Under the U.S. EPA National
Environmental Information Exchange Network (NEIEN) Grant Program,
EPA collects information from the NEIEN grantees on assistance
agreements that EPA has awarded. Specifically, for each project,
EPA proposes to have grantees submit semi-annual reports on the
progress and current status of each goal and output, completion
dates for outputs, and any problems encountered. This information
will help EPA ensure projects are on schedule to meet their goals
and produce high quality environmental results. New award
recipients will complete one Quality Assurance Reporting Form for
each award. This form provides a simple means for grant recipients
to describe how quality will be addressed throughout their
projects. Additionally, the Quality Assurance Reporting Form is
derived from guidelines provided in the NEIEN 2018 Grant
Solicitation Notice.
There is a calculated increase
of 269 hours in the total estimated respondent burden as compared
with the ICR currently approved by OMB. The number of open active
grants each year was estimated at 149, which matches the 2021
estimate, as the number of new assistance agreements has remained
consistent since 2021. This equates to 298 semi-annual reporting
forms being due annually. Estimates for the number of Final
Progress Reporting Form is also very similar to the 2021 estimate,
with only a slight increase in the number of expected closed-out
grants (from 36 in 2021 to 38 in 2024). This slight increase
reflects an expectation for more EN assistance agreements to close
out in the upcoming years, as projects which were initially delayed
due to workplace changes associated with COVID-19 are now being
completed. The increase in burden hours may be partly related to
the addition of the IT Component and Project Registration Form to
this ICR, in place of the retired Quality Assurance Reporting Form,
which was previously required within 90 days of each new assistance
agreement. There was also an identified error in the prior ICR,
where total annual burden hours were calculated by multiplying form
burden hours by number of forms (but did not take into account the
semi-annual form which is due twice yearly). As the IT Component
and Project Registration fillable PDF form is due at the time of
grant close-out, the estimated number matches the estimated number
of Final Progress Reports (38).
$30,962
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Dipti Singh 202
566-0739
No
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.
Form 5300-27 Exchange Network Grants Progress Reports (Renewal)
2207ss09.docx
Exchange Network Grants Progress Reports (Renewal)