2018-15134. Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Rule (Renewal)

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR), Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Rule (EPA ICR No. 2002.07, OMB Control No. 2025-0003), to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through July 31, 2018. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on January 19, 2018 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 August 15, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OEI-2011-0096, 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:

Devon Martin, Office of Environmental Information (2823T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-2603; 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: This ICR addresses the electronic reporting components of the Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Rule (CROMERR), which is designed to: (i) Allow EPA to comply with the Government Paperwork Elimination Act of 1998; (ii) provide a uniform, technology-neutral framework for electronic reporting across all EPA programs; (iii) allow EPA programs to offer electronic reporting as they become ready for CROMERR; and (iv) provide states with a streamlined process—together with a uniform set of standards—for approval of their electronic reporting provisions for all their EPA-authorized programs. Responses to the collection of information are voluntary. In order to accommodate CBI, the information collected must be in accordance with the confidentiality regulations set forth in 40 CFR part 2, subpart B. Additionally, EPA will ensure that the information collection procedures comply with the Privacy Act of 1974 and the OMB Circular 108.

Form numbers: None.

Respondents/affected entities: Entities that report electronically to EPA and state or local government authorized programs; and state and local government authorized programs implementing electronic reporting.

Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary, required to obtain or retain a benefit (Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Rule (CROMERR) established to ensure compliance with the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA)).

Estimated number of respondents: 175,047 (total).

Frequency of response: On occasion.

Total estimated burden: 83,837 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).

Total estimated cost: $4,055,829 (per year), including $569,916 in annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.

Changes in the estimates: There is an increase of 34,233 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. This increase occurred primarily because of the launch of substantial new e-reporting systems by EPA, such as lead-based paint abatement notifications, and the anticipated launch of the e-Manifest system. Additionally, based on consultations with industry and state, tribal, and local agencies, EPA increased some of the previous burden estimates to reflect a more realistic average.

Courtney Kerwin,

Director, Regulatory Support Division.