Agency Information Collection Activities Up For Renewal

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5258-2]

Agency Information Collection Activities Up For Renewal

AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501

et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request

(ICR)

[[Page 36139]]

listed below is coming up for renewal. Before submitting the renewal

package to the Office of Management and Budget, EPA is soliciting

comments on specific aspects of the collection as described.

DATES: EPA requests comments by no later than September 11, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Call the Acid Rain Hotline (202/233-9620), or

Kenon Smith (202/233-9164). Send written comments (in duplicate)

regarding these burden estimates or any other aspect of this

information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden,

to Kenon Smith, 401 M Street, SW., 6204J, Washington, DC 20460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Acid Rain Program ICR; OMB Control

Numbers: 2060-0258 and 2060-0221.

Abstract: The Acid Rain Program was established under Title IV of

the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. 40 CFR part 72 et seq. The program

calls for major reductions of the pollutants that cause acid rain while

establishing a new approach to environmental management.

Emissions monitoring and reporting is the foundation upon which the

allowance trading system is based. Without accurate monitoring,

recordkeeping, and reporting of emissions, the integrity and efficiency

of the allowance system would be undermined. There would be no

assurance that emissions had been reduced and economic benefits of a

market-based system could not be realized.

The total public reporting burden for the regulations implementing

the ARP was estimated in the Agency's initial ICR (2060-0221 and 2060-

0258) at 1,880,959 hours distributed over approximately 2007

respondents affected by this rule. In order to obtain a permit, the

public reporting burden to develop a permit application and compliance

plan including certification of a designated representative is

estimated at 370 hours per application. For tracking and transferring

allowances, the public reporting burden to complete and submit an

allowance tracking system general account application (if necessary)

and an allowance transfer form is estimated to average 30 hours and 2

hours, respectively. The burden for assembling and submitting an

application to obtain allowances from the conservation and renewable

energy reserve is estimated to average 80 hours per application. To

meet the emissions monitoring requirements, the public reporting burden

is estimated to average 40 hours per report per plant for preparing and

submitting quarterly emissions data reports, and 20 hours per plant for

submitting a one-time monitoring plan. A burden on the voluntary small

diesel refineries program is estimated to be 270 hours for the entire

industry. The opt-in program carries an estimated reporting burden

averaging 80 hours per response and an annual recordkeeping burden

averaging 2 hours per respondent. Finally, for auctions and direct

sales, the estimated burden for submitting a bid or application is

approximately 5 hours. All these burden estimates include time for

reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and

maintaining the necessary data, and completing the collection of

information.

In addition to the above requirements, affected sources must meet

the annual compliance certification requirements; the public burden for

this annual year-end reporting is estimated at 8,416 hours, which

includes the submission of detailed information on plant operations,

such as utilization data and dispatch system information. These

estimates for compliance reporting are not included in the above total

burden estimates which are already in the existing ICR.

The information collection requirements and detailed information on

the burden estimates contained in the ICR document (Jan. 11, 1993) are

available for viewing at Air Docket No. A-91-43. The EPA would like to

elicit comments 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 shall have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of

the proposed collection of information;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to

be collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those

who are to respond, including through the use of automated collection

techniques or other forms of information technology.

Dated: June 28, 1995.

Janice Wagner,

Acting Director, Acid Rain Division.

[FR Doc. 95-17209 Filed 7-12-95; 8:45 am]

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