[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8335-8338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3694]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8808-1]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Renewal of
Several Currently Approved Collections; Comment Request
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 requests to renew several currently approved Information
Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The ICRs are specifically identified in this document by their
corresponding titles, EPA ICR numbers, OMB Control numbers, and related
docket identification (ID) numbers. Before submitting these ICRs to OMB
for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects
of the information collection activities.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 26, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by the docket ID number for
the corresponding ICR as identified in this document, by one of the
following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public
Docket (7502P), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
Delivery: OPP Regulatory Public Docket (7502P),
Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South
Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. Deliveries are only
accepted during the Docket Facility's normal hours of operation (8:30
a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays).
Special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed
information. The
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Docket Facility telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
Instructions: Direct your comments to the docket ID number for the
corresponding ICR as identified in this document. EPA's policy is that
all comments received will be included in the docket without change and
may be made available on-line 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 regulations.gov or e-mail. The regulations.gov website 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 regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is
placed in the 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.
Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index
available in http://www.regulations.gov. Although listed in the index,
some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other
material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet
and will be publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly
available docket materials are available either in the electronic
docket at http://www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in hard
copy, at the OPP Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S-4400, One Potomac
Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. The hours of
operation of this Docket Facility are from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday
through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The Docket Facility telephone
number is (703) 305-5805.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions regarding EPA Docket ID
Number EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0885: Rame Cromwell, Field and External Affairs
Division (7506P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number: (703) 308-9068; fax number: (703) 305-5884; e-
mail address: [email protected].
For questions regarding EPA Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0886:
Cameo Smoot, Field and External Affairs Division (7506P), Office of
Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 305-5454;
fax number: (703) 305-5884; e-mail address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. What Information is EPA Particularly Interested in?
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of PRA, EPA specifically solicits
comments and information to enable it to:
1. 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.
2. Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimates of the burden of
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used.
3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected.
4. 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.
II. 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. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.
6. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
7. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified
under DATES.
8. 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.
III. What Do I Need to Know About PRA?
An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information subject to PRA approval
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB
control numbers for EPA's regulations in title 40 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR), after appearing in the preamble of the final
rule, are further displayed either by publication in the Federal
Register or by other appropriate means, such as on the related
collection instruments or form, if applicable. The display of OMB
control numbers for certain EPA regulations is consolidated in a list
at 40 CFR 9.1.
Under PRA, 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.
IV. Which ICRs Are Being Renewed?
EPA is planning to submit a number of currently approved ICRs to
OMB for review and approval under PRA. In addition to specifically
identifying the ICRs by title and corresponding ICR, OMB and docket ID
numbers, this unit provides a brief summary of the information
collection activity and the Agency's estimated burden. The Supporting
Statement for each ICR, a
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copy of which is available in the corresponding docket, provides a more
detailed explanation.
A. Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0885
Title: Pesticide Registration Fee Waivers.
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2147.04, OMB Control No. 2070-0167.
ICR status: The approval for this ICR is scheduled to expire on
October 31, 2010.
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this ICR
include pesticide registrants seeking a waiver or exemption of fees
under the Pesticide Registration Improvement Renewal Act (PRIA). The
North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes include
325320 (pesticide and other agricultural chemical manufacturing), 32518
(other basic inorganic chemical manufacturing), and 32519 (other basic
organic chemical manufacturing).
Abstract: This information collection will allow EPA to process
requests for waivers and exemptions of fees under the Pesticide
Registration Improvement Renewal Act of 2007 (PRIA 2) which established
section 33 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA). The ICR covers the collection activities associated with
requesting a fee waiver or exemption and involves requesters submitting
a waiver or exemption request to provide information to demonstrate
eligibility for the waiver or exemption and certification of
eligibility. Waivers are available for small businesses and minor uses
and exemptions are available for minor uses and actions solely
associated with the Inter-Regional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4).
State and Federal agencies are exempt from the payment of fees. This
ICR provides burden hour and labor cost estimates for both applicants
for fee waivers and EPA employees who process and approve or deny
waiver requests.
Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 12 to
37 hours per response depending upon the type (A, B, or C) of
respondent. The ICR, a copy of which is available in the docket,
provides a detailed explanation of this estimate, which is only briefly
summarized here:
Estimated total number of potential respondent requests: 1,800.
Frequency of response: As needed.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 5,611 hours.
Estimated total annual costs: $335,328.
Changes in the estimates from the last approval: The renewal of
this ICR will result in an overall decrease of 2,757 hours in the total
estimated respondent burden identified in the currently approved ICR.
This decrease reflects a shift in both the number and type of waiver
requests submitted. The average estimated burden per response has not
changed. However, the total number of responses per year decreased from
389 to 293. In addition, there was a shift in the distribution of
responses to the least-burdensome type, resulting in the lower total
estimated burden. This change is an adjustment.
B. Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0886
Title: Submission of Unreasonable Adverse Effects Information under
FIFRA Section 6(a)(2).
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1204.11, OMB Control No. 2070-0039.
ICR status: The approval for this ICR is scheduled to expire on
October 31, 2010.
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this ICR
include anyone who holds or ever held a registration for a pesticide
product issued under FIFRA section 3 or section 24(c). The NAICS code
is 325320 (pesticide and other agricultural chemical manufacturing).
Abstract: This ICR is a proposed renewal of an existing ICR that is
currently approved by OMB and is due to expire October 31, 2010.
Section 6(a)(2) of FIFRA requires pesticide registrants to submit
information to the Agency which may be relevant to the balancing of the
risks and benefits of a pesticide product.
The statute requires the registrant to submit any factual
information that it acquires regarding adverse effects associated with
its pesticidal products, and it is up to the Agency to determine
whether or not that factual information constitutes an unreasonable
adverse effect. In order to limit the amount of less meaningful
information that might be submitted to the Agency, EPA has limited the
scope of factual information that the registrant must submit. The
Agency's regulations at 40 CFR 159 provide a detailed description of
the reporting obligations of registrants under FIFRA section 6(a)(2).
As expected, implementation of the 1998 final regulations (June 19,
1998; 63 FR 33580) initially resulted in an increase in the number of
incident reports submitted annually. That was assumed to be the result
of increased awareness and understanding on the part of pesticide
registrants of their reporting responsibilities under FIFRA section
6(a)(2). After the first year under the regulations, incident reporting
leveled off and has remained generally consistent. Study submissions,
on the other hand, have gradually decreased as the pesticide re-
registration program data call-in activities wound down. For the
purposes of this renewal the estimate for study and incident
submissions have been averaged for the three fiscal years 2006-2008.
Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average a
range of 2.1 hours to 3.5 hours per response. The ICR, a copy of which
is available in the docket, provides a detailed explanation of this
estimate, which is only briefly summarized here:
Estimated total number of potential respondents: 1,733.
Frequency of response: As needed.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent:
For submission of studies less than 1. Submission of incidents may
range from 1 to 40, however, incidents are usually reported as
aggregate statistics.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 203,236 hours.
Estimated total annual costs: $11,793,027.
Changes in the estimates from the last approval: The renewal of
this ICR will result in an overall increase of 35,920 hours in the
total estimated respondent burden identified in the currently approved
ICR. Total burden hour estimates associated with studies are reduced
because the estimated number of study submissions is reduced from 240
to 183 studies. Burden estimates associated with the number of incident
reports, however, are increased because of the increased volume of
incident reporting (31%). In addition, an increase in the number of
registrants of active products (1,733 versus 1,720) results in the need
for additional employees to be trained. Overall, considering the net
effect of the decrease in studies and the increase in incidents as well
as the change in employee training, the total respondent burden hours
increased from 167,316 to 203,236.
V. What is the Next Step in the Process for These ICRs?
EPA will consider the comments received and amend the individual
ICRs as appropriate. The final ICR packages will then be submitted to
OMB for review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. EPA will issue
another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to
announce the submission of these ICRs to OMB and
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the opportunity for the public to submit additional comments for OMB
consideration. If you have any questions about any of these ICRs or the
approval process in general, please contact the people listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Dated: February 17, 2010.
James Jones,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and
Toxic Substances.
[FR Doc. 2010-3694 Filed 2-23-10; 8:45 am]
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