E6-2950. Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Consolidated Emissions Reporting (Renewal); EPA ICR No. 0916.12, OMB Control No. 2060-0088

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces that EPA is planning to submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is scheduled to expire on May 31, 2006. 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 must be submitted on or before May 1, 2006.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2005-0490, by one of the following methods:

• http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
• E-mail: [e-mail].
• Fax: [phone].
• Mail: Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2005-0490, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
• Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room B102, Washington, DC. 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-2005-0490. The 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 e-mail. 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 e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail 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 additional instructions on submitting comments, go to the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For questions concerning today's action, please contact Bill Kuykendal, U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Air Quality Assessment Division, Mail Code D205-01, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, telephone [phone], e-mail at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?

EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2005-0490, which is available for online viewing at http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air and Radiation Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is 202-566-1744, and the telephone number for the Air and Radiation Docket is 202-566-1742.

Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select “search,” then key in the docket ID number identified in this document.

What Information is EPA Particularly Interested in?

Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), 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-2005-0490, EPA ICR No. 0916.12, OMB Control No. 2060-0088.

Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are generally State air pollution control agencies. An estimated 55 State and Territorial air pollution control agencies, as well as 49 local air agencies will be required to compile and report emissions information for large stationary point sources on an annual basis, and for smaller point sources, stationary nonpoint and mobile sources on a 3-year basis. Also, a portion of industry sources will be required by State and local air agencies to estimate and report PM2.5 and NH3 point source emissions.

Title: Consolidated Emissions Reporting (Renewal).

ICR numbers: EPA ICR No.0916.12, OMB Control No.2060-0088.

ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on May 31, 2006.

Abstract: EPA has promulgated a Consolidated Emissions Reporting Rule (CERR) (40 CFR part 51, subpart A) to coordinate new emissions inventory reporting requirements with existing requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and 1990 Amendments. Under the CERR, 55 State and Territorial air quality agencies, including the District of Columbia (DC), as well as an estimated 49 local air quality agencies, must annually submit emissions data for point sources emitting specified levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), oxides of nitrogen (NO_X), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), particulate matter less than or equal to 10 micrometers in diameter (PM₁₀), particulate matter less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM_2.5), and ammonia (NH₃).

Every 3 years, States will be required to submit a point source inventory, as well as a statewide stationary nonpoint, nonroad mobile, onroad mobile, and biogenic source inventory for all criteria pollutants and PM_2.5, and NH₃. The emissions data submitted for the annual and 3-year cycle inventories for stationary point, nonpoint, nonroad mobile, and mobile sources will be used by EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) to assist in developing ambient air quality emission standards, performing regional modeling, and in preparing national trends assessments and other special analyses and reports. Collection of PM_2.5 emissions data will be necessary to support implementation of the PM_2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). The information collected under the authority of the CERR is mandatory and as specified in the CERR cannot be treated as confidential by EPA.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 30 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: 2038.

Frequency of response: Annual.

Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 4.

Estimated total annual burden hours: 60,812.

Estimated total annual costs: $2,811,146. This includes an estimated burden cost of $2,580,246 and an estimated cost of $230,900 for capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.

Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval?

There is a decrease of 52,039 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by OMB. This decrease resulted from the elimination of the “One Time Activities” that were accounted for under the currently approved ICR. All respondents have incurred these one time burdens and thus these burdens do not recur in this renewal ICR.

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: February 16, 2006.

William H. Lamason,

Acting Director, Air Quality Assessment Division.