2012-456. Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Clean Air Interstate Rule To Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine Particle Matter and Ozone (Renewal); EPA ICR No. 2152.05, OMB Control No. 2060-0570

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) for the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is scheduled to expire on February 29, 2012. 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 may be submitted on or before March 12, 2012.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0053.

• http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
• Email: [e-mail].
• Fax: [phone].
• Mail: Air Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.

Hand Delivery: Docket Center, (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.

Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0053. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at http://www.regulations.gov,, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or email. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site is an “anonymous access” system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an email comment directly to EPA without going through http://www.regulations.gov your email address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/​epahome/​dockets.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Karen VanSickle, Clean Air Markets Division, (6204J), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: [phone]; fax number: [phone]; email address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

How can I access the docket and/or submit comments?

EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under EPA Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0053, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov,, or in person viewing at the Air and Radiation Docket, in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is [phone], and the telephone number for the Air and Radiation Docket is [phone].

Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at www.regulations.gov,, to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select “docket search,” then key in the docket ID number identified above.

What information is EPA particularly interested in?

Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically solicits comments and information to enable it 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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What should I consider when I prepare my comments for EPA?

You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your comments:

1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific examples.

2. Describe any assumptions that you used.

3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used that support your views.

4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you arrived at the estimate that you provide.

5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.

6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified under DATES.

7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal Register citation.

What information collection activity or ICR does this apply to?

Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0053

Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are units producing electric power which are affected by the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR).

Title: Clean Air Interstate Rule to Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine Particle Matter and Ozone (Renewal).

ICR number: EPA ICR No. 2152.05, OMB Control No. 2060-0570.

ICR Status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on February 29, 2012. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 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 in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.

Abstract: The United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated the Clean Air Interstate Rule to Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine Particulate Matter and Ozone, which includes reporting requirements and combines these requirements with existing requirements from the Consolidated Emissions Reporting Rule (CERR), the Emission Reporting Requirements for Ozone State Implementation Plan (SIP) Revisions Relating to Statewide Budgets for NO_X Emissions to Reduce Regional Transport of Ozone (NO_X SIP Call) and the Acid Rain Program under Title IV of the CAA Amendments of 1990. Each of these three existing requirements has an approved ICR in place. The current ICRs are: For the CERR, ICR #0916.13, for the NO_X SIP Call, ICR #1857.05, and for the Acid Rain Program, ICR #1633.15. The supporting statement references the burden analysis included in ICR #s 0916.13, 1857.05, and 1633.15. This ICR renewal is open for public review and comment.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 77 hours per 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 which have subsequently changed; 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.

The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, which is only briefly summarized here:

Estimated total number of potential respondents: 1,221.

Frequency of response: Quarterly.

Estimated total annual burden hours: 407,039 hours.

Estimated total annual costs: $51,492,383, which included $26,329,380 in capital and O&M costs.

This ICR incorporates the burden associated with all CAIR-affected sources, including those located in NO_X SIP Call States.

Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?

To date, there are no changes in the number of hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by OMB. However, EPA is still evaluating information that may lead to a change in the estimates.

What is the next step in the process for this ICR?

EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Dated: January 5, 2012.

Larry F. Kertcher,

Acting Director, Clean Air Markets Division.