[Federal Register: May 30, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 103)]
[Notices]
[Page 30675-30676]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30my06-63]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0039; FRL-8175-2]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping
Requirements of the HCFC Allowance System, EPA ICR Number 2014.03, OMB
Control Number 2060-0498
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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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 June 29, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2003-0039, to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by e-mail to: a-and-r-docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA
Docket Center (EPA/DC), Environmental Protection Agency, Docket ID No.
EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0039, Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 6102T, 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, 1200, 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: Cindy Axinn Newberg, 6205J,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-343-9729; fax number: 202-
343-2337; e-mail address: newberg.cindy@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 December 20, 2005, (70 FR 75458), EPA sought comments on
this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received one comment during
the comment period. However, the comment does not pertain to this ICR
or its information collections and therefore no action has been taken
on the comment in relation to the renewal of this 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-OAR-2003-0039, which is available for online viewing at
http://www.regulations.gov, or in-person viewing at the Air and
Radiation Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room
B102, 1301 Constitution Avenue, 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 Air and Radiation Docket
is 202-566-1742.
Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at
http://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 http://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 http://www.regulations.gov.
Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements of the HCFC
Allowance System.
ICR Numbers: 2014.03, OMB Control Number 2060-0498.
ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on June 30, 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, and 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: In order to continue to meet its obligations under the
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Protocol)
and the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA), EPA maintains an
allowance system for class II controlled substances or
hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). Under the Protocol, the U.S. is
obligated to limit HCFC consumption (defined by the Protocol as
production plus imports, minus exports) under a specific cap. The U.S.
is also a signatory to amendments that froze HCFC production on January
1, 2004. EPA controls U.S. production and consumption of HCFCs by
granting baseline allowances based on the historical activity levels of
producers and importers coupled with a chemical-by-chemical phaseout.
Since each allowance equals 1 kilogram of HCFC, EPA can monitor the
quantity of HCFCs being produced, imported, exported, transformed, or
destroyed. There are two types of allowances: consumption allowances
and production allowances. Transfers of production and consumption
allowances among producers and importers are allowed. Producers,
importers, and exporters are required to submit to EPA quarterly
reports of the quantity of HCFCs in each of their transactions; they
are also required to report the quantity of HCFCs transformed or
destroyed. EPA requires all producers, importers, and exporters
maintain records such as Customs entry forms, bills of lading, sales
records, and canceled checks to support their quarterly reports. The
quarterly reports may be faxed or mailed to EPA and soon may be
submitted electronically.
[[Page 30676]]
Reports are handled as confidential business information. EPA stores
the submitted information in a computerized database designed to track
allowance balances and transfer activities. When electronic reporting
is available, EPA will change its guidance document. EPA uses collected
information to ensure that the U.S. maintains compliance with the
Protocol caps, to report annually to United Nations Environment
Programme the U.S. activity in HCFCs, and to ensure that allowance
holders are in compliance. The respondents are producers, importers,
and exporters of HCFCs; and entities granted HCFC-141b exemption
allowances.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information currently estimated to
average less than one hour per response. 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.
The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate,
which is only briefly summarized here:
Estimated total number of potential respondents: 70;
Frequency of response: quarterly, annually, semi-annually, or one-
time only;
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent:
342;
Estimated total annual burden hours: 1632 hours for respondents;
Estimated total annual cost: $138,963, which includes $138,123
labor costs, $0 capital/startup costs, and $840 annual O&M costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 1660 hours in the
total estimated burden and a decrease of $333,234 currently identified
in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. This decrease is due to
adjustments that EPA made in its assumptions, the lack of additional
capital costs necessary to meet the requirements, and certain
inconsistencies found in the previous analysis. The previously approved
ICR estimated 8 hours for a respondent to prepare and submit a report.
This ICR estimates a respondent will need 4.5 hours. The 4.5-hour
estimate is based on recent feedback from respondents under the program
and is therefore more reliable and up-to-date than the eight-hour
estimate. Additionally, in comparison with three years ago, respondents
are more familiar with the reporting requirements and have improved
their processes for collecting and documenting the information
requested. Any capital costs required to comply with the requirements
were met under the previous ICR. Lastly, while developing supporting
materials for this ICR, EPA uncovered and corrected inconsistencies
associated with the previous ICR. Consequently, the burden for the
respondents has been greatly reduced for reporting the information.
The option of electronic reporting imposes a minimal change to
burden estimates because of the start-up hours associated with
electronic reporting that EPA estimates will be required during the
three years of this ICR. While electronic reporting is eventually
expected to reduce the reporting burden for respondents, as well as the
O&M costs, the reduction will not be seen until after this ICR period.
Dated: May 17, 2006.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E6-8302 Filed 5-26-06; 8:45 am]
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