The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers certification programs for pesticide applicators under section 11 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). FIFRA allows EPA to classify a pesticide as "restricted use" if the pesticide meets certain toxicity or risk criteria. Due to the potential of improperly applied restricted use pesticides (RUPs) to harm human health or the environment, pesticides under this classification may be purchased and applied only by "certified applicators" or by persons under the direct supervision of certified applicators. The completion of a certification program or test is required in order to become a certified applicator. Personally identifying information (PII) is collected in the process of certifying individuals to apply RUPs as private or commercial applicators. This information is collected to differentiate between individuals sharing the same names and is subject to Agency-wide security requirements governing all Privacy Act database systems at EPA.
US Code:
7 USC 136i
Name of Law: Section 11 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
US Code:
7 USC 136a(d)
Name of Law: Section 3(d) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
The net decrease is due to EPA's updates to burden estimates, addition of a recently-implemented optional, voluntary offering, and a change in the number of entities whose certification programs are directly overseen by EPA. This change is both an adjustment and the result of a program change
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.