[Federal Register: August 24, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 164)]
[Notices]
[Page 48633-48634]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24au07-58]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-0807; FRL-8459-4]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Request for Contractor Access to
TSCA Confidential Business Information (CBI); EPA ICR No. 1250.08, OMB
No. 2070-0075
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. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the
nature of the information collection activity and its expected burden
and costs.
DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before September 24,
2007.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2006-0807 to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by e-mail to oppt.ncic@epa.gov or by mail to:
Document Control Office (DCO), Office of Pollution Prevention and
Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 7407T, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB at: 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: Barbara Cunningham, Director,
Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and
Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 7408-M, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-
554-1404; e-mail address: TSCA-Hotline@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 November 9, 2006 (71 FR 65809), EPA sought comments on this
renewal ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments
during the comment period. Any additional
[[Page 48634]]
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-OPPT-2006-0807, which is available for online viewing at
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person inspection at the OPPT Docket
in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center 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 Pollution Prevention and
Toxics Docket is 202-566-0280. Use http://www.regulations.gov 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.
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: Request for Contractor Access to TSCA Confidential Business
Information (CBI).
ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1250.08, OMB Control No. 2070-0075.
ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2007.
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: EPA procures contract support to facilitate the
performance of certain duties. As authorized by section 14 of TSCA,
certain employees of companies working under contract to EPA require
access to TSCA confidential business information collected under the
authority of TSCA in order to perform their official duties. Each
contractor employee who will use TSCA CBI in the performance of his or
her duties must be authorized for access to TSCA CBI through a multi-
step process. The TSCA CBI Protection Manual provides Federal and
contractor employees with guidelines and operating procedures for
handling TSCA CBI while performing their official duties, as well as
the procedures to obtain authorization for access to TSCA CBI. The
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), which is responsible
for maintaining the security of TSCA confidential business information,
requires that all individuals desiring access to TSCA CBI obtain and
annually renew official clearance to TSCA CBI. As part of the process
for obtaining TSCA CBI clearance, OPPT requires certain information
about the contracting company and about each contractor employee
requesting TSCA CBI clearance, primarily the name, EPA badge number or
other identification of the employee, the type of TSCA CBI clearance
requested and the justification for such clearance, and the signature
of the employee to an agreement with respect to access to and use of
TSCA CBI. For purposes of this information collection, contractor
personnel must complete and submit EPA Form 7740-6, titled ``TSCA CBI
Access Request, Agreement, and Approval''.
Responses to the collection of information are required in order
for a contractor employee to obtain clearance to access TSCA CBI. EPA
will observe strict confidentiality precautions with respect to the
information collected on individual employees, based on the Privacy Act
of 1974, as outlined in the ICR and in the collection instrument.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.6
hours 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; 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 companies under contract to the Environmental
Protection Agency to provide certain services, whose employees must
have access to TSCA confidential business information to perform their
duties.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Estimated Average Number of Responses for Each Respondent: 10.
Estimated No. of Respondents: 28.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 446 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Costs: $20,466.
Changes in Burden Estimates: This request reflects an increase of
31 hours (from 415 hours to 446 hours) in the total estimated
respondent burden from that currently in the OMB inventory. This
increase represents an increase in the number of contractor employees
that need clearance. The change is an adjustment.
Dated: August 16, 2007.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E7-16818 Filed 8-23-07; 8:45 am]
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