E6-13607. Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Voluntary Cover Sheet for TSCA Submissions; EPA ICR No. 1780.04, OMB Control No. 2070-0156

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document 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, entitled: “Voluntary Cover Sheet for TSCA Submissions” and identified by EPA ICR No. 1780.04 and OMB Control No. 2070-0156, is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2007. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection.

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DATES:

Comments must be received on or before October 17, 2006.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-0499, by one of the following methods:

• http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
• E-mail: [e-mail].
• Mail: Document Control Office (7407M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
• Hand Delivery: OPPT Document Control Office (DCO), EPA East Bldg., Rm. 6428, 1201 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. Attention: Docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-0499. The DCO is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the DCO is [phone]. 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 number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-0499. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available on-line 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 regulations.gov or e-mail. The regulations.gov website 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 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 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For general information contact: Colby Lintner, Regulatory Coordinator, Environmental Assistance Division (7408M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: [phone]; e-mail address: [e-mail].

For technical information contact: Ron Carlson, Information Management Division (7407M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-631; fax number: [phone]; e-mail address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. What Information is EPA Particularly Interested in?

Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically solicits comments and information to enable it to:

1. 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.

2. Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimates of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used.

3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected.

4. 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.

II. 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. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.

6. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.

7. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified under DATES.

8. 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.

III. What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does this Action Apply to?

Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are companies that manufacture, process, use, import or distribute in commerce chemical substances that are subject to reporting requirements under sections 4, 8(d) or 8(e) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), or are subject to voluntary reporting under the Voluntary Children's Chemical Evaluation Program (VCCEP).

Title: Voluntary Cover Sheet for TSCA Submissions.

ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1780.04, OMB Control No. 2070-0156.

ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on June 30, 2007. 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 in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.

Abstract: TSCA requires industry to submit information and studies for existing chemical substances under sections 4, 6, and 8, and requests voluntary submission of such information under the VCCEP. EPA typically receives thousands of such submissions each year; each submission represents on average three studies. In addition, EPA can impose specific Data Call-Ins on industry.

As a follow-up to industry experience with a 1994 TSCA Data Call-In, the Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA), now known as the American Chemistry Council (ACC), the Specialty Organics Chemical Manufacturers Association (SOCMA), and the Chemical Industry Data Exchange (CIDX), in cooperation with EPA, took an interest in pursuing electronic transfer of TSCA summary data and of full submissions to EPA. In particular, ACC developed a standardized cover sheet for voluntary use by industry as a first step to an electronic future and to begin familiarizing companies with standard requirements and concepts of electronic transfer. This form is designed for voluntary use as a cover sheet for submissions of information under TSCA sections 4, 8(d), 8(e) and VCCEP. The cover sheet facilitates submission of information by displaying certain basic data elements, permitting EPA more easily to identify, log, track, distribute, review and index submissions, and to make information publicly available more rapidly and at reduced cost, to the mutual benefit of both the respondents and EPA.

Responses to the collection of information are voluntary. Respondents may claim all or part of a notice confidential. EPA will disclose information that is covered by a claim of confidentiality only to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with, the procedures in TSCA section 14 and 40 CFR part 2.

Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.5 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 this estimate, which is only briefly summarized here:----

Estimated total number of potential respondents: 1,206.

Frequency of response: On occasion.

Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.8.

Estimated total annual burden hours: 1,061.5 hours.

Estimated total annual costs: 52,779. This includes an estimated burden cost of 52,779 and an estimated cost of 0 for capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.

IV. Are There Changes in the Estimates from the Last Approval?--

There is a decrease of 8,074.5 hours (from 9,136 hours to 1,061.5 hours) in the total estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by OMB. This decrease reflects a decrease in the estimated number of submissions under TSCA sections 4, 8(d) and 8(e), offset by the estimated number of submissions under VCCEP, for which the Voluntary TSCA Cover Sheet could be used, in particular a substantial decrease in the estimated number of TSCA section 4 submissions. Since the use of the Voluntary TSCA Cover Sheet is a direct reflection of the number of submissions received under TSCA sections 4, 8(d), 8(e) and VCCEP, any change in the estimated numbers of submissions under those requirements will result in a parallel change in the burden hours associated with this information collection. The change is an adjustment.

V. 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. 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.

List of Subjects

• Environmental protection
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements

Dated: August 7, 2006.

James D. Gulliford,

Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances.