5226 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 23 / Tuesday, February 4, 1997 / Notices

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

[FRL–5683–7]

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Submission for OMB

Review; Comment Request; Invitation

for Bids and Request for Proposals

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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:

Invitation for Bids and Request for

Proposals; OMB Control No. 2030–0007;

expiration date 3/31/97. 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. 1038.09.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Invitation for Bids and Request

for Proposals (OMB Control No. 2030–

0007; EPA ICR No. 1038.09) expiring 3/

31/97. This is a request for extension of

a currently approved collection.

Abstract: Firms which are interested

in providing supplies or services to EPA

will furnish information on previous

contracts performed, technical

information, and cost or pricing

information or data. They will submit

this information when the Agency

announces a need for supplies or

services which they are capable of

providing. EPA will use this

information to determine which firm’s

offer is most suited to the Agency’s

requirements.

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. The Federal Register Notice

required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d),

soliciting comments on this collection

of information was published on 10/24/

96 (61 FR 55147). No comments were

received.

Burden Statement: The annual public

reporting and recordkeeping burden for

this collection of information is

estimated to average 8 hours per bid and

290 hours per proposal. Burden means

the total time, effort, or financial

resources expended by persons to
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 23 / Tuesday, February 4, 1997 / Notices 5227

generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or

provide information to or for a Federal

agency. This includes the time needed

to review instructions; to 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; to adjust the

existing ways to comply with any

previously applicable instructions and

requirements; to train personnel to be

able to respond to a collection of

information; to search data sources; to

complete and review the collection of

information; and to transmit or

otherwise disclose the information.

Respondents/Affected Entities:

Contractors seeking business with EPA.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

1,731.

Frequency of Response: One response

per bid or proposal.

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden:

399,342 hours.

Estimated Total Annualized Cost

Burden: $20,770,435.

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. 1038.09 and

OMB Control No 2030–0007 in any

correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, OPPE Regulatory

Information Division (2137), 401 M

Street, SW., 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.

[FR Doc. 97–2656 Filed 2–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

[FRL–5684–5]

Acid Rain Program: Notice of Written

Exemptions

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of written exemptions.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency is issuing, as a direct

final action, written exemptions from

the Acid Rain permitting and

monitoring requirements to 2 utility

units in accordance with the Acid Rain

Program regulations (40 CFR part 72).

Because the Agency does not anticipate

receiving adverse comments, these

exemptions are being issued as direct

final actions.

DATES: The exemptions issued in this

direct final action will be final on March

17, 1997, or 40 days after publication of

a similar notice in a local newspaper,

whichever is later, unless significant,

adverse comments are received by

March 6, 1997 or 30 days after

publication of a similar notice in a local

newspaper, whichever is later. If

significant, adverse comments are

timely received on an exemption in this

direct final action, the exemption will

be withdrawn through a notice in the

Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Administrative Records.

The administrative record for the

exemptions, except information

protected as confidential, may be

viewed during normal operating hours

at EPA Region 5, 77 West Jackson Blvd.,

Chicago, IL 60604.

Comments: Send comments to David

Kee, Director, Air and Radiation

Division, EPA Region 5, (address above).

Submit comments in duplicate and

identify the commenter’s name, address,

telephone number, and the commenter’s

interest in the matter and affiliation, if

any, to the owners and operators of the

unit covered by the exemption.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact Cecilia Mijares, (312) 886–0968.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: All public

comment received on the exemptions in

this direct final action in which

significant, adverse comments are

timely received will be addressed in a

subsequent issuance or denial of

exemption based on the relevant draft

exemption in the notice of draft written

exemptions that is published elsewhere

in today’s Federal Register and that is

identical to this direct final action.

Under the Acid Rain Program

regulations (40 CFR 72.7), utilities may

petition EPA for an exemption from

permitting and monitoring requirements

for any new utility unit that serves one

or more generators with total nameplate

capacity of 25 MW or less and burns

only fuels with a sulfur content of 0.05

percent or less by weight. On the earlier

of the date a unit exempted under 40

CFR 72.7 burns any fuel with a sulfur

content in excess of 0.05 percent by

weight or 24 months prior to the date

the exempted unit first serves one or

more generators with total nameplate

capacity in excess of 25 MW, the unit

shall no longer be exempted under 40

CFR 72.7 and shall be subject to all

permitting and monitoring requirements

of the Acid Rain Program.

EPA is issuing written exemptions to

the following new units, effective from

January 1, 1997 through December 31,

2001:

Oberlin Municipal Light and Power

System unit 4 in Ohio, owned and

operated by the City of Oberlin.

Village of Prospect unit Prospect 1 in

Ohio, owned and operated by Prospect

Municipal Electric Department.

Dated: January 27, 1997.

Brian J. McLean,

Director, Acid Rain Division, Office of

Atmospheric Programs, Office of Air and

Radiation.

[FR Doc. 97–2705 Filed 2–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

[FRL–5684–4]

Acid Rain Program: Notice of Draft

Written Exemptions

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Draft Written

Exemptions.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency is issuing draft

written exemptions from Acid Rain

permitting and monitoring requirements

to 2 new utility units. Under the Acid

Rain Program regulations (40 CFR 72.7),

utilities may petition EPA for an

exemption from permitting and

monitoring requirements for any new

utility unit that serves one or more

generators with a total nameplate

capacity of 25 MW or less and burns

only fuels with a sulfur content of 0.05

percent or less by weight. Because the

Agency does not anticipate receiving

adverse comments, the exemptions are

being issued as direct final actions in

the notice of written exemptions

published elsewhere in today’s Federal

Register.

DATES: Comments on the exemptions

proposed by this action must be

received on or before March 6, 1997 or

30 days after publication of a similar

notice in a local newspaper, whichever

is later.

ADDRESSES: Administrative Records.

The administrative record for the

exemptions, except information

protected as confidential, may be

viewed during normal operating hours

at EPA Region 5, 77 West Jackson Blvd.,

Chicago, IL 60604.

Comments. Send comments to: David

Kee, Director, Air and Radiation

Division, EPA Region 5, 77 West

Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604.