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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 231 (Friday, November 30, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71417-71419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-29037]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2012-0675; FRL-9368-3]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), 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: ``EPA's Design for the 
Environment (DfE) Formulator Product Recognition Program'' and 
identified by EPA ICR No. 2302.02 and OMB Control No. 2070-0178, is 
scheduled to expire on June 30, 2013. Before submitting the ICR to OMB 
for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects 
of the proposed information collection.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 29, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2012-0675, by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     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, Rm. 6428, 1201 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. ATTN: 
Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2012-0675. 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 (202) 564-8930. Such deliveries are only accepted 
during the DCO'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-2012-0675. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be 
included in the docket without change and may be made available online 
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 
email. The regulations.gov Web site 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 email 
comment directly to EPA without going through regulations.gov, your 
email address will be automatically captured and included as part of 
the comment that is placed in the 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.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index 
available at http://www.regulations.gov. Although listed in the index, 
some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other 
material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only 
in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available 
electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in 
hard copy, at the OPPT Docket. The OPPT Docket is located in the EPA 
Docket Center (EPA/DC) at Rm. 3334, EPA West Bldg., 1301 Constitution 
Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room hours of 
operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding 
legal holidays. The telephone number of the EPA/DC Public Reading Room 
is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPPT Docket is 
(202) 566-0280. Docket visitors are required to show photographic 
identification, pass through a metal detector, and sign the EPA visitor 
log. All visitor bags are processed through an X-ray machine and 
subject to search. Visitors will be provided an EPA/DC badge that must 
be visible at all times in the building and returned upon departure.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information contact: 
David Difiori, Economics, Exposure, and Technology Division (7406M), 
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; 
telephone number:

[[Page 71418]]

(202) 564-8796; fax number: (202) 564-8892; email address: 
difiori.david@epa.gov.
    For general information contact: The TSCA-Hotline, ABVI-Goodwill, 
422 South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620; telephone number: (202) 
554-1404; email address: TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. What information is EPA particularly interested in?

    Pursuant to PRA section 3506(c)(2)(A) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), 
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 ICR are 
companies engaged in the formulation of end-use, for-sale products, 
that have furthered the goals of DfE through active and exemplary 
participation in and promotion of the program, and that wish to receive 
recognition for their achievements.
    Title: EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Formulator Product 
Recognition Program.
    ICR number: EPA ICR No. 2302.02.
    OMB control number: OMB Control No. 2070-0178.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on June 30, 
2013. 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 Code of Federal Regulations (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 
for certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: EPA's DfE Formulator Product Recognition Program formally 
recognizes safer products where all ingredients have an environmental 
and human health profile showing that they are the safest in their 
functional use class. Under the encouragement of this program, leading 
companies have made great progress in developing safer, highly 
effective chemical products. Since the program's inception in 1997, 
formulators have used the program as a portal to OPPT's unique chemical 
expertise, information resources, and guidance on greener chemistry. 
DfE Formulator partners enjoy Agency recognition, including the use of 
the DfE logo on products with the safest possible formulations. In the 
future, EPA expects much greater program participation due to rising 
demand for safer products. This information collection enables EPA to 
accommodate participation by more than nine formulators each year and 
to enhance program transparency.
    Information collection activities associated with this program will 
assist the Agency in meeting the goals of the Pollution Prevention Act 
(PPA) by providing resources and recognition for businesses committed 
to promoting and using safer chemical products. In turn, the program 
will help businesses meet corporate sustainability goals by providing 
the means to, and an objective measure of, environmental stewardship. 
Investment analysts and advisers seek these types of measures in 
evaluating a corporation's sustainability profile and investment 
worthiness. Formulator program partnership is an important impetus for 
prioritizing and completing the transition to safer chemical products. 
The formulator program is also needed to promote greater use of safer 
chemical products by companies unaware of the benefits of such a 
change.
    EPA has tailored its request for information, and especially the 
DfE Formulator Product Recognition Program application forms, to ensure 
that the Agency requests only that information essential to verify 
applicants' eligibility for recognition.
    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 be 25.5 hours 
per response for formulators of cleaning and non-cleaning products and 
9.5 hours per response for cleaning product formulators wishing to add 
third-party partners and products. 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.

[[Page 71419]]

    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of this estimate, which is 
only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 66.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 1,111 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $488,570. This includes an estimated 
burden cost of $488,570 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 an increase of 420 hours in the total estimated respondent 
burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by 
OMB. This increase reflects EPA's estimate of the number of 
applications the Agency will receive annually to add third-party 
partners and products. This estimate is based on the historical number 
of respondents that submitted third-party partners and products 
applications in the last year; this number is expected to remain 
constant over the next three years. The supporting statement provides 
additional details on the burden change. This 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 document 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: November 21, 2012.
James Jones,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2012-29037 Filed 11-29-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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