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SUPPORTING STATEMENT

Renewal of Existing Information Collection Request for Confidentiality Rules

1. Identification of the Information Collection

1(a) Title of the Information Collection

Renewal of Existing Information Collection Request for Confidentiality Rules; EPA ICR No. 

1665.12, OMB Control No 2020-0003.

1(b) Short Characterization (Abstract)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the requirements set forth in 40 

CFR, Part 2, Subpart B, “Confidentiality of Business Information” to establish rules to govern 

business confidentiality claims, i.e., the handling by the Agency of business information which 

is or may be entitled to confidential treatment, determining whether such information is entitled 

to confidential treatment for reasons of business confidentiality and responding to Freedom of 

Information Act requests pursuant to 5 U.S.C. §552 for this information.

This request to renew an existing information collection request (ICR) allows the Agency to 

continue obtaining the information it requires from submitters of confidential business 

information (CBI) to make final administrative determinations regarding whether or not the 

business information covered by a confidentiality claim is entitled to confidential treatment 

under Subpart B. Subpart B sets forth:

 the procedures industry must follow to assert and justify confidentiality claims; 

 the procedures EPA must follow in reviewing business information claimed as 

confidential; notifying and providing affected businesses with an opportunity to 

comment; reviewing industry substantiations; making final confidentiality

determinations; and

 the requirement for signing and maintaining confidentiality agreements by all 

contractor/subcontractor employees who are given access to confidential 

information in the course of performing work for EPA.

OMB Terms of Clearance

In the previous ICR renewal, OMB had these terms of clearance, "Prior to resubmission of this 

request for extension, the Agency should reassess burden taking into account recent experience 

of respondents and changes in EPA's reporting programs. In addition, the Agency should 

describe its method for estimating burden." 

Agency Response: To obtain current burden estimates, EPA contacted organizations during the 

summer of 2013 that prepare responses to substantiation requests on behalf of clients. The 

burden estimates contained herein are predicated on the recent input from the organizations 
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identified in Section 3(c) of this document and input from EPA staff involved in the 

substantiation process. The Agency’s method for estimating burden is discussed in Section 6, 

page 9.

2. Need For and Use of the Collection

2(a) Need/Authority for the Collection

EPA administers several environmental protection statutes, e.g., the Clean Water Act, the 

Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and 

Rodenticide Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Comprehensive 

Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. Environmental information and 

data are submitted by the regulated industry to EPA in accordance with the requirements of

regulations issued under these statutes. Information is also submitted to the Agency

voluntarily by the regulated industry. In many instances, the information received by the 

Agency is designated by the submitter as confidential business information (CBI).

Substantiation of Confidentiality Claims

In accordance with 40 CFR Part 2, subpart B, when EPA finds it necessary to make a final 

confidentiality determination (e.g., to respond to a FOIA request or in the course of 

rulemaking or litigation), it must provide the affected business written notice of that EPA is 

determining whether the information is entitled to confidential treatment, and is affording 

the business an opportunity to comment [(i.e., substantiate its confidential filing(s)]. The 

notice is furnished by certified mail (return receipt requested), by personal delivery, or by 

other means which allows verification of the delivery and date of receipt. The business 

must comment on the items detailed under Section 4(b) of this supporting statement within 

15 days of receipt. 

Confidentiality Agreements

When EPA utilizes contractor/subcontractor services for activities involving CBI, the 

contractor/subcontractor must ensure that all its employees who will be given access to CBI 

have signed confidentiality agreements. These agreements state that employees shall use 

the confidential information only for the work in the contract/subcontract, shall refrain from 

disclosing the information, and shall return all copies of the information to EPA upon 

request or completion of the project. The contractor/subcontractor company must also 

maintain a file of these confidentiality agreements.

The procedures laid out in 40 CFR, Part 2, subpart B, derive their authority from FOIA, as 

amended, 5 U.S.C. 552, the Trade Secrets Act, as amended, 18 U.S.C. 1905, the Federal 

housekeeping statute, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 301, the Administrative Procedure Act, as 

amended, 5 U.S.C. 551, et seq., and the confidentiality provisions of environmental statutes 

administered by EPA, as follows:
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•§114, 206, 208, 301, and 307, Clean Air Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 7414, 7525, 7542, 

7601, 7607)

•§§308, 501, and 509(a), Clean Water Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1318, 1361, 1369(a))

•§13, Noise Control Act of 1972, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4912)

•§§1445 and 1450, Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 300j-4, 300j-9)

•§§2002, 3001, 3007, and 9005, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended (42 

U.S.C. 6912, 6921, 6927, 6991d)

•§§8(c), 11, 12(b), and 14, Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended (15 U.S.C. 2607(c), 

2610, 2611(b), 2613)

•§§10, 12, and 25, Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, as amended, (7 

U.S.C. 136h, 136j, 136w)

•§408(i), Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended (21 U.S.C. 346a(i))

•§§104(f) and 108, Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, as amended 

(33 U.S.C. 1414(f), 1418)

§§104 and 115, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability

Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. 9604, 9615)

2(b) Use/Users of the Data

EPA will use the information received from industry to inform its decision for 

determining whether or not the subject information is entitled to confidential treatment; 

whether the Agency needs to make a formal confidentiality determination; and/or 

whether the information in question can be withheld pursuant to Exemption 4 of FOIA 

when a FOIA request has been filed for the information.

3. Non-Duplication, Consultations and Other Collection Criteria

3(a) Non-Duplication

This information is not elsewhere collected from businesses.

3(b) Public Notice Required Prior to ICR Submission to OMB

EPA published a notice of the renewal of the existing information collection request for 

confidentiality rules in the Federal Register on September 6, 2013 (78 FR 54889) and 

invited public comment. 

3(c) Consultations

To update its burden estimates, EPA consulted with the following businesses. These 

businesses are subject to the environmental statutes administered by EPA and prepare 

CBI substantiations. Input from the firms below (and the named individuals) was used 

to determine whether the burden to businesses who must prepare preparing CBI 

substantiations had changed since the issuance of the last ICR. The Agency determined 
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that the burden calculations required updating according to the information provided 

when the organizations below were contacted: 

 Briana Hagen

 3M

 3M Center Building 236-1B-10

 St. Paul, Minnesota 55144

 (651) 733-7766

 Andria Malinowski

 DuPont

 (302) 774-6443

 

 Tim Childs

 Shell

 One Shell Plaza

 Houston, Texas 77002

 (713) 241-3407

3(d) Effects of Less Frequent Collection

Not applicable.

3(e) General Guidelines

Only one provision of this collection exceeds the Paperwork Reduction Act guidelines 

at 5 CFR 1320.5(d) (2). This collection calls for responses to be furnished to EPA 

within 15 working days after the business receives the letter requesting substantiation. 

Under 5 CFR 1320.5(d) (2) (ii), EPA must justify why the response needs to be 

prepared within a period shorter than 30 days after receipt of the collection. In the 

context of addressing the time frame for determinations under the FOIA, EPA 

“tentatively” determined that 15 days is “a reasonable period for the business to furnish 

comments and substantiating data concerning its claim.” 40 FR 21987, 21988, 21989 

(May 20, 1975) and 41 FR 36902, 36908 (September 1, 1976). EPA has found through 

experience in the years since these regulations were promulgated (40 CFR Part 2) that 

15 days fits well with the general timetable of FOIA responses. 

3(f) Confidentiality and Sensitive Questions

1. Confidentiality
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Under EPA’s current CBI regulations (40 CFR Part 2, subpart B), respondents may

claim substantiations submitted to EPA as confidential.

2. Sensitive Questions

Not applicable. This information collection does not include questions of a 

sensitive nature. Only the information returned by the respondents may be of a 

sensitive nature.

4. The Respondents and the Information Requested

4(a) Respondents/SIC Codes

Respondents can potentially include any business submitting a document to EPA that it 

claims as CBI. EPA receives such information from both the manufacturing (SIC 

codes 20-39) and non-manufacturing sectors (no SIC codes identified).

4(b) Information Requested

A. Substantiation of confidentiality claim

Whenever EPA finds it necessary to determine the confidentiality of information that 

has been claimed as CBI (e.g., in response to a FOIA request or in connection with 

rulemaking or litigation, or with regard to an advance confidentiality determination 

under 40 CFR 2.204 (a), (c) and (d), 2.206), it must notify affected businesses orally

and in writing and provide them with an opportunity to comment (40 CFR 2.204(e)).

With this renewal ICR, EPA is proposing to use the two attached “Request for 

Substantiation” letters. The letters address different situations which require EPA to 

determine the confidentiality of information claimed CBI: Letter A addresses the 

situation where confidential business information in EPA possession is responsive to a 

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Letter B requests a generic substantiation.

1. Data Items

The written notice from EPA (40 CFR 2.204(e) (1) and (4)) invites the business’s 

comments (substantiation) on the following:

(i) The portions of the information which are alleged to be entitled to confidential 

treatment;
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(ii) The period of time for which confidential treatment is desired by the business 

(e.g., until a certain date, until the occurrence of a specified event, or 

permanently);

(iii) The purpose for which the information was furnished to EPA and the 

approximate date of submission, if known;

(iv) Whether a business confidentiality claim accompanied the information when 

it was received by EPA;

(v) Measures taken by the business to guard against undesired disclosure of the 

information to others;

(vi) The extent to which the information has been disclosed to others, and the

precautions taken in connection therewith;

(vii) Pertinent confidentiality determinations, if any, by EPA or other Federal 

agencies; and a copy of any such determination, or reference to it, if available;

(viii) Whether the business asserts that disclosure of the information would be 

likely to result in substantial harmful effects on the business's competitive 

position, and if so, what those harmful effects would be, why they should be 

viewed as substantial, and an explanation of the causal relationship between 

disclosure and such harmful effects; and 

(ix) Whether the business asserts that the information is voluntarily submitted 

information as defined in 40 CFR §2.201(i), and if so, whether and why 

disclosure of the information would tend to lessen the availability to EPA of 

similar information in the future.

2. Respondent Activities

To respond to the written notice, the respondent must:

 Read EPA’s request for comments;

 Review the information it claimed as confidential; and

 Prepare and submit the substantiation to EPA

or

 Read EPA’s request for comments;

 Review the information it claimed as confidential; and

 Decide not to submit the substantiation to EPA

B. Designation by Business of Addressee for Notices and Inquiries

Pursuant to 40 CFR 2.213, a business may elect to designate an official contact for 

inquiries and notices concerning confidentiality claims.
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1. Data Items

Name and address of the business making the designation, and the name and 

address of the designated person or office.

2. Respondent Activities

To review subject materials and decide whether to respond to EPA’s request for 

comments. 

C. Confidentiality agreements

When EPA utilizes the services of contractors/subcontractors, all 

contractor/subcontractor employees who may be given access to confidential 

information must first sign confidentiality agreements stating that they will honor the 

terms of the contract/subcontract which requires protection of CBI. See 40 CFR 

2.301(h) (2) (ii).

1. Data Items

Signed confidentiality agreements.

2. Respondent activities

The contractor must:

a. Require each employee given access to CBI to read and sign a confidentiality

agreement; and

b. Maintain a file of such agreements. See 40 CFR 2.301(h) (2) (IV).

In addition to the information collections discussed above, when EPA intends to disclose CBI 

to contractors/subcontractors, other federal agencies or Congress, EPA generally notifies 

affected businesses. During a specified period of time prior to disclosure, businesses may

submit comments. Industry has rarely submitted comments to EPA under these 

circumstances. 

5. The Information Collected – Agency Activities, Collection Methodology, and 

Information Management

5(a) Agency Activities

1. Review and make a preliminary determination of whether business information may

be entitled to confidential treatment. This review would be undertaken in response 

to a FOIA request or when EPA desires to determine the confidentiality of 

information within its possession for other purposes (e.g., rulemaking, litigation or 
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an advance confidentiality determination). It would involve determining whether a 

business confidentiality claim exists or whether a Federal court or an EPA legal 

office has previously determined that the information in question is entitled to 

treatment as CBI.

2. Notify the affected business orally and in writing that the Agency is determining the 

confidentiality of the information and provide the business with an opportunity to 

comment.

3. Review the substantiation received (if any) and make a final determination whether 

the business information in question is entitled to confidential treatment. This 

determination will be made by the appropriate EPA legal office as described in 40 

CFR 2.205. Not all business choose to submit substantiation to the Agency.

5(b) Collection Methodology and Management

The types of information that are requested are described under 4(b) above. EPA 

notifies affected businesses orally and in writing that it is determining the 

confidentiality of information they have submitted and affords them the opportunity to 

comment. Affected businesses may submit comments by the date specified in the 

notice (i.e., postmarked or hand delivered no later than the specified date); or if a 

request for an extension of the comment period is made by the business and approved 

by the EPA legal office before the comments are due, the comment period may be 

extended (40 CFR 2.205(b) (2)).

Confidential information that is submitted to EPA is protected in accordance with the 

policies and procedures discussed in (1) Chapter 8, “Information Security,” of EPA’s 

Information Resources Management (IRM) Policy Manual, Directive 2100, revised 

December 20, 1999; (2) the EPA Information Security Manual, Directive 2195A1, 

December 20, 1999; and (3) information security procedures issued by EPA 

organizations with statutory authority for the information [e.g., EPA’s Office of 

Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances has developed specific procedures for 

protecting the confidentiality of information obtained under the Toxic Substances 

Control Act (TSCA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act 

(FIFRA)].

5(c) Small Entity Flexibility

EPA does not have the flexibility to waive the need for substantiations from small 

entities for several reasons: (1) EPA is required to disclose information that is requested 

under FOIA, unless the information is specifically exempt; (2) if EPA discloses 

information that is entitled to confidential treatment, the Federal government could be 

held liable under the Federal Tort Claims Act and individual Federal employees could 

be subject to criminal liability under the Trade Secrets Act and other statutes, and (3) 
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the submitter of the information is in the best position to explain why particular 

information should be entitled to confidential treatment.

5(d) Collection Schedule

The request for substantiations occurs on a case-by-case basis, as needed.

6. Estimating the Burden and Cost of the Collection

Annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden: 7.6 hours per response

Estimated Number of Respondents: 228

Frequency of Response: 1 response per respondent annually

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 1,533.00 hours

 Estimated Total Annual Cost: $70,514.00 includes $0 annualized capital or O&M costs. 

6(a) Estimating Respondent Burden 

The burden estimates were developed after consultations with the firms identified under 

Section 3(c), above.

A. Substantiation of confidentiality claim

EPA receives approximately 250 FOIA requests for information that is claimed as CBI 

each year. However, many of the requests do not require EPA to contact the affected 

business (es). EPA may find that a federal court or EPA legal office has previously

determined that the information in question is entitled to confidential treatment, and 

further examination of the information may not be required; or, after consulting with an 

individual who requested information under FOIA, the Agency may be able to provide 

the information that is of most interest to the requester without disclosing any CBI. In 

these cases, no request for substantiation is issued.

In accordance with the procedures outlined in 40 CFR Part 2, subpart B, the Agency

notifies approximately 250 businesses annually that it is making a final confidentiality 

determination on information the business has previously claimed as CBI (or which 

could be expected to be CBI) is being made, and provide them with an opportunity to 

submit comments explaining why previously submitted information should be treated 

as confidential. Each affected business has an opportunity to submit comments 

explaining why the information should be protected.

6(b) Estimating Respondents Cost 

Over the past year, approximately 91% or 228 of the 249 businesses submitted 

comments to EPA and spent approximately 6 hours on each substantiation type 

reviewing the information, preparing the response and mailing the response back to the 

Agency (3.00 attorney hrs. + 3.00 manager hrs.)
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Burden for 228 respondents = 1,368 hours

The 21 businesses (9%) that do not submit substantiations are estimated to spend 

approximately 1 hour reviewing EPA’s notice, examining the information in question, 

and making a decision not to respond (.50 attorney hrs. + .50 manager hrs). 

Burden for 21 non- respondents = 21 hours.

Total burden for 249 respondents = 1,389 hours

EPA estimates the cost per substantiation (228) to be approximately $285.66 which 

includes reviewing the information, preparing the response and mailing the response 

back to the Agency ($60.00/attorney hr. + $35.22/manager hr.). 

Burden cost for respondents = $65,130.48.

The 21 businesses that do not submit substantiations are estimated to spend $1,999.62

in labor reviewing EPA’s letter and deciding not to respond. 

Burden costs for 21 non-respondents = $1,999.62

Total burden costs for 249 businesses to review and, if desired, respond to an EPA 

substantiation requests = $67,130.10. 

B. Confidentiality agreements

When EPA utilizes the services of contractors/subcontractors in implementing 40 CFR, 

Part 2, subpart B, all contractor/subcontractor employees who may be given access to 

confidential information must first sign confidentiality agreements stating that they will 

honor the terms of the contract which requires the protection of CBI. In addition, the 

contractor/subcontractor businesses must maintain a file of all such agreements. EPA 

estimates that there are approximately 130 businesses that have contracts with the 

Agency that require CBI access. These businesses are estimated to employ

approximately 650 employees who must sign confidentiality agreements each year. 

Signing Confidentiality Agreements

Burden hours: Each of the 650 employees is estimated to require 0.10 hours to review 

and sign the agreement. The total burden to review and sign confidentiality agreements 

= 65.00 hours annually.

Burden costs: EPA estimates the cost incurred to review and sign the agreement per 

employee to be $3.50 in labor (0.10 time @ $35.00/hr.). The total costs for 650

employees to review and sign agreements = $2,275 annually.
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Performing Recordkeeping Requirements

Each of the 130 businesses is required to maintain records of all confidentiality

agreements. 

Burden hours: EPA estimates that it requires 0.50 hours annually for 130 businesses 

to maintain confidentiality agreement files for 650 employees. The total burden for the 

130 businesses to maintain records for the 650 employees = 65.00 hours annually.

Burden costs: It is estimated that burden costs for the 130 businesses to maintain 

records for the 650 employees to be $8.53 (0.50 clerical time @ $17.05/clerical hr.) = 

$1108.90 annually. 

Total burden to maintain confidentiality files (signing agreements and maintaining 

records) = 130.30 hours at a cost of $3,383.90.

C. Overall Respondent Burden

The overall burden for 249 businesses to respond or decide not to respond to EPA’s 

letter, for 650 employees to review and sign confidentiality agreements and for 130

businesses to perform recordkeeping requirements totals 1533 hours at a total labor cost 

of $139,513.66 per year. EPA estimates that no capital costs or operation and 

maintenance costs would be incurred as a result of this information collection.

6(b) Estimating Agency Burden and Cost

The burden on EPA to evaluate confidentiality claims, notify affected businesses, and 

make final confidentiality determinations varies depending on the complexity of the 

claim. In some cases, the information that industry claims as confidential is specific 

and easily identified; yet in other cases, entire reports may be claimed as confidential. 

In the latter case, a significant amount of time may be required to review the 

information in question. In other cases, EPA may be able to satisfy a FOIA request 

without going through the entire substantiation process, if after conferring with a 

requestor, the Agency is able to provide the information of interest without releasing 

CBI.

(EPA estimates that of the 249 letters mailed to businesses, approximately 228

businesses will respond.)

Initial Activities

Burden hours: Based on past experience, EPA estimates that on average, it requires 

approximately 9 hours (6 attorney hrs. + 2 technical hrs. + 1 clerical hour) to conduct 

an initial review of a confidentiality claim and prepare and mail a substantiation to a 

submitter.
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Burden costs: Burden costs are estimated to be $376.35 per letter ($45.99/attorney hrs. 

@ GS-14, Step 5; $38.92/technical hrs. @ GS-13, Step 5; and $22.57/clerical hrs. @ 

GS-9, Step 5).

Total burden to review the subject information and prepare 249 substantiation requests 

annually = 2241 hours at a total labor cost of $93,711.15. 

Making Confidentiality Determinations

Burden hours: After industry comments are received, approximately 8 hours (6 

attorney hrs. and 2 technical hrs.) are required to review the comments and determine 

whether the information that is claimed as confidential is indeed entitled to confidential 

treatment. 

Burden costs: Burden costs to review and make final confidentiality determinations on 

228 responses are estimated to be $353.78 ($45.99/attorney hr. @ GS-14, Step 5 + 

$38.92/technical hr. @ GS-13, Step 5

Total burden to review and make final confidentiality determinations on 249

substantiations = 1824.00 hours at a total labor cost of $80.661.84.

The total Agency burden to perform initial activities and make final confidentiality

determinations on 228 responses = 4065.00 hours at a total labor cost of $174,372.99

annually.
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6(c) Bottom Line Burden Hours and Costs

Task Activity Burden Hours Total Annual 

Burden Hours

Burden Costs Total Annual 

Burden Costs 

AGENCY

Perform Initial 

activities

Review,

preliminary 

determination & 

mail 249 

substantiation 

letters

9 hours per letter 2241 $376.35

per letter

$93,711.15

Make final 

confidentiality 

determinations

Review comments 

and make final 

confidentiality 

determination on 

228 letters

8 hours per letter 1824 $353.78

per letter

$80,661.84

Overall Agency Burden 4,065 $174,372.99

RESPONDENTS

Respond to 

request from 

EPA

228 businesses 

review 

substantiation 

request, review 

records, prepare 

response and mail 

response to EPA

6 hours per 

substantiation

1,382

(6 hrs x 228

respondents)

$285.66

per substantiation

$65,130.48

($285.66 x 228)

Do not respond 

to request from 

EPA

21 businesses 

review letter, 

examine subject 

records but do not 

respond

1 hour 21

(1 hr. x 21

respondents)

$95.22

per letter 

$1,999.62

($95.22 x 21)

Sign 

Confidentiality 

Agreements

650 employees 

review and sign 

confidentiality 

agreements

.10 hour 65.00

(.10 hrs x 650

respondents)

$3.50

per employee

$2,275.00

($3.50 x 650)

Recordkeeping 130 businesses 

maintain records

.50 hours 65.00 

(.50 hrs x 130)

$8.53 $1,108.90

(8.53 x 130

respondents)

Overall Respondent Burden 1,533.00 $70,514.00 
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5. Variations in the Annual Bottom Line

Variations in the annual burden on EPA and respondents could potentially occur 

due to changes in:

• the number of FOIA requests that EPA receives for information that has 

been claimed as confidential;

• the number of times that EPA determines that a formal confidentiality

determination is necessary and notifies affected businesses, providing them 

with an opportunity to comment; and 

• the number of times that affected businesses decide to submit 

substantiations.

At this time, EPA does not foresee any significant changes in the annual burdens 

outlined above. 

6(d) Reasons for Change in Burden

The estimated burden increased by 3.9 hours based upon consultations with the 

submitter community identified in Section 3(c).

6(e) Burden Statement

The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information 

are estimated to average 1533 hours for 228 respondents or 7.6 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; training personnel to be able to respond to a collection of 

information; searching data sources; completing and reviewing the collection of 

information; and transmitting or otherwise disclose the information. 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. 

To comment on the Agency’s need for this information, the accuracy of the provided 

burden estimates, and any suggested methods for minimizing respondent burden, 

including the use of automated collection techniques, EPA has established a public 

docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OEI-2013-0565, which is available 

for online viewing at www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the OEI Docket in 

the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA WJC, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, 
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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 (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number 

for the OEI Docket is (202) 566-1752. An electronic version of the public docket is 

available at www.regulations.gov. This site can be used 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. Once in the 

system, select “search,” then key in the docket ID number identified above. Also, you 

can send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of 

Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: 

Desk Office for EPA. Please include the EPA Docket ID No. (EPA-HQ-OEI-2013-

0565) and OMB control number (2020-0003) in any correspondence.