[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 121 (Thursday, June 25, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30290-30292]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14995]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0073, FRL-8923-2]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Distribution of Offsite Consequence Analysis
Information Under Section 112(r)(7)(H) of the Clean Air Act (CAA). EPA
ICR No. 1981.04, OMB Control No. 2050-0172
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 EPA is planning to
submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is
scheduled to expire on January 31, 2010. 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 24, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2003-0073 by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: [email protected].
Fax: (202) 566-9744.
Mail: Air Docket, Environmental Protection Agency,
Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Hand Delivery: Docket Center, EPA West Bldg, Room 3334,
1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington DC 20460. Such deliveries are
only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and
special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed
information.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2003-0073. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included
in the public docket without change and may be made available online at
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site
is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of
your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without
going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of
any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public
docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sicy Jacob, Office of Emergency
Management, Mail Code 5104A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202)
564-8019; fax number: (202) 564-2620; e-mail address:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0073, which is available for online viewing at
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air Docket in
the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC 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 Air Docket is 202-566-9744.
Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the
index listing of the contents of the 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 in this document.
What Information Is EPA Particularly Interested in?
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically
solicits comments and information to enable it 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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.
[[Page 30291]]
What Should I Consider When I Prepare My Comments for EPA?
You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your
comments:
1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific
examples.
2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used
that support your views.
4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified
under DATES.
7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page
of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal
Register citation.
What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?
Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0073.
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
States, local agencies and members of the public.
Title: Distribution of Offsite Consequence Analysis Information
under Section 112(r)(7)(H) of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
ICR number: EPA ICR No. 1981.04, OMB Control No. 2050-0172.
ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on January
31, 2010. 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: This ICR is the renewal of the ICR developed for the
final rule, Accidental Release Prevention Requirements; Risk Management
Programs Under the Clean Air Act Section 112(r)(7); Distribution of
Off-Site Consequence Analysis Information. CAA section 112(r)(7)
required EPA to promulgate reasonable regulations and appropriate
guidance to provide for the prevention and detection of accidental
releases and for responses to such releases. The regulations include
requirements for submittal of a risk management plan (RMP) to EPA. The
RMP includes information on offsite consequence analyses (OCA) as well
as other elements of the risk management program.
On August 5, 1999, the President signed the Chemical Safety
Information, Site Security, and Fuels Regulatory Relief Act
(CSISSFRRA). The Act required the President to promulgate regulations
on the distribution of OCA information (CAA section 112(r)(7)(H)(ii)).
The President delegated to EPA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) the
responsibility to promulgate regulations to govern the dissemination of
OCA information to the public. The final rule was published on August
4, 2000 (65 FR 48108). The regulations imposed minimal requirements on
the public, state and local agencies that request OCA data from EPA.
The state and local agencies who decide to obtain OCA information must
send a written request on their official letterhead to EPA certifying
that they are covered persons under Public Law 106-40, and that they
will use the information for official use only. EPA will then provide
OCA data to those agencies as requested. The rule authorizes and
encourages state and local agencies to set up reading rooms. The local
reading rooms would provide read-only access to OCA information for all
the sources in the LEPC's jurisdiction and for any source where the
vulnerable zone extends into the LEPC's jurisdiction.
Members of the public requesting to view OCA information at federal
reading rooms would be required to sign in and self certify. If asking
for OCA information from federal reading rooms for the facilities in
the area where they live or work, they would be required to provide
proof that they live or work in that area. Members of the public are
required to give their names, telephone number, and the names of the
facilities for which OCA information is being requested, when they
contact the central office to schedule an appointment to view OCA
information.
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 and 48 CFR chapter 15.
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: The burden and costs stated below are from the
current approved ICR. EPA estimates a total of 3,270 hours (annually)
for local agencies requesting OCA data from EPA and providing read-only
access to the public. For the state agencies, the total annual burden
for requesting OCA data from EPA and providing read-only access to the
public is 3,816 hours. For the public to display photo identification,
sign a sign-in sheet, certify that the individual has not received
access to OCA information for more than 10 stationary sources for that
calendar month, and to request information from the vulnerable zone
indicator system (VZIS), EPA estimates a total of 8,754 hours annually.
The total burden for the members of the public, state and local
agencies is 15,840 hours and $413,380 annually (47,520 hours for three
years and $1,240,140).
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:
Respondents/Affected Entities: State and local agencies; members of
the public.
[[Page 30292]]
Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,975.
Frequency of Response: One.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 9,595.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $296,603.
What Is the Next Step in the Process for This ICR?
EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any
questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Dated: June 9, 2009.
Deborah Y. Dietrich,
Director, Office of Emergency Management.
[FR Doc. E9-14995 Filed 6-24-09; 8:45 am]
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