Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 236 / Wednesday, December 9, 2015 / Notices 76475 

e.g., permitting electronic submission of 

responses. 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. At that time, EPA 

will issue another Federal Register 

notice to announce the submission of 

the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 

submit additional comments to OMB. 

Abstract: The international treaty The 

Montreal Protocol on Substances that 

Deplete the Ozone Layer (Protocol) and 

Title VI of the Clean Air Act 

Amendments (CAAA) established limits 

on total U.S. production, import, and 

export of class I and class II controlled 

ozone depleting substances (referred to 

hereinafter as ‘‘controlled substances’’). 

Under its Protocol commitments, the 

United States was obligated to cease 

production and import of class I 

controlled substances (e.g., 

chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs) with 

exemptions for essential uses, critical 

uses, previously-used material, and 

material that is transformed, destroyed, 

or exported to developing countries. 

The Protocol also establishes limits and 

reduction schedules leading to the 

eventual phaseout of class II controlled 

substances (i.e., 

hydrochlorofluorocarbons or HCFCs). 

The U.S. is obligated to limit HCFC 

consumption (defined by the Protocol as 

production plus imports, minus 

exports). The schedule called for a 35 

percent reduction on January 1, 2004, 

followed by a 75 percent reduction on 

January 1, 2010, a 90 percent reduction 

on January 1, 2015, a 99.5 percent 

reduction on January 1, 2020, and a total 

phaseout on January 1, 2030. EPA is 

responsible for administering the 

phaseout. 

To ensure U.S. compliance with these 

limits and restrictions, EPA established 

an allowance system to control U.S. 

production and import of HCFCs by 

granting control measures referred to as 

baseline and calendar-year allowances. 

Baseline allowances are based on the 

historical activity of individual 

companies. Calendar-year allowances 

allow holders to produce and/or import 

controlled substances in a given year 

and are allocated as a percentage of 

baseline. 

There are two types of baseline and 

calendar-year allowances: Consumption 

and production allowances. Since each 

allowance is equal to 1 kilogram of 

HCFC, EPA is able to monitor the 

quantity of HCFCs being produced, 

imported and exported. Transfers of 

production and consumption 

allowances among producers and 

importers are allowed and are tracked 

by EPA. 

The above-described limits and 

restrictions are monitored by EPA 

through the recordkeeping and reporting 

requirements established in the 

regulations in 40 CFR part 82, subpart 

A. To submit required information, 

regulated entities can download 

reporting forms from EPA’s Web site 

(http://www.epa.gov/ozone/record), 

complete them, and send them to EPA 

electronically, via mail, courier, or fax. 

Upon receipt of the reports, the data 

is entered into the ODS Tracking 

System. The ODS Tracking System is a 

secure database that maintains the data 

submitted to EPA and helps the agency: 

(1) Maintain oversight over total 

production and consumption of 

controlled substances; (2) monitor 

compliance with limits and restrictions 

on production, imports, and trades and 

specific exemptions from the phaseout 

for individual U.S. companies; and (3) 

assess, and report on, compliance with 

U.S. obligations under the Montreal 

Protocol. 

EPA has implemented an electronic 

reporting system that allows regulated 

entities to prepare and submit data 

electronically. Coupled with the 

widespread use of the standardized 

forms, electronic reporting has 

improved data quality and made the 

reporting process efficient for both 

reporting companies and EPA. Most 

reporting is done electronically. 

Pursuant to regulations in 40 CFR part 

2, subpart B, reporting businesses are 

entitled to assert a business 

confidentiality claim covering any part 

of the submitted business information as 

defined in 40 CFR 2.201(c). EPA’s 

practice is to manage the reported 

information as confidential business 

information. 

Form numbers: Forms associated with 

this ICR are: Quarterly Reports, Second 

Party Transformation Report, Second 

Party Destruction Report, Transmission 

Verification Report, Destruction 

Efficiency Report, Destruction 

Verification Report, Semi-annual 

Report, International Transfer of 

Allowances Report, and the Domestic 

Transfer of Allowances Report. All are 

under OMB Control Number 2060–0498. 

Respondents/affected entities: 40. 

Respondent’s obligation to respond: 

Mandatory (Title VI of the Clean Air Act 

Amendments). 

Estimated number of respondents: 40. 

Frequency of response: Annually, 

quarterly, or as needed. 

Total estimated burden: 1,434 hours 

(per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 

1320.03(b). 

Total estimated cost: $153,264 (per 

year), includes $1,155 annualized 

capital or operation & maintenance 

costs. 

Changes in estimates: The respondent 

numbers changed because the reporting 

community continues to change as ODS 

are phased out in the US. Specifically, 

we estimate fewer companies reporting 

on imports and exports of Class II ODS. 

We also assume fewer companies 

reporting on the destruction and 

transformation of this material. These 

updates are based on 2014 reporting 

activity whereas our previous estimates 

were based on 2010–2011 reporting 

activity. 

Dated: November 23, 2015. 

Drusilla Hufford, 

Director, Stratospheric Protection Division. 

[FR Doc. 2015–31051 Filed 12–8–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[FRL–9939–84–OW] 

Notice of Open Meeting of the 

Environmental Financial Advisory 

Board 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The EPA’s Environmental 

Financial Advisory Board (EFAB) will 

hold a public meeting on January 12–13, 

2016. EFAB is an EPA advisory 

committee chartered under the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act to provide 

advice and recommendations to EPA on 

creative approaches to funding 

environmental programs, projects, and 

activities. 

The purpose of this meeting is to hear 

from informed speakers on 

environmental finance issues, proposed 

legislation, and EPA priorities; to 

discuss activities, progress, and 

preliminary recommendations with 

regard current EFAB work projects; and 

to consider requests for assistance from 

EPA offices. Environmental finance 

discussions and presentations are 

expected on, but not limited to, the 

following topics: Financing operations 

and maintenance costs at green 

infrastructure sites; financing 

stormwater and green infrastructure 

programs; public-private partnerships 

for water infrastructure projects; 

financing pre-development activities in 

communities; affordability challenges in 

the water sector; and financial capacity 

development for small drinking/

wastewater systems. The meeting is 

open to the public; however, seating is 

limited. All members of the public who 

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76476 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 236 / Wednesday, December 9, 2015 / Notices 

wish to attend the meeting must 

register, in advance, no later than 

Monday, December 28, 2015. 

Registration is required for all members 

of the public to ensure an expeditious 

security process. 

DATES: The full board meeting will be 

held on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 from 

1:00 p.m. to 5 p.m., EST and 

Wednesday, January 13, 2015 from 9:00 

a.m. to 5 p.m., EST. 

ADDRESSES: Hamilton Crowne Plaza 

Hotel, 1001 14th St. NW., Washington, 

DC 20005. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

information on access or services for 

individuals with disabilities, or to 

request accommodations for a person 

with a disability, please contact Sandra 

Williams at (202) 564–4999 or 

williams.sandra@epa.gov, at least 10 

days prior to the meeting, to allow as 

much time as possible to process your 

request. 

Dated: December 2, 2015. 

Andrew D. Sawyers, 

Director, Office of Wastewater Management, 

Office of Water. 

[FR Doc. 2015–31044 Filed 12–8–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[FRL–9939–69–OECA] 

Notice of eDisclosure Portal Launch: 

Modernizing Implementation of EPA’s 

Self-Policing Incentive Policies 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) is modernizing 

implementation of its self-disclosure 

policies by creating a centralized webbased ‘‘eDisclosure’’ portal to receive 

and automatically process self-disclosed 

civil violations of environmental law. 

Under the automated eDisclosure 

system, large and small businesses will 

quickly be able to get some of their more 

routine types of disclosures resolved. 

EPA is launching the eDisclosure 

system because it continues to believe 

strongly in the benefits of its selfdisclosure policies: To provide penalty 

mitigation and other incentives for 

companies that self-police, disclose, 

correct and prevent violations. EPA 

believes that the implementation 

changes announced today will make the 

processing of disclosures faster and 

more efficient, and will save time and 

resources for regulated entities and EPA. 

DATES: These modifications to the 

implementation of EPA’s Audit Policy 

and Small Business Compliance Policy, 

and the launch of the eDisclosure portal, 

are effective immediately, December 9, 

2015. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Philip Milton of EPA’s Office of 

Enforcement and Compliance 

Assurance, Office of Civil Enforcement, 

at milton.philip@epa.gov or (202) 564– 

5029. For general information on the 

eDisclosure portal please visit http://

www2.epa.gov/compliance/epasedisclosure. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Over the 

past several years, EPA has been 

evaluating how best to realize the 

benefits of the self-disclosure policies. 

Most recently, EPA held two webinars 

in June 2015 to share its plan for 

eDisclosure and allow the nearly 350 

people who participated to share their 

views and ask questions. 

Companies have suggested that EPA 

could streamline implementation of the 

self-disclosure policies for more routine 

disclosures to make the process faster, 

more efficient, and to save time and 

resources for regulated entities and EPA, 

while still retaining the incentives to 

self-police environmental problems. The 

regulated community also emphasized 

that a key time to encourage selfauditing and self-disclosure is when 

companies are purchased or acquired, 

because that is a point in time when 

companies typically are assessing 

operations and management systems. 

EPA agrees with those suggestions from 

the regulated community and welcomes 

input, on an ongoing basis, as to how 

the eDisclosure system is working. 

I. Explanation of Modification to the 

Implementation of the Policies 

A. Introduction 

On April 11, 2000, EPA issued its 

policy on ‘‘Incentives for Self-Policing: 

Discovery, Disclosure, Correction and 

Prevention of Violations’’ (Audit 

Policy). 65 FR 19618. The purpose of 

the Audit Policy is to enhance 

protection of human health and the 

environment by encouraging regulated 

entities to voluntarily discover, 

promptly disclose, expeditiously correct 

and prevent the recurrence of violations 

of federal environmental law. Benefits 

available to entities that make 

disclosures under the terms of the Audit 

Policy include reductions in, and in 

some cases the elimination of, civil 

penalties, and an EPA determination not 

to recommend criminal prosecution of 

disclosing entities. (Ultimate 

prosecutorial discretion resides with the 

U.S. Department of Justice.) More 

information on the Audit Policy is 

available at 

http://www2.epa.gov/compliance/epasaudit-policy. 

On August 1, 2008, EPA issued the 

‘‘Interim Approach to Applying the 

Audit Policy to New Owners’’ (New 

Owner Policy). 73 FR 44991. The 

purpose of the New Owner Policy is to 

tailor Audit Policy incentives for new 

owners that want to make a ‘‘clean 

start’’ at recently acquired facilities by 

addressing environmental 

noncompliance that began prior to 

acquisition. The New Owner Policy is 

designed to motivate new owners to 

audit newly acquired facilities and to 

encourage self-disclosures of violations 

that will, once corrected, yield 

significant pollutant reductions and 

benefits to the environment. The 

incentives tailored for new owners 

include clearly defined penalty 

mitigation beyond what is offered by the 

Audit Policy, as well as the 

modification of certain Audit Policy 

conditions that will allow more 

violations to be eligible for penalty 

mitigation under the Audit Policy. More 

information on the New Owner Policy is 

available at http://www2.epa.gov/

compliance/epas-interim-approachapplying-audit-policy-new-owners. 

EPA’s Small Business Compliance 

Policy (65 FR 19630, April 11, 2000) is 

an additional voluntary disclosure 

policy that provides incentives for small 

businesses (with 100 or fewer 

employees) that voluntarily discover, 

promptly disclose, and expeditiously 

correct environmental violations. More 

information on the Small Business 

Compliance Policy is available at http:// 

www2.epa.gov/compliance/smallbusiness-compliance. 

B. Background on Today’s 

Modifications 

The penalty mitigation available 

under EPA’s self-disclosure policies has 

provided an incentive for regulated 

entities to detect, promptly disclose, 

expeditiously correct and prevent 

violations of federal environmental 

requirements. Since 1995, the regulated 

community has increasingly adopted 

environmental auditing and 

environmental management practices as 

key components of sound business 

practices. Thousands of entities have 

disclosed violations to EPA pursuant to 

the Agency’s voluntary disclosure 

policies, and EPA continues to receive 

hundreds of new disclosures every year. 

Enforcement also has contributed to the 

dramatic expansion of environmental 

auditing, as many regulated entities who 

conducted audits have told EPA that 

one of the primary reasons for doing so 

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