01-29472. Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Requirements for Generators, Transporters, and Hazardous Waste Management Facilities Under the RCRA Hazardous Waste Manifest System, EPA ICR No. 801.14

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document 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): Requirements for Generators, Transporters, and Hazardous Waste Management Facilities Under the RCRA Hazardous Waste Manifest System, EPA ICR No. 801.14, OMB Control Number 2050-0039, current expiration date 3/31/2002. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection described below.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before January 28, 2002.

ADDRESSES:

Commenters must send an original and two copies of their comments referencing docket number F-2001-RW3P-FFFFF to RCRA Docket Information Center, Office of Solid Waste (5305G), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460. Hand deliveries of comments should be made to the Arlington, VA, address listed below. Comments may also be submitted electronically by sending electronic mail through the Internet to: [e-mail]. Comments in electronic format should also be identified by the docket number F-2001-RW3P-FFFFF. All electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. Public comments and supporting materials are available for viewing in the RCRA Information Center (RIC), located at Crystal Gateway 1, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, first floor, Arlington, VA. The RIC is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. To review docket materials, the public must make an appointment by calling 703-603-9230. The public may copy a maximum of 100 pages from any regulatory docket at no charge. Additional copies cost $.15/page. Copies of the original ICR may be requested from the docket address and phone number listed above or may be found on the Internet at: http://www.epa.gov/​epaoswer/​hazwaste/​gener/​manifest/​icr-man.htm.

The official record for this action will be kept in paper form. Accordingly, EPA will transfer all comments received electronically into paper form and place them in the official record, which will also include all comments submitted directly in writing. The official record is the paper record maintained in the RCRA Information Center (the RIC address is listed above in this section).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For general information, contact the RCRA Hotline at 1-800-424-9346 or TDD 1-800-553-7672 (hearing impaired). In the Washington metropolitan area, call 703-412-9610 or TDD 703-412-3323. For technical information, contact Bryan Groce at 703-308-8750, [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Requirements for Generators, Transporters, and Hazardous Waste Management Facilities Under the RCRA Hazardous Waste Manifest System, OMB Control No. 2050-0039; EPA ICR No. 801.14) expiring 3/30/2002. This is an extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as amended, establishes a national program to assure that hazardous waste management practices are conducted in a manner that is protective of human health and the environment. EPA's authority to require compliance with the manifest system stems primarily from RCRA section 3002(a)(5). This section mandates a hazardous waste manifest “system” to assure that all hazardous waste generated is designated for and arrives at the appropriate treatment, storage, and disposal facility. An essential part of this manifest system is the Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest (Form 8700-22A). The manifest is a tracking document that accompanies the waste from its generation site to its final disposition. The manifest lists the wastes that are being shipped and the final destination of the waste. The manifest system is a self-enforcing mechanism that requires generators, transporters, and owner/operators of treatment, storage, and disposal facilities to participate in hazardous waste tracking. In addition the manifest provides information to transporters and waste management facility workers on the hazardous nature of the waste, identifies wastes so that they can be managed appropriately in the event of an accident, spill, or leak, and ensures that shipments of hazardous waste are managed properly and delivered to their designated facilities.

This system does not ordinarily involve intervention on the part of EPA unless hazardous wastes do not reach their point of disposition within a specified time frame. In most cases, RCRA-authorized States operate the manifest system, and requirements may vary among authorized States.

EPA believes manifest requirements and the resulting information collection mitigate potential hazards to human health and the environment by ensuring that hazardous waste is sent to and received by appropriate treatment, storage, and disposal facilities, by initiating appropriate response actions if a shipment does not reach its intended destination, and by providing necessary emergency response information in the event of an accident, spill, or leak during transportation.

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 Agency notes that the burden hour and cost estimates given below are based on estimates approved by OMB during the 1999 ICR renewal process. The Agency did not have the most recent Biennial Reporting System (BRS) information available at the time of completion of this ICR. The Agency will update these burden estimates using the most recent BRS information and publish the revised burden estimates in a second Federal Register notice. Affected entities will have an opportunity to comment on the revised burden estimates during a comment period for the second FR notice. 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., allowing electronic submission of responses.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.26 hours per response.

Respondents/Affected Entities: Generators, transporters, and treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs).

Estimated Number of Respondents: 105,558.

Frequency of Response: Per shipment of hazardous waste.

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 2,920,383 hours.

Estimated Total Annualized Capital, Operating/Maintenance Cost Burden: $1,871,246. 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: November 20, 2001.

Elizabeth A. Cotsworth,

Director, Office of Solid Waste.