Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Information Collection Request for Iron and Steel Foundries

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[AD-FRL-5833-5]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request; Information Collection Request for Iron and Steel

Foundries

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 Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office

of Management and Budget (OMB): Information Collection Request for Iron

and Steel Foundries, EPA ICR Number 1809.01. Before submitting the ICR

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

aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 4, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may submit written comments to the

Emission Standards Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and

Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle

Park, NC 27711. A copy of the draft survey questionnaire may be

obtained without charge by writing to this address or by contacting the

person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. A copy of the

draft questionnaire and supporting statement are also available

electronically on the Technology Transfer Network (TTN), one of EPA's

electronic bulletin boards. The TTN provides information and technology

exchange in various areas of air pollution control. The service is

free, except for the cost of a phone call. Dial (919) 541-5742 with a

modem of up to 14,400 baud per second (BPS). The TTN is also accessible

through the Internet at ``TELNET ttnbbs.rtpnc.epa.gov.'' If more

information on the TTN is needed, call the help desk at (919) 541-5384.

The help desk is staffed from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern time. A voice

menu system is available at other times.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Maysilles, Metals Group, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711,

telephone number (919) 541-3265, facsimile number (919) 541-5600,

electronic mail address ``[email protected].''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are

iron and steel foundries, which are facilities primarily engaged in

manufacturing iron and steel castings. The Standard Industrial

Classification (SIC) codes for these facilities include 3321 (gray and

ductile iron foundries), 3322 (malleable iron foundries), 3324 (steel

investment foundries), and 3325 (steel foundries, not elsewhere

classified).

Title: Information Collection Request for Iron and Steel Foundries,

EPA ICR Number 1809.01.

Abstract: The EPA is charged under section 112 of the Clean Air Act

(the Act) with developing national emission standards for listed

hazardous air pollutants (HAP). Preliminary information indicates that

there are major sources of HAP in the iron and steel foundry source

categories. These categories were listed pursuant to section 112(c) of

the Act on July 16, 1992, and section 112(d) of the Act requires the

Administrator to promulgate regulations establishing emission standards

for this source category. Standards must be promulgated by November 15,

2000. The responses to the survey are mandatory and are being collected

under the authority of section 114 of the Act.

The Emission Standards Division (ESD) of the Office of Air Quality

Planning and Standards plans to use the survey responses to develop

legally defensible maximum achievable control technology (MACT)

standards. The focus of the survey is on determinations of HAP

emissions, emission controls, and control performance, which are

critical elements in the development of technology-based standards.

Other questions in the survey provide information that ESD will use to

develop reasonable estimates of impacts associated with potential

standards,

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including emission reductions, cost, and economic impacts.

Specifically, the information will be used by ESD to develop

estimates of emissions of HAP, make determinations with respect to

probable ``major'' sources, and develop MACT standards for both new and

existing foundries. The data base compiled from the results will be

used to make a determination of the MACT floor for existing sources

based on the average emission limitation achieved by the best-

performing 12 percent of sources. The results will also aid in

identifying the best controlled sources for a determination of MACT for

new foundries. In addition, the data base will be invaluable to make

defensible estimates of the impacts of the standards, including

emissions and emission reductions, costs of control options and their

cost effectiveness, and economic impacts. Because many foundries meet

the definition of small entities, the survey is necessary for EPA to

meet the requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 and the

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.

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 and 48 CFR chapter 15.

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 a 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 the 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 forms of information technology, e.g.,

permitting electronic submission of responses.

Burden statement: The average burden for a respondent is estimated

as 24 hours ($770), including technical, management, and clerical

labor. This estimate is the average labor required by eight companies

who participated in a pretest of the survey and completed the

questionnaire for a total of 12 foundries. The labor required to

complete the questionnaire by the facilities that participated in the

evaluation ranged from 4 hours for a small foundry to 64 hours for a

large corporation. The burden is a one-time occurrence for each of the

742 foundries that must prepare a response. 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; 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: May 16, 1997.

John A. Edwardson,

Acting Director, Emission Standards Division.

[FR Doc. 97-14445 Filed 6-2-97; 8:45 am]

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