2019-08643. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Generator Standards Applicable to Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities (Renewal)

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR), Generator Standards Applicable to Laboratories Owned by Eligible Academic Entities (EPA ICR Number 2317.04, OMB Control Number 2050-0204) 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 April 30, 2019. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on November 23, 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 July 1, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OLEM-2018-0692, to (1) EPA, either online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), or by email to [e-mail], or by mail to: RCRA Docket (2822T), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue 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:

Kristen Fitzgerald, (mail code 5304P), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 703-308-8286; fax number: 703-308-0514; 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: Subpart K within 40 CFR Part 262 provides a flexible and protective set of regulations that address the specific nature of hazardous waste generation and accumulation in laboratories owned by colleges and universities, including teaching hospitals and non-profit research institutes that are either owned by or formally affiliated with a college or university. In addition, eligible academic entities have the discretion to determine the most appropriate and effective method of compliance with these requirements—by allowing them the choice of either managing their hazardous wastes in accordance with the alternative regulations as set forth in Subpart K, or remaining subject to the existing generator regulations.

Form Numbers: None.

Respondents/affected entities: Business and other for-profit, as well as State, Local, and Tribal governments.

Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain or retain a benefit (Sections 2002, 3001, 3002, 3004 of RCRA).

Estimated number of respondents: 283.

Frequency of response: On occasion.

Total estimated burden: 157,950 hours per year. Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).

Total estimated cost: $13,452,535 (per year), includes $255,365 annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.

Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 122,137 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. This increase is due to an adjustment to the existing estimates based on data gathered through industry consultations and review of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information (RCRAInfo) national database, not due to program changes. For example, following industry consultations, the estimated amount of containers and labs per eligible academic entity increased substantially relative to the previous ICR.

Courtney Kerwin,

Director, Regulatory Support Division.