[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 215 (Monday, November 8, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60814-60815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-29182]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6472-1]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request; Emergency Planning and Release Notification
Requirements (EPCRA Sections 302, 303, and 304)
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: Emergency Planning and
Release Notification Requirement (EPCRA sections 302, 303, and 304),
OMB Control No. 2050-0092, expires January 31, 2000. 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 8, 1999.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Farmer at EPA by phone at (202)
260-2740, by email at farmer.sandy@epamail.epa.gov, or download a copy
of the ICR off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA
ICR No. 1395.04.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Emergency Planning and Release Notification Requirements
(EPCRA sections 302, 303, and 304), OMB Control No. 2050-0092, ICR No.
1395.04, expiring January 31, 2000. This information collection is an
extension of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: EPCRA established broad emergency planning and facility
reporting requirements. Section 302 (40 CFR 355.30) requires any
facility where an extremely hazardous substance (EHS) is present in an
amount at or in excess of the threshold planning quantity (TPQ) to
notify the state emergency response commission (SERC) by May 17, 1987.
This activity has been completed; only new facilities are subject to
this requirement. Section 303 (40 CFR 355.30) requires local emergency
planning committees (LEPCs) to prepare emergency plans for facilities
that have EHSs in excess of the TPQs in their local planning district.
Facilities are required to provide local planners with information
necessary for the preparation of emergency plans. Section 303 requires
LEPCs to complete their emergency plans by October 17, 1988. This
activity has been also completed; this ICR only covers any updates for
these emergency response plans. Section 304 (40 CFR 355.40) requires
facilities to report to SERCs and LEPCs releases in excess of
quantities established by EPA. Facilities are required to report
releases above the reportable quantity (RQ) of any EHS. This ICR covers
the notification and the written follow-up required under this section.
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 August 5,
1999 (64 FR 42687); one comment was received.
Burden Statement: The average reporting burden for emergency
planning under 40 CFR 355.30 is 17.65 hours for new and newly regulated
facilities and 12.5 hours for existing facilities.
For new and newly regulated facilities, this burden includes the
time required to read and understand the regulations, to determine
reporting status, notify the SERC that the facility is subject to
emergency planning, designate a facility representative and otherwise
participate in initial planning activities. For certain existing
facilities, this burden includes the time required to inform the LEPC
of any changes at a facility that may affect emergency planning, and
provide information to the LEPC for planning purposes. The average
reporting burden for facilities reporting releases under 40 CFR 355.40
is estimated to average approximately 5 hours per release, including
the time for determining if the release is a reportable quantity,
notifying the LEPC and SERC, or the 911 operator, and developing and
submitting a written follow-up notice. There are not recordkeeping
requirements for facilities under EPCRA Sections 302-304.
The average burden for emergency planning activities under 40 CFR
300.215 is 21 hours per plan for LEPCs, 16 hours per plan for SERCs.
Each SERC and LEPC is also estimated to incur an annual recordkeeping
burden of 10 hours. The total burden to facilities over the three-year
information collection period is estimated to be 269,200 hours, at a
cost of $7.8 million. The total burden for SERCs and LEPCs over the
three-year information collection period is estimated to be 486,000
hours at a cost of $11.6 million.
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.
Respondents/Affected Entities: Facilities where EHS's are present,
LEPCs and SERCs.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 99,170.
Frequency of Response: Section 302 respondents will comply with
requirements once unless new information becomes available. Section 303
respondents will comply with requirements as requested by LEPCs; LEPCs
may have to update their local emergency response plans as new
[[Page 60815]]
facilities or other information such as new chemicals present at or
above a TPQ. Section 304 respondents will comply when there is a
release of an EHS above the RQ.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 251,700 hours.
Estimated Total Annualized Capital and Operating & Maintenance Cost
Burden: $64,000.
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. 1395.04 and OMB Control No. 2050-0092 in any
correspondence.
Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Policy, Regulatory Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20460;
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: November 3, 1999.
Richard T. Westlund,
Acting Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 99-29182 Filed 11-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M
