[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 206 (Tuesday, October 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66061-66063]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-27612]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2011-0699; FRL-8889-4]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to
submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR,
entitled: ``Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements for Allegations of
Significant Adverse Reactions to Human Health or the Environment (TSCA
Section 8(c))'' and identified by EPA ICR No. 1031.10 and OMB Control
No. 2070-0017, is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2012. Before
submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting
comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 27, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2011-0699 by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Document Control Office (7407M), Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
Hand Delivery: OPPT Document Control Office (DCO), EPA
East, Rm. 6428, 1201 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. Attention:
Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2011-0699. The DCO is open from 8 a.m. to
4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone
number for the DCO is (202) 564-8930. Such deliveries are only accepted
during the DCO's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements
should be made for deliveries of boxed information.
Instructions: Direct your comments to docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPPT-
2011-0699. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included
in the docket without change and may be made available on-line at
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through regulations.gov or e-
mail. The regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous access'' system,
which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information
unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-
mail comment directly to EPA without going through regulations.gov,
your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part
of the comment that is placed in the docket and made available on the
Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you
include your name and other contact information in the body of your
comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your
comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for
clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic
files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of
encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses.
Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index
available at http://www.regulations.gov. Although listed in the index,
some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other
material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only
in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available
electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in
hard copy, at the OPPT Docket. The OPPT Docket is located in the EPA
Docket Center (EPA/DC) at Rm. 3334, EPA West Bldg., 1301 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington,
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DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The
telephone number of the EPA/DC Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744,
and the telephone number for the OPPT Docket is (202) 566-0280. Docket
visitors are required to show photographic identification, pass through
a metal detector, and sign the EPA visitor log. All visitor bags are
processed through an X-ray machine and subject to search. Visitors will
be provided an EPA/DC badge that must be visible at all times in the
building and returned upon departure.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information contact:
Mike Mattheisen, Chemical Control Division (7405M), Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number:
(202) 564-3077; fax number: (202) 564-4755; e-mail address:
[email protected].
For general information contact: The TSCA-Hotline, ABVI-Goodwill,
422 South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620; telephone number: (202)
554-1404; e-mail address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. What information is EPA particularly interested in?
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of PRA, EPA specifically solicits
comments and information to enable it to:
1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility.
2. Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimates of the burden of
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used.
3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected.
4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.
II. What should I consider when I prepare my comments for EPA?
You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your
comments:
1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific
examples.
2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used
that support your views.
4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
5. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.
6. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
7. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified
under DATES.
8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page
of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal
Register citation.
III. What information collection activity or ICR does this action apply
to?
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this ICR are
manufacturers, processors or importers of chemical substances.
Title: ``Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements for Allegations
of Significant Adverse Reactions to Human Health or the Environment
(TSCA Section 8(c))''.
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1031.10, OMB Control No. 2070-0017.
ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on August 31,
2012. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, a collection of information, unless it displays
a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's
regulations in title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), after
appearing in the Federal Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR
part 9, are displayed either by publication in the Federal Register or
by other appropriate means, such as on the related collection
instrument or form, if applicable. The display of OMB control numbers
for certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
Abstract: TSCA section 8(c) requires manufacturers, processors, and
distributors of chemicals to maintain records of significant adverse
reactions to health or the environment alleged to have been caused by
such chemicals. Since section 8(c) includes no automatic reporting
provisions, EPA can obtain and use the information contained in company
files only by inspecting those files or requiring reporting of records
that relate to specific substances of concern. Therefore, under certain
conditions, and using the provisions found in 40 CFR part 717, EPA may
require companies to report such allegations to the Agency. EPA uses
such information on a case-specific basis to corroborate suspected
adverse health or environmental effects of chemicals already under
review by EPA. The information is also useful to identify trends of
adverse effects across the industry that may not be apparent to any one
chemical company. This information collection addresses the reporting
and recordkeeping provisions described above. Responses to the
collection of information are mandatory (see 40 CFR part 717).
Respondents may claim all or part of a notice confidential. EPA will
disclose information that is covered by a claim of confidentiality only
to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with, the procedures in
TSCA section 14 and 40 CFR part 2.
Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to range between
approximately 1 minute and 8 hours per response. Burden means the total
time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate,
maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a
Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions;
develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the
purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying information,
processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing
information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously
applicable instructions and requirements which have subsequently
changed; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of
information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of
information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
The ICR provides a detailed explanation of this estimate, which is
only briefly summarized here:
Estimated total number of potential respondents: 13,951.
Frequency of response: Annual.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent:
1.1.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 23,650 hours.
Estimated total annual costs: $1,562,535. This includes an
estimated burden cost of $ 0 and an estimated cost
[[Page 66063]]
of $ 0 for capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.
IV. Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?
There is an increase of 114 hours in the total estimated respondent
burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by
OMB. This increase reflects EPA's estimate of a greater number of
potential respondents affected by the reporting requirement. This
change is an adjustment.
V. What is the next step in the process for this ICR?
EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. EPA will issue another
Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce
the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit
additional comments to OMB. If you have any questions about this ICR or
the approval process, please contact the technical person listed under
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Dated: October 5, 2011.
Stephen A. Owens,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2011-27612 Filed 10-24-11; 8:45 am]
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