EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program Office (CBPO) and its partners developed the Chesapeake Action Plan (CAP) to strengthen and expand partnerships in the watershed, enhance coordination of restoration activities, and increase the collective accountability for protecting the Chesapeake Bay. The primary mechanism for input into the CAP is the Web-based Chesapeake Action Plan/Activity Integration Plan (CAP/AIP) reporting system. In 2008, CBPO conducted its first partner-wide activity data call that included 10 federal, 7 state, and 2 local partners. EPA now intends to make the CAP/AIP reporting system available to additional non-government organizations and other program partners to gain a more comprehensive picture of protection and restoration efforts and to facilitate a more accurate tracking of progress and results.
The CAP/AIP reporting system includes detailed information about the activities conducted by partner organizations. The partners provide project information, including the nature of the activity, responsible organization, a point of contact, resource levels, location, and major milestones in terms of their progress towards Chesapeake Bay protection and restoration efforts.
This information collection will be conducted annually. The partners will use the enhanced and expanded data to update dashboards (analytical summaries) that summarize and synthesize information so the program partners can understand, at a glance, the progress that the partnership has made in key program areas. In addition, CBPO anticipates that some of the partners will use the CAP/AIP reporting system as tool for their own management and planning efforts.
CBPO anticipates that additional program partners may respond to the information collection during the period of this ICR.
Please see attached emergency justification.
PL:
Pub.L. 95 - 217 117
Name of Law: FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ACT, AS AMENDED BY THE CLEAN WATER ACT OF 1977
EO: EO 13508 Name/Subject of EO: Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration
The burden requested in this ICR results from information collection efforts associated with the Chesapeake Action Plan (CAP). The primary mechanism for input into the CAP is the Web-based Chesapeake Action Plan/Activity Integration Plan (CAP/AIP) reporting system. In 2008, CBPO conducted its first partner-wide activity data call that included 10 federal, 7 state, and 2 local partners. EPA now intends to make the CAP/AIP reporting system available to additional non-government organizations and other program partners to gain a more comprehensive picture of protection and restoration efforts and to facilitate a more accurate tracking of progress and results. The CAP/AIP reporting system includes detailed information about the activities conducted by partner organizations. The partners provide project information, including the nature of the activity, responsible organization, a point of contact, resource levels, location, and major milestones in terms of their progress towards Chesapeake Bay protection and restoration efforts.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.