2015-07581. Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Final Authorization for Hazardous Waste Management Programs (Renewal)

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an information collection request (ICR), “Final Authorization for Hazardous Waste Management Programs (Renewal)” (EPA ICR No. 0969.10, OMB Control No. 2050-0041) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through April 30, 2015. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register (79 FR 73575) on December 11, 2014 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. 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.

DATES:

Additional comments may be submitted on or before May 4, 2015 .

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-RCRA-2014-0845, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by email to [e-mail], 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 public 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Wayne Roepe, mail code 5303P, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 703-308-8630; fax number: 703-308-8638; email address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Supporting documents which explain in detail the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/​dockets.

Abstract: In order for a State to obtain final authorization for a State hazardous waste program or to revise its previously authorized program, it must submit an official application to the EPA Regional office for approval. The purpose of the application is to enable the EPA to properly determine whether the State's program meets the requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) § 3006. A State with an approved program may voluntarily transfer program responsibilities to EPA by notifying the EPA of the proposed transfer, as required by section 40 CFR 271.23. Further, the EPA may withdraw a State's authorized program under section 271.23.

The State shall inform the EPA of any proposed modifications to its basic statutory or regulatory authority in accordance with section 271.21. If a State is proposing to transfer all or any part of a program from the approved State agency to any other agency, it must notify the EPA in accordance with section 271.21 and submit revised organizational charts as required under section 271.6. These paperwork requirements are mandatory under RCRA § 3006(a). The EPA will use the information submitted by the State in order to determine whether the State's program meets the statutory and regulatory requirements for authorization.

Form Numbers: None.

Respondents/affected entities: State governments.

Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (RCRA § 3006(a)).

Estimated number of respondents: 50 (total).

Frequency of response: Annual.

Total estimated burden: 13,860 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)

Total estimated cost: $499,001 (per year), includes $0 annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.

Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 6,108 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. This change is due to a decrease of 8 respondents submitting a program change to EPA.

Courtney Kerwin,

Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.