Exchange Network Grants Progress Reports (Renewal)

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
Form 5300-26 Exchange Network Grant Program Progress Report Form	Form and Instruction	Modified	Repair queued
Form 5300-27 Quality Assurance Reporting Form for Use by Recipie	Form and Instruction	Modified	Available
2207ss09.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2024-11-25	Available

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
44007	Exchange Network Grants Progress Reports (Renewal)	Form and Instruction	Modified	Exchange Network Grant Program Progress Report Form
44007	Exchange Network Grants Progress Reports (Renewal)	Form and Instruction	Modified	Quality Assurance Reporting Form for Use by Recipie

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 2025-0006	ICR Reference No: 202411-2025-001
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202107-2025-001
Agency/Subagency: EPA/OEI	Agency Tracking No: 2207.09
Title: Exchange Network Grants Progress Reports (Renewal)
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 11/29/2024

table that charts list comparision

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	07/31/2026
Responses	374	369
Time Burden (Hours)	776	508
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

---

Abstract: 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.

---

Authorizing Statute(s): None

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

---

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

---

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 76826	09/19/2024
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 93575	11/27/2024
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

---

Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Exchange Network Grants Progress Reports (Renewal)	5300-26, 5300-27	Quality Assurance Reporting Form for Use by Recipie ,   Exchange Network Grant Program Progress Report Form

---

ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list of burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	374	369	0	0	5	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	776	508	0	0	268	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: 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).

---

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $30,962

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

---

Common Form ICR:  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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 11/29/2024

---