[Federal Register: April 19, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 75)]
[Notices]
[Page 20870-20871]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19ap04-58]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[UST-2004-0001, FRL-7649-4]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Underground Storage Tanks: Technical and Financial
Requirements, and State Program Approval Procedures, EPA ICR Number
1360.07, OMB Control Number 2050-0068
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 EPA is planning to submit a
continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an existing
approved collection which is scheduled to expire on October 31, 2004.
Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is
soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information
collection as described below.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 18, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number UST-2004-
0001 to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to
rcra-docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental
Protection Agency, Underground Storage Tank (UST) Docket, Mail Code
5305T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sammy Ng, Office of Underground
Storage Tanks, Mail Code 5401G, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703)
603-9900; fax number: (703) 603-0175; e-mail address: ng.sammy@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this
ICR under Docket ID number UST-2004-0001 which is available for public
viewing at the UST Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West,
Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., 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 UST
Docket is (202) 566-0270. An electronic version of the public docket is
available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket.
Use EDOCKET to obtain a copy of the draft collection of information,
submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the
contents of the public docket, and 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 within
60 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, 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.
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
those facilities that own and operate underground storage tanks (USTs)
and those States that implement the UST programs.
Title: ``Underground Storage Tanks: Technical and Financial
Requirements, and State Program Approval Procedures.''
Abstract: Subtitle I of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA), as amended, requires that EPA develop standards for UST
systems, as may be necessary, to protect human health and the
environment, and procedures for approving State programs in lieu of the
Federal program. EPA promulgated technical and financial requirements
for owners and operators of USTs at 40 CFR part 280, and State program
approval procedures at 40 CFR part 281. This ICR is a comprehensive
presentation of all information collection requirements contained at 40
CFR parts 280 and 281.
The data collected for new and existing UST system operations and
financial requirements are used by
[[Page 20871]]
owners and operators and/or EPA or the implementing agency to monitor
results of testing, inspections, and operation of UST systems, as well
as to demonstrate compliance with regulations. EPA believes strongly
that if the minimum requirements specified under the regulations are
not met, neither the facilities nor EPA can ensure that UST systems are
being managed in a manner protective of human health and the
environment.
EPA uses State program applications to determine whether to approve
a State program. Before granting approval, EPA must determine that
programs will be no less stringent than the Federal program and contain
adequate enforcement mechanisms.
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.
The EPA would like to solicit comments to:
(i) 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;
(ii) evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden
of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
to be collected; and
(iv) 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.
Burden Statement: EPA estimates the total annual respondent burden
for all activities covered in this proposed ICR to be 6,814,362 hours.
The total annual respondent cost burden is estimated to be $713,330,054
($369,823,007 in labor costs; $80,250,656 in capital/startup costs; and
$263,256,390 in operation and maintenance costs). The Agency estimates
the average total annual number of respondents will be 254,668 (i.e.,
254,666 UST facilities and two States) and the frequency of their
response will depend upon the individual reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Based on this analysis, the public reporting burden for UST
facilities is estimated to average 15 hours per respondent per year.
This estimate includes time for preparing and submitting notices,
preparing and submitting demonstrations and applications, reporting
releases, gathering information, and preparing and submitting reports.
The recordkeeping burden for UST facilities is estimated to average 12
hours per respondent per year. This estimate includes time for
gathering information and for developing and maintaining records.
For States applying for program approval, the reporting burden is
estimated to average 13 hours per respondent per year. This estimate
includes time for preparing and submitting an application and
associated information. The recordkeeping burden is estimated to
average 15 hours per respondent per year. This estimate includes time
for maintaining application files.
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.
Dated: April 6, 2004.
Cliff Rothenstein,
Director, Office of Underground Storage Tanks.
[FR Doc. 04-8796 Filed 4-16-04; 8:45 am]
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