[Federal Register: June 14, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 113)]
[Notices]
[Page 34470-34472]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14jn05-63]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OAR-2002-0073, FRL-7923-8]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Recordkeeping and Periodic Reporting of the
Production, Import, Export, Recycling, Destruction, Transhipment, and
Feedstock Use of Ozone-Depleting Substances, EPA ICR Number 1432.25,
OMB Control Number 2060-0170
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
[[Page 34471]]
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
renewal continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an existing
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on August 31,
2005. 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 August 15, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OAR-2002-
0073, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to
a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental
Protection Agency, Air Docket, Mail Code 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave.,
NW., Washington, DC 20460.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kirsten M. Cappel, Office of
Atmospheric Programs, Stratospheric Protection Division, Mail Code
6205J, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20460; telephone (202) 343-9556, facsimile (202) 343-
2338, e-mail: cappel.kirsten@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this
ICR under Docket ID number OAR-2002-0073, which is available for public
viewing at the EPA Air 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 EPA Air Docket 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 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 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 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, 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.
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
those that produce, import, export, destroy, transform as a feedstock,
distribute, or apply controlled ozone depleting substances (ODS).
Title: Recordkeeping and Periodic Reporting of the Production,
Import, Export, Recycling, Destruction, Transhipment, and Feedstock Use
of Ozone-Depleting Substances, EPA ICR Number 1432.25; OMB Control
Number 2060-0170.
Abstract: The international treaty The Montreal Protocol on
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Protocol) and Title VI of the
Clean Air Act (CAA) established limits on total U.S. production,
import, and export of class I and class II controlled ODS. Under its
Protocol commitments, the United States is obliged to cease production
and import of class I controlled substances with exemptions for
essential uses, critical uses, previously used material, and material
that will transformed, destroyed, or exported to developing countries.
The Protocol also establishes limits and reduction schedules leading to
the eventual phaseout of class II controlled substances with similar
exemptions beyond the phaseout. Additionally, the CAA has its own
limits on production and consumption of controlled substances that EPA
must adhere to and enforce.
To ensure the United States's compliance with the limits and
restrictions established by the Protocol and the CAA, the ODS phaseout
regulations establish control measures for individual companies. The
limits and restrictions for individual United States companies are
monitored by EPA through the recordkeeping and reporting requirements
established in the regulations stated in 40 CFR part 82, subpart A. To
submit required information, regulated entities can download reporting
forms from EPA's stratospheric ozone Web site (http://www.epa.gov/ozone/record.index.html
), complete them, and then send them to EPA via
U.S. Mail or fax. Upon receipt of the reports, the data is entered and
subsequently stored in the Stratospheric Protection Tracking System
(Tracking System). The Tracking System is a secure database that
maintains all of the data that is submitted to EPA and allows the
Agency to: (1) Maintain control over total production and consumption
of controlled substances to satisfy conditions of the CAA and fulfill
the United States's obligations under the Protocol; (2) monitor
compliance with limits and restrictions on production, imports,
exports, and specific exemptions to the phaseout for individual U.S.
companies; and (3) enforce against illegal imports and violations
related to the control of class I and class II substances.
Additionally, reporting on the exemptions permits an entity to retain
the benefit of being able to produce or import a controlled class I ODS
beyond the date of complete phaseout.
EPA is developing an electronic reporting system through the
Agency's Central Data Exchange (CDX) that will allow regulated entities
to download, complete, and submit reports electronically. Electronic
reporting is expected to make the reporting process more effective and
efficient for reporting companies and EPA. When electronic reporting
becomes available, EPA will change its guidance document and its ICR to
indicate a reduction in burden hours.
Pursuant to regulations 40 CFR part 2, part B, reporting businesses
are entitled to assert a business confidentiality claim covering any
part of the submitted business information as defined in 40 CFR
2.201(c).
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.
EPA would like to solicit comments to:
(i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the
[[Page 34472]]
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 requests comments on the following estimated
burden hours and costs adapted from ICR number 1432.22. EPA may revise
the calculations based on recently submitted class I and class II data
to more accurately reflect implementation of the ODS phaseout.
Recordkeeping and reporting requirements for class I ODS may have
decreased over time as the phaseout of controlled ODS has matured.
The accelerated phaseout rule for ODS requires respondents to
submit reports to the Agency and maintain records. The estimated total
number of respondents is 253 and the frequency of responses is
quarterly and/or annually. The total burden hours is estimated to be
about 5,553. Operating and maintenance (O&M) costs include file
storage, photocopying, and storage, and postage. They also include the
general upkeep of start-up capital equipment, as well as any purchase
of services such as contractor or auditing services. O&M costs are
estimated at $3,032 for the accelerated phaseout rule for ODS. The
burden hours and costs are as follows: (a) Respondent's annual burden
hours, $6,876; (b) Respondent's annual labor costs, $536,328; (c)
Respondent's capital/start-up costs (ICR renewal notice), $0; (d)
Respondent's O&M costs, $3,032; (e) Agency's annual burden hours,
$2,159; (f) Agency's annual labor costs, $102,125.
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: June 5, 2005.
Drusilla Hufford,
Director, Stratospheric Protection Division, Office of Air and
Radiation.
[FR Doc. 05-11716 Filed 6-13-05; 8:45 am]
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