[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 142 (Thursday, July 24, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 39797-39798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19544]
[[Page 39797]]
ENVIRONNMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 372
[OPPTS-400113A; FRL-5733-2]
Toxic Chemical Release Reporting; Community Right-To-Know;
Additional Time to Report
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Time extensions for submission of reports.
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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing that it will allow facilities required to
submit Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) reports for calendar year 1996
until September 8, 1997, to file those reports. These TRI reports under
section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
and section 6607 of the Pollution Prevention Act would otherwise be due
on or before July 1, 1997. EPA had previously extended the reporting
deadline until August 1, 1997; however, EPA has continued to experience
delays and errors in the distribution of the reporting package, which
includes extensive materials and guidance for preparing TRI reports,
for the 1996 reporting. To allow facilities adequate time to prepare
and submit complete and accurate TRI reports, especially in electronic
format, EPA is allowing facilities extra time in which to report.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria J. Doa, 202-260-9592, e-mail:
doa.maria@epamail.epa.gov, for specific information on this notice, or
for more information on EPCRA section 313, the Emergency Planning and
Community Right-to-Know Hotline, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail
Code 5101, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460, Toll free: 1-800-535-
0202, in Virginia and Alaska: 703-412-9877 or Toll free TDD: 1-800-553-
7672.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know
Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. 11023 (EPCRA, which is also referred to as Title
III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (Pub.
L. 99-499)), requires certain facilities manufacturing, processing, or
otherwise using listed toxic chemicals to report their environmental
releases of such chemicals annually. Such facilities also must report
pollution prevention and recycling data for such chemicals, pursuant to
section 6607 of the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA), 42 U.S.C. 13106.
EPCRA section 313 and PPA section 6607 require that covered facilities
report this information on or before July 1 of each year for activities
at those facilities during the previous calendar year. EPA is required
to put the EPCRA section 313/PPA section 6607 information in an
electronic data base that is accessible to the public. This data base
is commonly referred to as the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). State
and local governments, industry, non-government organizations, and the
public make extensive use of this data base.
Each year, prior to the reporting deadline, EPA develops and sends
to facilities a reporting package containing the current TRI reporting
form (Form R), the alternate threshold reporting form (Form A), the
list of toxic chemicals subject to reporting, and instructions for
reporting. In recent years, the package has also included computer
diskettes containing the automated Form R for electronic reporting. EPA
has found that providing this extensive reporting package reduces
confusion and the number of reporting errors, and expedites the whole
reporting process. In the past, these packages have been distributed by
early March of the year in which reports are due to allow adequate time
for review and use by the reporting facilities.
II. Additional Time to Report for 1996
For the 1996 reporting year, EPA revised the Form R to collect more
specific information on disposal into underground injection wells and
landfills. The Office of Management and Budget approved the reporting
and recordkeeping requirements related to the revised Form R on April
30, 1997. Because EPA could not print the forms and instructions until
the Agency received approval for the Form R, EPA's printing and
distribution of the 1996 Form R was not to be initiated until late June
1997. As a result, EPA extended the reporting deadline until August 1,
1997. Because of problems with the distribution of the reporting
package, especially the automated Form R, facilities subject to TRI
reporting may not have sufficient time to prepare and submit their
reports by the extended deadline of August 1, 1997. EPA is concerned
that in rushing to report by August 1, facilities may make errors that
would reduce the accuracy and utility of the reports and, ultimately,
the public data base. EPA is also concerned that the additional delay
in the distribution of the automated Form R may result in facilities
submitting hard copies of the Form R rather than the preferred
electronic version. In addition, EPA believes that the delay in the
distribution of the reporting package may create concern in the
regulated community regarding potential enforcement actions, including
civil penalties, for those facilities submitting reports that may
contain errors as a result of the late distribution of the EPA
reporting package or reporting after the extended August 1, 1997
deadline.
In recognition of the importance to State and local governments,
industry, and the public that facilities submit complete and accurate
TRI reports, EPA is allowing all reporting facilities additional time,
until September 8, 1997, to submit their 1996 TRI reports. However,
reports for the 1996 reporting year that are filed after September 8,
1997, will be subject to EPA enforcement action, where appropriate.
This allowance of additional time for reporting applies only to the
EPCRA section 313/PPA section 6607 reporting obligations for TRI
reports otherwise due on July 1, 1997, covering calendar year 1996.
Nothing in this notice shall be construed to apply to any other EPCRA
reporting obligations, or to any TRI reports due for past or future
reporting years. Further, this allowance of additional time for
reporting applies only to the federal EPCRA section 313/PPA section
6607 reporting obligation; it does not apply to independent obligations
under State laws which also require TRI-type reports. However, EPA
encourages the States with similar requirements that relate to federal
TRI reporting to embrace this allowance of additional time. To the
extent that this action might be construed as rulemaking subject to
section 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act, for the reasons stated
above, EPA has determined that notice and an opportunity for public
comment are impracticable and unnecessary. Providing for public comment
might further delay reporting, and, because there is no substantive
change in the reporting obligation, other than allowing additional
time, the public will continue to receive the same information.
Moreover, a further delay in reporting would almost certainly mean a
delay in the release of the information to the public. Also, public
comment would not further inform EPA's decision because the events
giving rise to the need to provide extra time for reporting have
already occurred. In addition, additional notice and comment procedures
in this situation would be contrary to the public interest in timely
and accurate reporting of data under EPCRA section 313 and PPA section
6607.
[[Page 39798]]
III. Availability of the Form R and Instructions on the Internet
A. The Internet
Notwithstanding the delay in distribution of the printed version,
the revised Form R and Instructions, currently are available on the
Internet. The Form R and Instructions, which can be downloaded as
portable document format (pdf) files, are available at http://
www.epa.gov/opptintr/tri/formr.htm. The Automated Form R (AFR) and
Instructions is also available on the internet. The internet address
for the AFR is http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/afr96.
B. Fax on Demand
Using a faxphone call 202-401-0527 and select item 5100 for an
index of available material and corresponding item numbers related to
this document.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 372
Environmental protection, Community right-to-know, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, and Toxic chemicals.
Dated: July 18, 1997.
Lynn R. Goldman,
Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic
Substances.
[FR Doc. 97-19544 Filed 7-23-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F
