71 FR 21 pgs. 5315-5316 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Emergency Planning and Release Notification Requirements Under Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act Sections 302, 303, and 304 (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 1395.06, OMB Control Number 2050-0092
Type: NOTICEVolume: 71Number: 21Pages: 5315 - 5316
Docket number: [EPA-HQ-SFUND-2005-0008, FRL-8026-9]
FR document: [FR Doc. E6-1351 Filed 1-31-06; 8:45 am]
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-SFUND-2005-0008, FRL-8026-9]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Emergency Planning and Release Notification Requirements Under Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act Sections 302, 303, and 304 (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 1395.06, OMB Control Number 2050-0092
AGENCY:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. ), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.
DATES:
Additional comments may be submitted on or before March 3, 2006.
ADDRESSES:
Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-SFUND-2005-0008, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by e-mail to superfund.docket@epa.gov , or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Superfund Docket, Mail Code 5305T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB by mail 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sicy Jacob, 5104A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-8019; fax number: 202-564-2620; e-mail address: jacob.sicy@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. On September 12, 2005 (70 FR 53793), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received one comment during the comment period, which is addressed in the ICR. Any additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice.
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-SFUND-2005-0008, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Superfund Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is 202-566-1744, and the telephone number for the Superfund Docket is 202-566-0276.
Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select "docket search," then key in the docket ID number identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing at www.regulations.gov as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic docket, go to www.regulations.gov.
Title: Emergency Planning and Release Notification Requirements under Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act Sections 302, 303, and 304 (Renewal).
ICR number: EPA ICR No. 1395.06, OMB Control No. 2050-0092.
ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on February 28, 2006. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 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 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 in certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
Abstract: The authority for these requirements is sections 302, 303, and 304 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), 1986 (42 U.S.C. 11002, 11003, and 11004). EPCRA established broad emergency planning and facility reporting requirements. Section 302 requires facilities to notify their state emergency response commission (SERC) that the facility is subject to emergency planning. This activity has been completed; this ICR covers only new facilities that are subject to this requirement. Section 303 requires the local emergency planning committees (LEPCs) to prepare emergency plans for facilities that are subject to section 302. This activity has been also completed; this ICR only covers any updates needed for these emergency response plans. Section 304 requires facilities to report to SERCs and LEPCs releases in excess of the reportable quantities listed for each extremely hazardous substance (EHS). This ICR also covers the notification and the written follow-up required under this section.
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 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and are identified on the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
Burden Statement: As explained in the supporting statement, EPA does not expect any new facilities to come into compliance during this ICR period. This ICR only covers periodic reporting or updates of information submitted previously by existing facilities. The average reporting burden for a limited number of existing facilities to inform the LEPC of any changes at the facility that may affect emergency planning is 1.50 hours. The average reporting burden for facilities reporting releases under 40 CFR 355.40 is estimated to average approximately 5 hours per release, including the time for determining if the release is a reportable quantity, notifying the LEPC and SERC, or the 911 operator, and developing and submitting a written follow-up notice. There are no record keeping requirements for facilities under EPCRA Sections 302-304. The total burden to facilities over three years is 229,473 hours at a cost of $11.1 million, and the annual burden to facilities is 76,491 hours $3.7 million.
The average burden for emergency planning activities is 21 hours per plan for LEPCs, and 16 hours per plan for SERCs. Each SERC and LEPC is also estimated to incur an annual record keeping burden of 10 hours. The total burden to SERCs and LEPCs over three years is 320,568 hours at a cost of $8.1 million. The annual LEPC and SERC burden is 106,856 hours and $2.7 million.
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.
Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are those which have a threshold planning quantity of an extremely hazardous substance (EHS) listed in 40 CFR part 355, Appendix A and those which have a release of any of the EHS above a reportable quantity. Entities more likely to be affected by this action may include chemical manufacturers, non-chemical manufacturers, retailers, petroleum refineries, utilities, etc.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 84,815.
Frequency of Response: Occasionally.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 183,347.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $6,428,000, includes $0 annualized capital costs, $27,000 annual OM costs, and $6,401,000 annual labor costs.
Changes in the Estimates: The estimated average annual burden for both the affected facilities and the SERCs and LEPC has decreased from the previous ICR by 29,113 hours. This includes a decrease to facilities from 88,188 hours per year under the previous ICR to 76,491 hours per year under this ICR. The estimated burden to affected facilities has declined from the previous ICR because no new facilities will be subject to the regulations during this ICR period. Therefore, the burden or costs were not calculated for compliance for new facilities. Labor costs have risen for currently covered facilities because we used the most recent wage rates (March 2005). The estimated average burden for SERCs and LEPCs decreased from 124,272 hours to 106,856 hours because the number of plans reviewed by SERCs annually has been reduced based on information from states that indicate that the level of review has declined from the early years of the program.
Dated: January 20, 2006.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E6-1351 Filed 1-31-06; 8:45 am]
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