[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 149 (Wednesday, August 5, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39072-39073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-18694]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2008-0504; FRL-8940-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Notification of Chemical 
Exports--TSCA Section 12(b); EPA ICR No. 0795.13, OMB No. 2070-0030

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, entitled: ``Notification of Chemical 
Exports--TSCA section 12(b),'' (EPA ICR No. 0795.13, OMB No. 2070-
0030). 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 4, 
2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2008-0504 to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by e-mail to [email protected] 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: [email protected].

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 March 6, 2009 (74 FR 9815), EPA sought comments on this 
renewal ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments 
during the comment period. Any additional comments related to this 
renewal 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-2008-0504, 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.
    EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted 
electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing 
in 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. 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 http://www.regulations.gov. 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 http://www.regulations.gov. For further information 
about the electronic docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Title: Notification of Chemical Exports--TSCA section 12(b).
    ICR Status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on November 
30, 2009. 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 12(b) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) 
states, in part, that any person who exports or intends to export to a 
foreign country a chemical substance or mixture for which submission of 
data is required under TSCA section 4 or 5(b), or for which a rule, 
action or order has been proposed or promulgated under TSCA section 5, 
6, or 7, shall notify the EPA Administrator of such export or intent to 
export. The Administrator in turn will notify the government of the 
importing country of EPA's regulatory action with respect to the 
substance.
    The rule codified at 40 CFR part 707, subpart D requires exporters 
to submit an annual notice for each country to which a chemical subject 
to TSCA section 12(b) requirements is exported. In addition, exporters 
of chemicals subject to TSCA section 4 test rules are allowed to submit 
a one-time notice to EPA for the export of a TSCA section 4 chemical to 
each particular country, instead of providing annual notification.
    The export notice must include five easily ascertainable items: the 
name and address of the exporter, the name of the chemical, the country 
of import, the date of export or intended export, and the section of 
TSCA under which EPA has taken action (section 4, 5, 6 or 7). There are 
currently over 1,000 substances or categories of substances that have 
been regulated or proposed to be regulated under the applicable 
sections of TSCA.
    Responses to this collection of information are mandatory. 
Respondents may claim all or part of a

[[Page 39073]]

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 burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to be about 1.18 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 export from the United States to foreign 
countries, or that engage in wholesale sales of, chemical substances or 
mixtures.
    Frequency of Collection: Annual, on occasion.
    Estimated Average Number of Responses for Each Respondent: 1.
    Estimated No. of Annual Responses: 4,100.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,850 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Costs: $264,255.
    Changes in Burden Estimates: There is a decrease of 2,700 hours 
(from 7,550 hours to 4,850 hours) in the total estimated respondent 
burden compared with that identified in the information collection last 
approved by OMB. This decrease represents the net effect of a decrease 
in the estimated number of notices sent to EPA and a decrease in the 
number of firms sending notices, based on EPA's recent experience with 
TSCA section 12(b) notices.

    Dated: July 30, 2009.
John Moses,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E9-18694 Filed 8-4-09; 8:45 am]
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