Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 166 / Monday, August 27, 2018 / Notices 43675 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA–HQ–OPPT–2017–0647; FRL–9982–52] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Proposed Renewal of an 

Exiting Collection (EPA ICR No. 

1446.12); Comment Request 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this 

document announces that EPA is 

planning to submit an Information 

Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB). The 

ICR, entitled: ‘‘PCBs, Consolidated 

Reporting and Recordkeeping 

Requirements’’ and identified by EPA 

ICR No. 1446.12 and OMB Control No. 

2070–0112, represents the renewal of an 

existing ICR that is scheduled to expire 

on November 30, 2018. Before 

submitting the ICR to OMB for review 

and approval, EPA is soliciting 

comments on specific aspects of the 

proposed information collection that is 

summarized in this document. The ICR 

and accompanying material are 

available in the docket for public review 

and comment. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before October 26, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

identified by docket identification (ID) 

number EPA–HQ–OPPT–2017–0647, by 

one of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

Do not submit electronically any 

information you consider to be 

Confidential Business Information (CBI) 

or other information whose disclosure is 

restricted by statute. 

• 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: To make special 

arrangements for hand delivery or 

delivery of boxed information, please 

follow the instructions at http://

www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html. 

Additional instructions on 

commenting or visiting the docket, 

along with more information about 

dockets generally, is available at http:// 

www.epa.gov/dockets. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

For technical information contact: 

Erik Winchester, National Programs 

Chemical Division (7404T), Office of 

Pollution Prevention and Toxics, 

Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 

Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 

20460–0001; telephone number: (202) 

564–6450; email address: 

winchester.erik@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, 

specifically the assumptions used for 

industry burden on Tables 6–2, 6–3, and 

6–4 found in the Supporting Statement. 

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 information collection activity 

or ICR does this action apply to? 

Title: PCBs, Consolidated Reporting 

and Recordkeeping Requirements. 

ICR number: EPA ICR No. 1446.12. 

OMB control number: OMB Control 

No. 2070–0112. 

ICR status: This ICR is currently 

scheduled to expire on November 30, 

2018. 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: Section 6(e)(1) of the Toxic 

Substances Control Act (TSCA), 15 

U.S.C. 2605(e), directs EPA to regulate 

the marking and disposal of PCBs. 

Section 6(e)(2) bans the manufacturing, 

processing, distribution in commerce, 

and use of PCBs in other than a totally 

enclosed manner. Section 6(e)(3) 

establishes a process for obtaining 

exemptions from the prohibitions on the 

manufacture, processing, and 

distribution in commerce of PCBs. Since 

1978, EPA has promulgated numerous 

rules addressing all aspects of the life 

cycle of PCBs as required by the statute. 

The regulations are intended to prevent 

the improper handling and disposal of 

PCBs and to minimize the exposure of 

human beings or the environment to 

PCBs. These regulations have been 

codified in the various subparts of 40 

CFR 761. There are approximately 100 

specific reporting, third-party reporting, 

and recordkeeping requirements 

covered by 40 CFR 761. 

To meet its statutory obligations to 

regulate PCBs, EPA must obtain 

sufficient information to conclude that 

specified activities do not result in an 

unreasonable risk of injury to health or 

the environment. EPA uses the 

information collected under the 40 CFR 

761 requirements to ensure that PCBs 

are managed in an environmentally safe 

manner and that activities are being 

conducted in compliance with the PCB 

regulations. The information collected 

by these requirements will update the 

Agency’s knowledge of ongoing PCB 

activities, ensure that individuals using 

or disposing of PCBs are held 

accountable for their activities, and 

demonstrate compliance with the PCB 

regulations. Specific uses of the 

information collected include 

determining the efficacy of a disposal 

technology; evaluating exemption 

requests and exclusion notices; targeting 

compliance inspections; and ensuring 

adequate storage capacity for PCB waste. 

This collection addresses the several 

information reporting requirements 

found in the PCB regulations. 

Responses to the collection of 

information are mandatory (see 40 CFR 

part 761). Respondents may claim all or 

part of a response confidential. EPA will 

disclose information that is covered by 

a claim of confidentiality only to the 


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43676 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 166 / Monday, August 27, 2018 / Notices 

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 average 1.36 hours per 

response. Burden is defined in 5 CFR 

1320.3(b). 

The ICR, which is available in the 

docket along with other related 

materials, provides a detailed 

explanation of the collection activities 

and the burden estimate that is only 

briefly summarized here: 

Respondents/Affected Entities: 

Entities potentially affected by this ICR 

are persons who currently possess PCB 

items, PCB-contaminated equipment, or 

other PCB waste. 

Estimated total number of potential 

respondents: 548,298. 

Frequency of response: On occasion. 

Estimated total average number of 

responses for each respondent: 1. 

Estimated total annual burden hours: 

745,926 hours. 

Estimated total annual costs: 

$34,581,690. This includes an estimated 

burden cost of $34,581,690 and an 

estimated cost of $0 for capital 

investment or maintenance and 

operational costs. 

III. Are there changes in the estimates 

from the last approval? 

There is no change in the total 

estimated respondent burden (745,926 

hours) from that currently in the OMB 

inventory. The changes in the total 

annual respondent reporting and 

recordkeeping costs are due to updates 

to the most current wage rate data. The 

up-to-date wage rates and the change 

from the previous ICR are as follows: 

• Manager—new rate, $77.86; prior 

rate; $77.81; (less than 1 percent) 

percent increase). 

• Clerical—new rate, $37.76; prior 

rate, $30.36 (24 percent increase). 

• Professional/technical—new rate, 

$78.33; prior rate, $64.55 (21 percent 

increase). 

IV. 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. 

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. 

Dated: August 19, 2018. 

Charlotte Bertrand, 

Acting Principal Deputy Assistant 

Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and 

Pollution Prevention. 

[FR Doc. 2018–18530 Filed 8–24–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA-Docket #OW–2018–0270; FRL–9982– 

88–OW] 

Announcement of the Per- and 

Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) 

Heartland Community Engagement 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice of an event. 

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) will host a Per- and 

Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) 

Heartland Community Engagement in 

Leavenworth, Kansas. The goal of the 

event is to allow the EPA to hear 

directly from the EPA’s Region VII 

communities to understand ways the 

Agency can best support the work that 

is being done at the state, tribal, and 

local level to address PFAS in the 

environment. For more information on 

the event, visit the EPA’s PFAS website: 

https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfascommunity-engagement. During the 

recent PFAS National Leadership 

Summit, the EPA announced plans to 

visit communities to hear directly from 

those impacted by PFAS. These 

engagements are the next step in the 

EPA’s commitment to address 

challenges with PFAS. The EPA 

anticipates that the community 

engagements will provide valuable 

insight for the Agency’s efforts moving 

forward. For more information, go to the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of 

this notice. 

DATES: The event will be held on 

September 5, 2018. The meeting is 

scheduled from 1 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., 

central time. The working session will 

begin at 1 p.m., with the listening 

session to follow, starting at 3:30 p.m., 

central time. 

ADDRESSES: The event will be held at 

the Riverfront Community Center, 123 S 

Esplanade Street, Leavenworth, Kansas 

66048. If you are unable to attend the 

Heartland Community Engagement, you 

will be able to submit comments at 

http://www.regulations.gov: enter 

Docket ID No. EPA–OW–2018–0270. 

Citizens, including those that attend and 

provide oral statements, are encouraged 

to send written statements to the public 

docket. Follow the online instructions 

for submitting comments. Once 

submitted, comments cannot be edited 

or withdrawn. The EPA may publish 

any comment received to its public 

docket. Do not submit electronically any 

information you consider to be 

Confidential Business Information (CBI) 

or other information whose disclosure is 

restricted by statute. Multimedia 

submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be 

accompanied by a written comment. 

The written comment is considered the 

official comment and should include 

discussion of all points you wish to 

make. The EPA will generally not 

consider comments or comment 

contents located outside of the primary 

submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or 

other file sharing system). For 

additional submission methods, the full 

EPA public comment policy, 

information about CBI or multimedia 

submissions, and general guidance on 

making effective comments, please visit 

http://www2.epa.gov/dockets/ 

commenting-epa-dockets. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Amy Shields, USEPA Region 7, 11201 

Renner Blvd. (Mail Code ENST/IO), 

Lenexa, KS 66219; telephone number: 

913–551–7396; email address: 

shields.amy@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Details about Participating in the 

Event: The public is invited to speak 

during the September 5 listening 

session. Those interested in speaking 

can sign up for a 3-minute speaking slot 

on the EPA’s website at https://

www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-communityengagement. Please check this website 

for event materials as they become 

available, including a full agenda, 

leading up to the event. 

The PFAS National Leadership 

Summit: On May 22–23, 2018, the EPA 

hosted the PFAS National Leadership 

Summit. During the summit, 

participants worked together to share 

information on ongoing efforts to 

characterize risks from PFAS. 

Participants presented their efforts to 

develop monitoring and treatment/ 

cleanup techniques, identify specific 

near-term actions that are needed to 

address challenges currently facing 

states and local communities, and 

develop risk communication strategies 

that will help communities to address 

public concerns regarding PFAS. 

The EPA wants to assure the public 

that their input is valuable and 

meaningful. Using information from the 

National Leadership Summit, public 


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