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[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5225-5226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2655]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5683-6]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Agency Information Collection Activities

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 5226]]

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this notice announces that the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Confidentiality Rules. ICR 
#1665.02 OMB #2020-0003, expires 1/31/97. The ICR describes the nature 
of the information collection and its expected burden and cost; where 
appropriate, it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 6, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY CALL: Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-
2740, and refer to EPA ICR No. #1665.02.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Confidentiality Rules (OMB Control No. 2020-0003) expiring 
1/31/97. This is a request for an extension of a currently approved 
collection.
    Abstract: EPA administers a variety of statutes pertaining to the 
protection of the environment, (e.g., the Toxic Substances Control Act, 
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, Clean Water Act, and Federal 
Water Pollution Control Act), each with differing data collection 
requirements and differing requirements for disclosure of information 
to the public. The Agency collects chemical, process, waste stream, 
financial, and other data from tens of thousands of facilities in many, 
if not most, sectors of American business. Companies frequently 
consider this information vital to their competitive position, and 
claim the information as confidential business information (CBI).
    In the course of its daily business, the Agency often has a need to 
communicate this information in rulemaking, to its contractors, in 
response to requests pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 
5 U.S.C. 552, in litigation, etc.
    To manage this volume of confidential information while protecting 
both the confidentiality of competitively valuable information and the 
rights of FOIA requestors, EPA instituted in 40 CFR Part 2, Subpart B a 
set of procedures for handling and disclosing CBI. These procedures 
derive their authority from FOIA, the Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. 
1905), and the confidentiality provisions of the environmental statutes 
that EPA administers.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 9.4 
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; 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Businesses.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1008 claims; 1125 confidentiality 
agreements.
    Frequency of Response: app. 300 claims/yr; 1 confidentiality 
agreement/yr.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 9475 hours/yr for claims; .1 
hr/confidentiality agreement.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $475,007.
    Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the 
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods 
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 1665.02 and OMB Control No. 2020-0003 in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OPPE Regulatory 
Information Division, 401 M Street, SW (2137), Washington, DC 20460
    and
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: January 29, 1997.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division, Office of Regulatory 
Management and Information (OPPE).
[FR Doc. 97-2655 Filed 2-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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