cost for purchase of services is estimated at $75,000. 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, 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: April 10, 1998. Elaine Stanley, Director, Office of Compliance. [FR Doc. 98-10508 Filed 4-20-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-M