Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review; NSPS for Petroleum Refinery Wastewater Systems

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5916-8]

Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review; NSPS

for Petroleum Refinery Wastewater Systems

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 document announces that the following Information

Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: NSPS for Petroleum Refinery

Wastewater Systems,OMB Control Number 2060-0172, expiration date 12/31/

97. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its

expected burden and cost; where appropriate, it includes the actual

data collection instrument.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information or a copy of the ICR,

call Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-2740, or download off the Internet

at http://www.epa.gov/icr/icr.htm and refer to EPA ICR No. 1136.05

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: NSPS Petroleum Refinery Wastewater Systems (OMB Number 2060-

0172; EPA ICR Number 1136.05,expiring 12/31/97). This is a request for

extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: The promulgated standards require record keeping to

document information relating to equipment specifications, work

practices, and design criteria. Information must be recorded in

sufficient detail to enable owners or operators to demonstrate

compliance with the standards. Owners or operators are required to keep

records of design and operating specifications of all equipment

installed to comply with the promulgated standards, such as traps,

covers, roof seals, control devices, and other equipment. This

information is used to ensure that equipment design and operating

specifications are attained. Generally, this information will be

readily available because it is needed for construction purposes. As a

result, there should be no specific burden from this requirement.

The standards also require the owner or operator to design and

operate the closed vent and control device systems in a manner which

will ensure at least an overall 95 percent control efficiency. Owners

or operators will ensure compliance by monitoring operational or

process parameters associated with the control devices. A semiannual

report must be submitted to document compliance with the standards.

This requirement results in a small burden to the plant, but this

requirement is the minimum needed to ensure compliance with the

standards. For refineries using a flare as a control device, an initial

performance test is required, which includes notification of the test

date and reporting of test results to EPA. Apart from flares, no

performance tests are required under these standards.

The standards do not include control requirements for air flotation

systems. As a result, no inspections or associated record keeping must

be performed for these facilities. The standards do require semiannual

visual inspections of the roofs and access doors for oil-water

separators. Semiannual visual inspection of junction box covers must

also be conducted. A portable hydrocarbon analyzer is required to

detect VOC emission where an oil-water separator or closed drain system

is vented to a control device. The standards require records of these

inspections. In addition, process drains must be periodically inspected

for the presence of water in p-leg traps and seal pots. The standards

require monthly inspections of drains in active service, and weekly

inspections of inactive drains, or alternatively, semiannual

inspections of inactive drains that are tightly capped or plugged.

Records of these inspections are required where a water seal is dry or

otherwise breached or a problem is identified. These records are needed

to ensure continuing proper use of the required equipment (Clean Air

Act section 111(h)(1)).

Additional reports are required by the General Provisions of 40 CFR

60.7. These initial reports include notification of construction or

modification, reconstruction, and start-up, shutdown, or malfunction.

The standards also require a semiannual certification that all of

the required inspections are being carried out in accordance with the

installation of the equipment required by the standards. Semiannual

reports include a summary of the information required by the record

keeping requirements, such as inspection dates, inspection results, and

remedial action taken.

Under the rule, the data collected by the affected industry is

retained at the facility for a minimum of 2 years and made available

for inspection as requested by the Administrator. Owners

[[Page 59685]]

or operators are also required to submit semiannual certification

reports to enforcement personnel indicating that all emission detection

tests and visual inspections are carried out. When excess emissions are

detected or a problem is identified, the appropriate corrective action

taken by the plant must be documented in the report.

The information generated by the monitoring, record keeping and

reporting requirements described above is used by the Agency to ensure

that facilities affected by the NSPS continue to implement their work

practices and procedures used to achieve compliance with the NSPS.

Specifically, after start-up, a certification that the equipment

necessary to comply with the standards has been installed will ensure

the use of best demonstrated technology. Notification of construction

and start-up will indicate to enforcement personnel when a new affected

facility has been constructed and is therefore subject to the

standards.

The semiannual summary of visual inspections and emission detection

tests will be used as an indication that the work practices and

procedures called for by these standards are being followed on a

regular basis. This is especially important in the case of water seal

controls where a drop in water levels can result in increased emissions

unless checked regularly.

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

Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting

comments on this collection of information was published on June 18,

1997 (62 FR 33069).

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping

burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 47

hours per response including a performance test and 18 hours per

response not including the performance test. 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 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.

Respondents/Affected Entities: Owners/Operators of Petroleum

Refinery Wastewater Systems

Estimated Number of Respondents: 114.

Frequency of Response: Semiannual.

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 14,269 hours.

Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $65,000.

Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the

accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods

for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of

automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please

refer to EPA ICR No. 1136.05 and OMB Control No. 2060-0172 in any

correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OPPE Regulatory

Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460.

(or E-Mail Farmer.S[email protected])

and

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and

Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA 725 17th Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20503.

Dated: October 29, 1997.

Richard T. Westlund,

Acting Director, Regulatory Information Division.

[FR Doc. 97-29151 Filed 11-3-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P