[Federal Register: December 18, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 242)]
[Notices]
[Page 71685-71686]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18de07-53]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2007-0094; FRL-8508-2]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Pre-Manufacture Review Reporting
and Exemption Requirements for New Chemical Substances and Significant
New Use Reporting Requirements for Chemical Substances; EPA ICR No.
0574.13, OMB No. 2070-0012
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 and its estimated burden and cost.
DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before January 17,
2008.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2007-0094 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 May 9, 2007 (72 FR 26353), EPA sought comments on this
renewal ICR. EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR
1320.8(d). EPA received one non-substantive comment during the comment
period. Any comments related to 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-2007-0094, 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 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, Confidential Business Information (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: Pre-Manufacture Review Reporting and Exemption Requirements
for New Chemical Substances and Significant New Use Reporting
Requirements for Chemical Substances.
ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 0574.13, OMB No. 2070-0012.
ICR Status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on December
31, 2007. 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: Section 5 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
requires manufacturers and importers of new chemical substances to
submit to EPA notice of intent to manufacture or import a new chemical
substance 90 days before manufacture or import begins. EPA reviews the
information contained in the notice to evaluate the health and
environmental effects of the new chemical substance. On the basis of
the review, EPA may take further regulatory action under TSCA, if
warranted. If EPA takes no action within 90 days, the submitter is free
to manufacture or import the new chemical substance without
restriction.
TSCA section 5 also authorizes EPA to issue Significant New Use
Rules (SNURs). EPA uses this authority to take follow-up action on new
or existing chemicals that may present an unreasonable risk to human
health or the environment if used in a manner that may result in
different and/or higher exposures of a chemical to humans or the
environment. Once a use is determined to be a significant new use,
persons must submit a notice to EPA 90 days before beginning
manufacture, processing or importation of a chemical substance for that
use. Such a notice allows EPA to receive and review information on such
a use and, if necessary, regulate the use before it occurs.
Finally, TSCA section 5 also permits applications for exemption
from section 5 review under certain circumstances. An applicant must
provide information sufficient for EPA to make a determination that the
circumstances in question qualify for an exemption. In granting an
exemption, EPA may impose appropriate restrictions. This information
collection addresses the reporting and recordkeeping requirements
associated with TSCA section 5.
Responses to the collection of information are mandatory (see 40
CFR parts 700, 720, 721, 723 and 725). Respondents may claim all or
part of a notice as CBI. EPA will disclose information that is covered
by a CBI claim only to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with,
the procedures in 40 CFR part 2.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is
[[Page 71686]]
estimated to average 100.3 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 that manufacture, process or import chemical
substances.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Estimated No. of Respondents: 443.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 154,322 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Labor Costs: $36,387,880.
Changes in Burden Estimates: There is a decrease of 9,469 hours
(from 163,791 hours to 154,322 hours rounded) in the total estimated
respondent burden compared with that currently in the OMB inventory.
This decrease reflects EPA's experience with the numbers of submissions
since the most recent OMB approval of this collection. The decrease is
an adjustment.
Dated: December 12, 2007.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E7-24515 Filed 12-17-07; 8:45 am]
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