Clean Air Act; Contractor Access to Confidential Business Information

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5614-4]

Clean Air Act; Contractor Access to Confidential Business

Information

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA has contracted with The Bionetics Corporation to provide

assistance in the enforcement of regulatory requirements under the

Clean Air Act until April 30, 2001. Bionetics has been authorized

access to information submitted to the Agency under Clean Air Act

sections 114, 203, 208, 211, 307(a), and 609. Some of the information

may be claimed or determined to be confidential business information.

DATES: This notice is effective September 23, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John C. Connell, Environmental

Protection Specialist, USEPA, 12345 West Alameda Parkway, Suite 214,

Lakewood, Colorado 80228. Telephone: (303) 969-6479. Fax: (303) 969-

6490. Internet mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has authorized access for the Bionetics

Corporation (``Bionetics''), a contractor, to information submitted to

the EPA under sections 114, 203, 208, 211, 307(a), and 609 of the Clean

Air Act (``the Act''). Some of this information may be claimed or

determined to be confidential business information (``CBI''). The

Bionetics contract number is 68-W6-0027, and the Bionetics address is

Tenth Floor, Suite 1000, Harbour Centre Building, 2 Eaton Street,

Hampton, Virginia 23669.

Bionetics provides enforcement support to the Air Enforcement

Division, Office of Regulatory Enforcement, Office of Enforcement and

Compliance Assurance (the ``Air Enforcement Division'') in a number of

activities related to the Act. The activities in which Bionetics

provides enforcement support include:

[[Page 49770]]

Inspections of fuel and fuel additive dispensing facilities;

Inspections of fuel and fuel additive refining, importing and

distribution facilities;

Motor vehicle tampering and urban bus retrofit inspections;

Motor vehicle air conditioning repair inspections;

Audits of fuel refiners, importers, and oxygenate blenders;

Detergent rule audits;

Laboratory analysis of fuel and fuel additive samples;

Litigation support; and

Audits of aftermarket catalytic converter warranty cards.

The types of information that may be disclosed include records

related to the production, importation, distribution, sale, storage,

testing and transportation of gasoline, gasoline blendstocks, diesel

fuel, diesel fuel blendstocks, and detergent additives; and records

related to the manufacture, importation, certification, testing,

emission control warranty, repair, modification and fueling of motor

vehicles and motor vehicle engines.

It is necessary for Bionetics to have access to these records in

order to evaluate whether regulated parties are in compliance with the

regulatory requirements, described above, and to prepare reports to the

Air Enforcement Division on their conclusions.

Bionetics may be assisted in these activities by a subcontractor,

Patterson and Associates of Houston, Texas, subcontract number 523-001.

In accordance with 40 CFR 2.301(h)(2), EPA has determined that

disclosure of confidential business information to Bionetics and its

subcontractor is necessary for these entities to carry out the work

required by this contract. EPA is issuing this notice to inform all

submitters of information to the Air Enforcement Division under

sections 114, 203, 208, 211 and 307(a) of the Act that the Agency may

provide access to CBI contained in such submittals to Bionetics and

their subcontractor as necessary to carry out work under this contract.

Disclosure of CBI under this contract may continue until April 30,

2001.

As required by 40 CFR 2.301(h)(2), the Bionetics contract includes

provisions to assure the appropriate treatment of CBI disclosed to

contractors and subcontractors.

Dated: September 16, 1996.

Sylvia K. Lowrance,

Acting Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance

Assurance.

[FR Doc. 96-24288 Filed 9-20-96; 8:45 am]

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