[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8979-8980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4519]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5970-1]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB
Review; Comment Request; Registration of Fuels and Fuel Additives--
Health-effects Research Requirements
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: Registration of Fuels and
Fuel Additives: Health-effects Research Requirements for Manufacturers
(40 CFR 79--subpart F) (OMB Control Number 2060-0297, expiration date:
4-30-98). 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 March 25, 1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For a copy of the ICR, call Sandy Farmer at EPA, by phone at (202) 260-
2740, by E-Mail at Farmer.Sandy@epamail.epa.gov or download off the
Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr/icr.htm, and refer to EPA ICR No.
1696.02.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
Title: Registration of Fuels and Fuel Additives: Health-effects
Research Requirements for Manufacturers (40 CFR 79--subpart F), (OMB
Control Number 2060-0297, EPA ICR Number 1696.02) expiring 4-30-98.
This is a request for an extension of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: In accordance with the Clean Air Act regulations at 40
CFR 79, manufacturers (including importers) of gasoline, diesel fuel,
and additives for gasoline or diesel fuel, are required to have their
products registered by the EPA prior to their introduction into
commerce. Registration involves providing a chemical description of the
fuel or additive, and certain technical, marketing, and health-effects
information. The health-effects research is the subject of this ICR.
The other information collection requirements at 40 CFR 79 are covered
by a separate ICR (EPA ICR Number 309.09, OMB Control Number 2060-
0150). The health-effects research is divided into three tiers of
requirements for specific categories of fuels and additives. Tier 1
requires a health-effects literature search and emissions
characterization. Tier 1 data were submitted in 1997 and will be
applicable for most new products seeking registration. Tier 2 requires
short-term inhalation exposures of laboratory animals to emissions to
screen for adverse health effects, unless comparable data are already
available. Alternative Tier 2 testing can be required in lieu of the
standard Tier 2 if EPA concludes that such testing would be more
appropriate. Certain small businesses are exempt from some or all of
the Tier 1 and Tier 2 requirements. Tier 3 provides for follow-up
research, if necessary. (However, no Tier 3 requirements have been
established. Thus, it is not covered in this notice.) This information
will be used to determine if there are any products whose evaporative
or combustion emissions may pose an unreasonable risk to public health,
thus meriting further investigation and potential regulation. In
accordance with the Clean Air Act, the results of this research shall
not be considered confidential. An agency may not conduct or sponsor,
and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a 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
December 1, 1997 (62 FR 63544); no comments were received.
[[Page 8980]]
Burden Statement: The burden covered by this document is limited
because little additional Tier 1 activity is anticipated and the EPA is
in negotiation with the regulated parties on Alternative Tier 2
requirements for most of the registered products for which standard
Tier 2 testing would otherwise be required. This ICR will be amended
once the Alternative Tier 2 requirements are established. Thus, over
the next three years only one Tier 1 submission and one standard Tier 2
submission are anticipated, with a total burden of 10,400 hours and
cost of $1 million. The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection is estimated to average 3,467 hours. 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: Manufacturers of gasoline, diesel
fuel, and fuel additives.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 2.
Frequency of Response: On occasion.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 3,467 hours.
Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $154,000.
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 the use of automated
collection techniques, to the following addresses. Please refer to EPA
ICR Number 1696.02 and OMB Control Number 2060-0297 in any
correspondence.
Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OPPE 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 February 19, 1998.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 98-4519 Filed 2-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M
