Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Outer Continental Shelf Air Regulations

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6122-6]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request; Outer Continental Shelf Air Regulations

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 Request

(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): Air Pollution

Regulations for the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Activities:

Reporting, Recordkeeping and Testing Requirements, OMB Control Number

2060-0249, ICR number 1601.03, expiration date: August 31, 1998. 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 September 8, 1998.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the supporting statement may be obtained from the

Ozone Policy and Strategies Group, Air Quality Strategies and Standards

Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, MD-15, Research

Triangle Park, NC 27711 or is available at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/

oarpg/t1/fr__notice/ocs-icr.wpd. Comments must be mailed to David H.

Stonefield, Ozone Policy and Strategies Group, Air Quality Strategies

and Standards Division, MD-15, Environmental Protection Agency,

Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stonefield, telephone: 919-541-

5350, Facsimile: 919-541-0824, E-MAIL: [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are

air pollution sources which are located on the outer continental shelf

along the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans and in the Gulf of

Mexico east of longitude 87 deg.30'.

Title: Air Pollution Regulations for the Outer Continental Shelf

(OCS) Activities: Reporting, Recordkeeping and Testing Requirements,

OMB Control Number 2060-0249, ICR number 1601.03, expiration date:

August 31, 1998.

Abstract: Section 328 (Air Pollution From Outer Continental Shelf

Activities) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) as amended in 1990, gives EPA

responsibility for regulating air pollution from OCS sources located

offshore of the States along the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific coasts,

and along the eastern Gulf of Mexico coast (off the coast of Florida).

The U.S. Department of Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS)

retained the responsibility for regulating air pollution from sources

located in the western Gulf of Mexico. To comply with the requirements

of section 328 of the CAA, EPA, on September 4, 1992 at 57 FR 40792,

promulgated regulations to control air pollution from OCS sources in

order to attain and maintain Federal and State ambient air quality

standards and to meet other air quality goals. Sources located within

25 miles of a State's seaward boundary must comply with the same State/

local air pollution control requirements as would be applicable if the

source were located in the corresponding onshore area (COA). Sources

located more than 25 miles from a State's seaward boundary (25-mile

limit) must comply with EPA air

[[Page 36895]]

pollution control regulations. The regulations are codified as part 55

of chapter I of title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

The proposed ICR addresses the information collection burden to

industry respondents who are subject to the reporting, recordkeeping,

and testing requirements of the OCS air regulations. Industry

respondents include owners or operators of existing and new or modified

stationary sources. The proposed ICR also addresses the burden to the

agencies who are responsible for implementing and enforcing the OCS

regulations. The EPA has delegated the authority to implement and

enforce the OCS regulations for sources located off the coast of

California to four local air pollution control agencies. The EPA

implements and enforces the regulations for all other sources under its

jurisdiction. All burden estimates are calculated for the 3-year period

beginning September 1, 1998 and ending August 31, 2001.

The type, quantity and submission requirements of information will

depend on the type and location of the source. Exploration facilities

are generally smaller sources which operate for a short period of time

(2 to 6 months), are required to submit an application to operate and

are required to submit a copy of their log book to document their

operation. Development and production facilities are generally larger

sources which operate for periods up to 30 years, are required to

obtain new source review and operating permits, conduct initial and

periodic emission tests, and submit compliance information on a routine

basis.

The requirements for sources located or locating within 25 miles of

the States' seaward boundaries are essentially the same as the

requirements for the sources located in the COA. These requirements

will depend upon whether the area is attaining the air quality

standards and the local regulatory requirements. For example, a new

source locating off the coast of a nonattainment area would have to

meet the stringent requirements of the nonattainment area, such as

smaller size cut-offs for new source review requirements and control

requirements for the lowest achievable emission rate. While sources

locating off an area which is attaining the standards would have higher

cut-off requirements and control requirements for the best available

control technology.

In addition, since EPA has delegated authority to implement and

enforce the regulations to four southern California air pollution

control districts, sources locating off the coast of those districts

would be submitting their applications and data to the local districts.

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 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: There are two types of respondents affected by

this proposed ICR: new and existing sources. New sources must submit

adequate information to determine if the sources will meet the

appropriate new source review requirements. The annual average of these

one-time-only burdens for the respondents is estimated to be 16,742

hours. Existing sources must submit information to obtain an operating

permit and information on the sources' emissions. The annual burden for

the existing sources is 16,308 hours. The total estimate annual burden

for the respondents is 33,050 hours and an annualized cost of

$1,775,646. The burden for the State and local agencies to implement

and enforce the regulations is estimated to be 4,109 hours and an

annualized cost of $158,476. The burden for the EPA to implement and

enforce the regulations is estimated to be 4,114 hours and an

annualized cost of $177,099. 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: June 18, 1998.

John S. Seitz,

Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.

[FR Doc. 98-18084 Filed 7-7-98; 8:45 am]

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