[Federal Register: November 24, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 226)]
[Notices]
[Page 68349-68350]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24no04-72]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OAR-2004-0082, FRL-7841-7]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping
Requirements Under EPA's Natural Gas STAR Program (Renewal), ICR Number
1736.04, OMB Number 2060-0328
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 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. This ICR is scheduled to expire on November 30,
2004. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or
sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending
at OMB. This ICR describes the nature of the information collection and
its estimated burden and cost.
DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before December 27,
2004.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OAR-2004-
0082, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by E-mail to
a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: Environmental Protection Agency,
EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Air and Radiation Docket and Information
Center, MC 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Tingley, Natural Gas STAR
Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 6207J, 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202)
343-9086; fax number: (202) 343-2208; e-mail address:
tingley.kevin@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 June 29, 2004 (69 FR 38893), EPA sought comments on this
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments.
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. OAR-2004-0082, which is available for public viewing at the Air and
Radiation Docket and Information Center in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/
DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington,
DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 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 Air and Radiation Docket and Information
Center is (202) 566-1742. An electronic version of the public docket is
available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket.
Use EDOCKET to submit or view public comments, access the index listing
of the contents of the public docket, and to access those documents in
the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the
system, select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number identified
above.
Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB
within 30 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments,
whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available
for public viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change,
unless the comment contains copyrighted material, confidential business
information (CBI), or other information whose public disclosure is
restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment containing
copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that material in
the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The entire
printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be available
in the public docket. Although identified as an item in the official
docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise
restricted by statute, is not included in the official public docket,
and will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET. For further
information about the electronic docket, see EPA's Federal Register
notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002),
or go to http://www.epa.gov/edocket.
Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Under EPA's Natural
Gas STAR Program (Renewal).
Abstract: Natural Gas STAR is an EPA-sponsored, voluntary program
that encourages natural gas companies to adopt cost effective methods
for reducing methane emissions. Natural Gas STAR Partners agree to
implement cost-effective Best Management Practices, which will save
participants money and improve environmental quality. EPA needs to
collect information to establish program participation and to obtain
general information on new Natural Gas STAR Partners. EPA also uses the
information collection to evaluate a Partner's progress and
performance, assess overall program results, and develop technical
guidance documents for the benefit of the industry. Information
collection is accomplished through the use of an annual reporting
process that allows companies to report their accomplishments in either
a traditional hard-copy format or electronically. Participation in
Natural Gas STAR is voluntary. Natural Gas STAR Partners may designate
information submitted under this ICR as confidential business
information. EPA will treat all such information as confidential
business information and will not make the company or agency-specific
information collected under this ICR available to the general public.
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, and are
identified on the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
OMB has requested that EPA determine the extent to which reductions
reported to the Natural Gas STAR Program would have occurred in the
absence of the program. EPA has performed a sensitivity analysis in
order to address this issue. Details are provided in the Supporting
Statement for this notice.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 44
hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial
resources expended
[[Page 68350]]
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: Natural Gas Companies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 108.
Frequency of Response: Varies.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 4,705.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $402,162, which includes $0 annualized
capital/startup costs, $21 annual O&M costs, and $402,141 annual labor
costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 646 hours in the
total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of
Approved ICR Burdens. This increase is due to an increased number of
program participants, but is tempered by a reduction in the amount of
time spent filling out and submitting the annual report due to the
introduction of on-line reporting in 2002.
Dated: November 17, 2004.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 04-26079 Filed 11-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P