[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 149 (Tuesday, August 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41566-41567]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20773]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6135-1]
Toxic Chemicals; Collection of Economic and Regulatory Support
Data; Submission of ICR No. 1170.06 to OMB; Agency Information
Collection Activities
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of submission to OMB.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request
(ICR) entitled: Collection of Emergency Economic and Regulatory Support
Data: Request for Generic Clearance [EPA ICR No. 1170.06; OMB Control
No. 2070-0034] has been forwarded to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for review and approval pursuant to the OMB procedures in
5 CFR 1320.12. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature
of the information collection and its estimated cost and burden.
The Agency is requesting that OMB renew for 3 years the existing
approval for this ICR, which is scheduled to expire on August 31, 1998.
A Federal Register notice announcing the Agency's intent to seek the
renewal of this ICR and the 60-day public comment opportunity,
requesting comments on the request and the contents of the ICR, was
issued on May 14, 1998 (63 FR 26794). EPA did not receive any comments
on this ICR during the comment period.
DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before September 3,
1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY CONTACT: Sandy Farmer at EPA by phone
on (202) 260-2740, by e-mail: ``[email protected],'' or
download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr/icr.htm and refer
to EPA ICR No. 1170.06.
ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 1170.06 and OMB
Control No. 2070-0034, to the following addresses:
Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Regulatory
Information Division (Mailcode: 2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC
20460
And to:
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20503
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Review Requested: This is a request to renew a currently approved
information collection pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12.
ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1170.06; OMB Control No. 2070-0034.
Current Expiration Date: Current OMB approval expires on August 31,
1998.
Title: Collection of Emergency Economic and Regulatory Support
Data: Request for Generic Clearance.
Abstract: Staff of EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics
(OPPT) are obliged to provide a wide array of analyses in support of
Agency activities. These analyses allow OPPT staff to provide
statistically valid information to assist in the development of
regulations and voluntary activities that minimize costs and maximize
net societal benefits. While some questions can be answered
satisfactorily through information that EPA has in its possession or
through existing secondary sources of data, there are others for which
no relevant sources exist. Moreover, much of the work OPPT does
requires information in a timely manner. Because of various pressures,
the Agency often has to make decisions quickly. The ability for OPPT to
collect information in relatively short periods to support such
decisions is
[[Page 41567]]
essential in ensuring that EPA makes sound decisions.
OPPT is required, through statute, to consider the economic impacts
of actions taken to control the manufacture, distribution, processing,
use, or disposal of chemical substances or mixtures that present
unreasonable risks of injury to human health or the environment. OPPT
uses cost-benefit analyses to determine that a proposed regulatory
action maximizes the net benefits to society when compared to the
alternatives. Given the record regarding the lack of publicly available
information on many chemicals, and other situations that arise during
the course of determining regulatory options, an information collection
activity often is required to collect the needed data. OPPT and other
EPA staff then use these data to evaluate the regulatory options
available, to determine the impact of a specific program, or to develop
non-regulatory, voluntary options.
Responses to this collection of information are voluntary.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated to average 1.5 hours per
response for an estimated 4,000 respondents making one or more
submissions of information. These estimates include 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. No person is required to respond to
a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number. The OMB control numbers for these regulations are
displayed in 40 CFR Part 9.
Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by
this action are persons in the United States who manufacture,
distribute, process, import, use or dispose of chemical substances or
mixtures.
Estimated No. of Respondents: 4,000.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 6,000 hours.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Changes in Burden Estimates
There is no change in the total estimated respondent burden as
compared with that identified in the information collection request
most recently approved by OMB.
According to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12, EPA has
submitted this ICR to OMB for review and approval. Any comments related
to the renewal of this ICR should be submitted within 30 days of this
notice, as described above.
Dated: July 29, 1998.
Richard T. Westlund,
Acting Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 98-20773 Filed 8-3-98; 8:45 am]
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