National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Division of Extramural Research and Training; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Hazardous Waste Worker Training

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.

Proposed Collection

Title: Hazardous Waste Worker Training—42 CFR part 65.

Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of OMB No. 0925-0348 and expiration date February 28, 2005.

Need and Use of Information Collection: This request for OMB review and approval of the information collection is required by regulation 42 CFR 65(a)(6).

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) was given major responsibility for initiating a worker safety and health training program under section 126 of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) for hazardous waste workers and emergency responders. A network of non-profit organizations that are committed to protecting workers and their communities by delivering high-quality, peer-reviewed safety and health curricula to target populations of hazardous waste workers and emergency responders has been developed. In seventeen years (FY 1987-2004), the NIEHS Worker Training program has successfully supported 20 primary grantees that have trained more than 1.2 million workers across the country and presented over 68,000 classroom and hands-on training courses, which have accounted for nearly 18 million contact hours of actual training. Generally, the grant will initially be for one year, and subsequent continuation awards are also for one year at a time. Grantees must submit a separate application to have the support continued for each subsequent year. Grantees are to provide information in accordance with S65.4 (a), (b), (c) and 65.6(a) on the nature, duration, and purpose of the training, selection criteria for trainees' qualifications and competency of the project director and staff, cooperative agreements in the case of joint applications, the adequacy of training plans and resources, including budget and curriculum, and response to meeting training criteria in OHSA's Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Regulations (29 CFR 1910.120). As a cooperative agreement, there are additional requirements for the progress report section of the application. Grantees are to provide their information in hard copy as well as enter information into the WETP Grantee Data Management System. The information collected is used by the Director through officers, employees, experts, and consultants to evaluate applications based on technical merit to determine whether to make awards.

Frequency of Response: Biannual.

Affected Public: Non-profit organizations.

Type of Respondents: Grantees.

The annual reporting burden is as follows:

Estimated Number of Respondents: 18.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.

Average Burden Hours Per Response: 10.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours Requested: 360.

The annualized cost to respondents is estimated at: $10,764. There are no Capital Costs, Operating Costs and/or Maintenance Costs to report.

Request for Comments: Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected agencies should address one or more of the following points: (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the function of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) 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; (3) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, contact: Joseph T. Hughes, Jr., Director, Worker Education and Training Branch, Division of Extramural Research and Training, NIEHS, P.O. Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 or call non-toll-free number (919) 541-0217 or e-mail your request, including your address to wetp@niehs.nih.gov.

Comments Due Date: Comments regarding this information collection are best assured of having their full effect if received within 60-days of the date of this publication.