2017-26778. Agency Information Collection Activities; Safer Choice Product Recognition Program; Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

EPA has submitted the following information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA): “Safer Choice Product Recognition Program” and identified by EPA ICR No. 2302.03 and OMB Control No. 2070-0178. The ICR, which is available in the docket along with other related materials, provides a detailed explanation of the collection activities and the burden estimate that is only briefly summarized in this document. EPA did not receive any comments in response to the previously provided public review opportunity issued in the Federal Register on March 8, 2016 (81 FR 12097). With this submission, EPA is providing an additional 30 days for public review.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before January 12, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2015-0437, to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our preferred method) or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460 and (2) OMB via email to [e-mail]. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for EPA.

EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the docket without change, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI), or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be CBI or information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Colby Lintner, Environmental Assistance Division (7408M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: [phone]; email address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Docket: Supporting documents, including the ICR that explains in detail the information collection activities and the related burden and cost estimates that are summarized in this document, are available in the docket. The docket can be viewed online at http://www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, West William Jefferson Clinton Bldg., Rm. 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone number for the Docket Center is [phone]. For additional information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/​dockets.

ICR status: This ICR expire on August 31, 2016. Under PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., 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 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 for certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.

Abstract: EPA's Safer Choice program formally recognizes safer products where all ingredients have an environmental and human health profile showing that they are the safest in their functional use class. Under the encouragement of this program, leading companies have made great progress in developing safer, highly effective chemical products. Since the program's inception in 1997, formulators have used the program as a portal to EPA's unique chemical expertise, information resources, and guidance on greener chemistry. Safer Choice program partners enjoy Agency recognition, including the use of the Safer Choice program logo on products with the safest possible formulations. In the future, EPA expects much greater program participation due to rising demand for safer products. This information collection enables EPA to accommodate participation by more than nine formulators each year and to enhance program transparency.

Information collection activities associated with this program will assist the Agency in meeting the goals of the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) by providing resources and recognition for businesses committed to promoting and using safer chemical products. In turn, the program will help businesses meet corporate sustainability goals by providing the means to, and an objective measure of, environmental stewardship. Investment analysts and advisers seek these types of measures in evaluating a corporation's sustainability profile and investment worthiness. Safer Choice Product Recognition program partnership is an important impetus for prioritizing and completing the transition to safer chemical products. The Safer Choice Product Recognition program is also needed to promote greater use of safer chemical products by companies unaware of the benefits of such a change.

EPA has tailored its request for information, and especially the Safer Choice Product Recognition program application forms, to ensure that the Agency requests only that information essential to verify applicants' eligibility for recognition.

Respondents/Affected Entities: Companies engaged in the formulation of end-use, for-sale products that have furthered the goals of the Safer Choice program through participation in and promotion of the program, and that wish to receive recognition for their achievements.

Respondent's obligation to respond: Responses to the collection of information are voluntary. Respondents may claim all or part of a response confidential. EPA will disclose information that is covered by a claim of confidentiality only to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with, the procedures in TSCA section 14 and 40 CFR part 2.

Estimated total number of potential respondents: 157.

Frequency of response: On occasion.

Estimated total burden: 1,596 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.3(b).

Estimated total costs: $ 652,359 (per year), includes no annualized capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.

Changes in the estimates: There is an increase of 362 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by OMB. This increase reflects EPA's estimate of a greater number of respondents, due to historical experience and increases in the expected future number of responses due to greater consumer awareness and demand for products with the Safer Choice label. This increase is partially offset by reduced per-response burden estimates based on expected efficiencies created by using the Salesforce-based Safer Choice Community on the part of respondents. This change is an adjustment.

Courtney Kerwin,

Director, Regulatory Support Division.