Agency Information Collection Activities

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5306-5]

Agency Information Collection Activities

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 notice announces that EPA is planning to submit the

following proposed and/or continuing Information Collection Requests

(ICRs) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Before submitting

the ICRs to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on

specific aspects of the proposed information collections as described

below.

[[Page 50575]]

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 28, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office,

Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, 401 M Street SW., Washington DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Vanessa Rodriguez, Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention

Office. (202) 260-7913.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are

those which may petition EPA to modify, by addition or deletion, the

list of regulated substances under section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act

of 1990 as Amended (CAA or the Act). Any person may petition EPA to

modify, by addition or deletion, the list of regulated substances.

Potential petitioners are likely to include environmental groups,

industries producing, using, or storing listed regulated substances,

and state and local agencies.

Title: Information Requirements For Petitions to Modify The List of

Regulated Substances Under Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act, as

Amended.

Abstract: This information collection addresses the requirements

for submitting petitions to modify the list of regulated substances

under section 112(r) of the CAA. CAA section 112(r) requires EPA to

promulgate a list of at least 100 substances (``regulated substances'')

that are known to cause, or may be reasonably anticipated to cause,

death, injury, or serious adverse effects to human health or the

environment. EPA is also required to set threshold quantities for each

listed substance. The list and threshold quantities will determine the

need for owners and operators of facilities to comply with subsequent

regulations addressing the prevention and detection of accidental

releases. The act also requires the Agency to develop procedures for

the addition and deletion of substances from the list. Accordingly, EPA

has published a list of regulated substances and threshold quantities

and also the requirements for the petition process that will be used to

add or delete chemicals from the final list.

The listing rule requires the petitioner to submit information in

support of a petition to modify the list of regulated substances. The

petitioner must provide EPA with sufficient information to specifically

support the request to add or delete a substance from the list of

regulated substances. The Agency will use this information in making

the decision to grant or deny a petition. The information collection

addresses the burden of collecting and submitting supporting

information in accordance with EPA's proposed petition process.

Information will be collected on a voluntary basis, and all the

information collected requesting modification of the substance listings

will be stored in a docket created for that purpose.

This information collection is authorized under CAA section 112(r),

42 U.S.C. 7412(r). CAA section 112(r)(3) states, in relevant part,

``The Administrator shall establish procedures for the addition and

deletion of substances from the list established under this paragraph

consistent with those applicable to the list in subsection (b).'' The

information collected during the petition process will provide the

primary basis for EPA to determine if it is appropriate to add or

delete the substance from the list. To be consistent with the petition

process under CAA section 112(b), EPA is required to consider and

respond to petitions to modify the list of regulated substances for

accidental release prevention within 18 months of submission of the

petition; complete data supporting the petition are necessary to allow

EPA to complete its review within that time period. 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.

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: Public reporting for this collection of

information in the petition process is estimated to be approximately

138 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions,

searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data

needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. EPA

estimates that there will be an average of 11 petitions per year. The

total annual burden is estimated to be 1,518 hours, (138 hours x 11

petitions). This estimate 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.

Dated: September 25, 1995.

James Makris,

Director, Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention Office.

[FR Doc. 95-24276 Filed 9-28-95; 8:45 am]

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