This information collection request
supports an agency guidance entitled, "Preparing a Claim of
Categorical Exclusion or an Environmental Assessment for Submission
to the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition." The guidance
identifies, interprets, and clarifies existing requirements imposed
by statute and regulation, consistent with the Council on
Environmental Quality regulations found at 40 CFR 1507.3. It
consists of recommendations that do not themselves create
requirements, but explain FDA's own procedures for ensuring
compliance with the purposes and provisions of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Respondents to this
collection are businesses engaged in the manufacture or sale of
food, food ingredients, and substances used in materials that come
into contact with food, and are from the private sector.
US Code:
42 USC 4321-4347 Name of Law: National Environmental Policy
Act
The information collection
reflects an overall increase. The number of respondents has changed
from 45 to 108, reflecting an increase of 63. This results in a
corresponding increase to burden hours from 45 to 10,668, an
increase of 10,623. While we attribute the increase in submissions
to an increase in respondents to the collection, we attribute a
larger part of the increased burden hours to a reassessment of the
time necessary to prepare submissions. Where previously we
estimated one hour for the preparation of a submission, we have
revised the estimate to eight hours.
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.