05-16199. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review and Approval; Comment Request; NSPS for Sulfuric Acid Plants (Renewal), ICR Number 1057.10, OMB Number 2060-0041

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on October 31, 2005. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. This ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

DATES:

Additional comments may be submitted on or before September 15, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OECA-2005-0025, to (1) EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by email to [e-mail], or by mail to: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Enforcement and Compliance Docket and Information Center, Mail Code 2201T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB at: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Learia Williams, Compliance Assessment and Media Programs Division, Office of Compliance, (Mail Code 2223A), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: [phone]; fax number: [phone]; e-mail address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. On May 6, 2005 (70 FR 24020), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments.

EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. OECA-2005-0025, which is available for public viewing at the Enforcement and Compliance Docket and Information Center in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is [phone], and the telephone number for the Enforcement and Compliance Docket and Information Center Docket is: [phone]. An electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/​edocket. Use EDOCKET to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. When in the system, select “search,” then key in the docket ID number identified above.

Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, Confidential Business Information (CBI), or other information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that material in the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The entire printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket. Although identified as an item in the official docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not included in the official public docket, and will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET. For further information about the electronic docket, see EPA's Federal Register notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002), or go to http://www.epa.gov/​edocket.

Title: NSPS for Sulfuric Acid Plants (40 CFR part 60, subpart H) (Renewal)

Abstract: The New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), for Sulfuric Acid Plants were proposed on August 17, 1971, and promulgated on December 23, 1971. These standards apply to any sulfuric acid facility commencing construction, modification or reconstruction after the date of proposal. The control of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and acid mist requires not only the installation of properly designed equipment, but also the proper operation and maintenance of that equipment. Sulfur dioxide and acid mist emissions from sulfuric acid plants result from the burning of sulfur or sulfur-bearing feed stocks to form SO₂, catalytic oxidation of SO₂ to sulfur trioxide, and absorption of SO₂ in a strong acid stream. These standards rely on the capture of SO₂ and acid mist by venting to a control device.

Owners or operators of sulfuric acid plants are required to make the following one-time-only reports: notification of the date of construction or reconstruction; notification of actual startup dates; notification of any physical or operational change to an existing facility; notification of demonstration of the continuous emissions monitoring system (CEMS); notification date of the initial performance test; and the results of the initial performance test. After the initial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, semiannual reports are required if there has been an exceedance of control device operating parameters. Respondents are also required to maintain records of occurrence and duration of any startup, shutdown, or malfunction, or any period during which the monitoring system is inoperative. 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. The OMB Control Numbers for EPA's regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR chapter 15, and are identified on the form and/or instrument, if applicable.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 127 hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, 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: Owners or operators of sulfuric acid plants.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 103.

Frequency of Response: Semiannually, on occasion and initially.

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 26,177 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Costs: $2,577,271, which includes $0 annualized capital/startup costs, $464,000 annual O&M costs, and $2,113,271 annual labor costs.

Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 2,857 hours in the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. This increase is due to the fact that we are presently accounting for management and clerical person hours per year, which was omitted in the previous ICR. There is also an increase in the cost burden, which consisted of the accounting for management and clerical person hours per year and a revised salary table. There is however, a decline in the number of sources. The renewal ICR shows that there are approximately 103 sources subject to the rule, as compared to the active ICR that shows 106 sources. This decline in sources is due to plant closure. No new facilities are expected to be constructed in the next three years.

Dated: August 9, 2005.

Oscar Morales,

Director, Collection Strategies Division.