[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4982-4984]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01345]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0572; FRL-10003-00]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Renewal of an
Existing Collection (EPA ICR No. 2517.03 and OMB Control No. 2070-
0194); Comment Request
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this
document announces that EPA is planning to submit an Information
Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The ICR, entitled: ``Chemical-Specific Rules under the Toxic Substances
Control Act Section 8(a); Certain Nanoscale Materials'' and identified
by EPA ICR No. 2517.03 and OMB Control No. 2070-0194, represents the
renewal of an
[[Page 4983]]
existing ICR that is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2020. Before
submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting
comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection
that is summarized in this document. The ICR and accompanying material
are available in the docket for public review and comment.
DATES: Comments must be received March 30, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0572, by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit
electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted
by statute.
Mail: Document Control Office (7407M), Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001.
Hand Delivery: To make special arrangements for hand
delivery or delivery of boxed information, please follow the
instructions at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html.
Additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along
with more information about dockets generally, is available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For technical information contact: Jim Alwood, Chemical Control
Division, Mail Code: 7405M, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics,
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington,
DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-8974; email address:
[email protected].
For general information contact: The TSCA-Hotline, ABVI-Goodwill,
422 South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620; telephone number: (202)
554-1404; email address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. What information is EPA particularly interested in?
Pursuant to PRA section 3506(c)(2)(A) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)),
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 information collection activity or ICR does this action apply
to?
Title: Chemical-Specific Rules under the Toxic Substances Control
Act Section 8(a); Certain Nanoscale Materials.
ICR number: EPA ICR No. 2517.03.
OMB control number: OMB Control No. 2070-0194.
ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on 8/31/2020.
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 Code of Federal Regulations (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 for certain EPA
regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
Abstract: This information collection request (ICR) covers
reporting and recordkeeping requirements for persons who manufacture or
process chemical substances as nanoscale materials and is related to a
final rule issued under the authority of section 8(a) of the Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA). Although approved as an ICR addendum to
revise an existing approved ICR to incorporate reporting and
recordkeeping requirements in the TSCA section 8(a) rule for Certain
Nanoscale Materials (identified under RIN 2070-AJ54), it was not
incorporated into the existing ICR after its approval. As a result, EPA
is seeking to renew the approval of the addendum and will work to
consolidate the ICRs during the next approval time period.
TSCA section 8(a) authorizes EPA to promulgate rules that require
persons who manufacture or process chemical substances and mixtures, or
who propose to manufacture or process chemical substances and mixtures,
to maintain such records and submit such reports to EPA as may be
reasonably required. Information that may be collected under TSCA
section 8(a) includes, but is not limited to, chemical names,
categories of use, production volume, byproducts of chemical
production, existing information on health and environmental effects,
exposure information, and disposal information. This information is
collected by the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) and
may be used by other EPA offices and/or Federal agencies to ensure
knowledge of specific practices that may affect human health and the
environment.
Under TSCA section 8(a), EPA is establishing reporting and
recordkeeping requirements for certain chemical substances as nanoscale
materials. The rule requires that persons who manufacture or process
these nanoscale materials notify EPA of certain information which
includes production volume, methods of manufacture and processing,
exposure and release information, and available health and safety
information. The reporting of these activities will provide EPA with an
opportunity to evaluate the information and consider appropriate action
under TSCA to reduce any risk to human health or the environment. The
information will also inform EPA's assessments of new chemical
nanoscale materials submitted to EPA under TSCA section 5.
EPA's OPPT, other EPA Offices and/or other Federal agencies will
generally be the primary groups for which information will be
collected. However, to the extent that reported information is not
considered to be confidential business information (CBI), environmental
groups, environmental justice advocates, state and local government
entities and other members of the public will have access to this
information for their own use.
The ICR, which is available in the docket along with other related
materials, provides a detailed explanation of the collection activities
and the burden estimate that is only briefly summarized here:
Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by
this ICR are nanomaterial manufacturers and nanomaterial processors.
[[Page 4984]]
Estimated total number of potential respondents: 285 per year.
Frequency of response: On occasion.
Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent:
0.78 per year.
Estimated total annual burden hours: 40,089 hours.
Estimated total annual costs: $3,067,546. This includes an
estimated burden cost of $3,067,546 and an estimated cost of $0 for
capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.
Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average
approximately 121 hours per response. Burden is defined in 5 CFR
1320.3(b).
III. Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?
There is decrease of 26,861 hours in the total estimated respondent
burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by
OMB. This decrease reflects EPA's expectation of decreased submissions.
In the previous ICR period, the rule required an initial one-time
reporting on current nanomaterials, while the reporting covered in this
period only requires the reporting of new nanomaterials. Furthermore,
burden estimates assume that the same manufacturers will report each
year and, therefore, will have already undertaken rule familiarization
in the previous ICR period. Wage rates were also updated to reflect
2018 dollars. This change is an adjustment in estimates.
IV. 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. EPA will issue another
Federal Register document 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.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
Dated: January 17, 2020.
Alexandra Dapolito Dunn,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2020-01345 Filed 1-27-20; 8:45 am]
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