Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Safety and Health Statistics Cooperative Agreement Application Package

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, “Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Safety and Health Statistics Cooperative Agreement Application Package,” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

DATES:

Submit comments on or before May 18, 2012.

ADDRESSES:

A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained from the RegInfo.gov Web site, http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain,, on the day following publication of this notice or by contacting Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or sending an email to DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-BLS, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, Telephone: 202-395-6929/Fax: 202-395-6881 (these are not toll-free numbers), email: OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The BLS signs cooperative agreements with States, and political subdivisions thereof, to assist them in developing and administering programs that deal with occupational safety and health statistics and to arrange through these agreements for research to further the objectives of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The Cooperative Agreement is the vehicle through which State grant agencies are awarded funds. The Cooperative Agreement package includes application instructions and materials, as well as financial reporting, closeout and other administrative requirements. The information collection is being revised to include a Transmittal and Certification Form, Financial Reconciliation Worksheet, and Property Listing.

This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public is generally not required to respond to an information collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if the collection of information does not display a valid OMB Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection under OMB Control Number 1220-0149. The current OMB approval is scheduled to expire on July 31, 2012; however, it should be noted that existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. New requirements only take effect upon OMB approval. For additional information, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on November 16, 2011 (76 FR 71076).

Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in the ADDRESSES section within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should reference OMB Control Number 1220-0149. The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:

• 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;
• 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;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
• 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.

Agency: DOL-BLS.

Title of Collection: Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Safety and Health Statistics Cooperative Agreement Application Package.

OMB Control Number: 1220-0149.

Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments.

Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 54.

Total Estimated Number of Responses: 406.

Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 367.

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.