[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 245 (Thursday, December 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67016-67017]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32238]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5667-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Trade Secrets Claims for Emergency Planning 
and Community Right-To-Know Information

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this notice announces that the following Information 
Collection Requests (ICR) have been forwarded to

[[Page 67017]]

the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: 
Trade Secret Claims for Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know 
Information, ``OMB Control #2050-0078, EPA ICR # 1428.04, expiring 02/
28/97. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and 
its expected burden and cost; where appropriate, it includes the actual 
data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 21, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY CALL: Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-
2740, and refer to EPA ICR No. 1428.04.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Trade Secret Claims for Emergency Planning and Community 
Right-to-Know Information (OMB Control #2050-0078) expiring 02/28/97. 
This is a request for extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Section 322 of Title III allows a facility to withhold 
the specific chemical identity from Title III reports required under 
Sections 302, 304, 311, 312 and 313 of the statute, if the facility 
asserts a claim of trade secrecy for that chemical identity. The 
provision establishes the requirements and procedures that facilities 
must follow to request trade secrecy treatment of chemical identities, 
as well as the procedures for submitting public petitions to the Agency 
for review of the sufficiency of trade secrecy claims.
    Congress's intent in writing trade secrecy provisions under Title 
III was to balance industry's concern with the protection of legitimate 
trade secrets with communities' right-to-know chemical identification 
information, by establishing procedures for asserting claims, for the 
public to obtain review of their validity, and for an Agency claim 
review process which eliminates legally invalid and frivolous claims.
    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 are listed in 40 CFR Part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15. The 
Federal Register Notice required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on September 
30, 1996 (FRL-5618-6); Zero comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 26.7 
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; 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: 324 annually.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 324 annually.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 8,641 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $452,535.
    Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the 
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods 
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 1428.04, and OMB Control No. 2050-0078 in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OPPE Regulatory 
Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460;
    and
    Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA 725 17th Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: December 16, 1996.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 96-32238 Filed 12-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P