[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 216 (Thursday, November 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88277-88278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25880]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2024-0508; FRL-12307-01-OCSPP]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed New Collection 
and Request for Comment; Threshold Setting Data Needs for the Label 
Program for Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this 
document announces the availability of and solicits public comment on 
the following Information Collection Request (ICR) that EPA is planning 
to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): ``Threshold 
Setting Data Needs for the Label Program for Low Embodied Carbon 
Construction Materials,'' identified by EPA ICR No. 2805.01 and OMB 
Control No. 2070-NEW. This ICR represents a new request. Before 
submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval under the PRA, EPA is 
soliciting comments on specific aspects of the 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 January 6, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2024-0508, through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at https://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. Additional 
instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along with more 
information about dockets generally, is available at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Connie Ocampo, Office of Program 
Support (7602M), Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 566-1216; email address: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#aec1cdcfc3dec180cdc1c0c0c7cbeecbdecf80c9c1d8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="117e72707c617e3f727e7f7f7874517461703f767e67">[email protected]</span></a>.

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

[[Page 88278]]

burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

II. What information collection activity or ICR does this action apply 
to?

    Title: Threshold Setting Data Needs for the Label Program for Low 
Embodied Carbon Construction Materials.
    EPA ICR No.:2805.01.
    OMB Control No.: 2070-NEW.
    ICR status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity. 
Under the PRA, 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 
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: This ICR is for the Low Embodied Carbon Construction 
Materials Program (the Program). Under this ICR, the Program is seeking 
approval to collect the data on the asphalt and concrete products 
purchased by state and local government agencies and the concrete 
products purchased by large architectural and engineering (A&E) firms. 
Among the data being requested is information on Environmental Product 
Declarations (EPDs) associated with these products. EPD information, 
along with data on amounts purchased of each product, will provide EPA 
with data that can be used in setting threshold values to define 
categories for labels under the Program. The underpinnings of being 
able to label construction materials with substantially lower levels of 
embodied greenhouse gas emissions is collecting, assessing the quality 
of, and analyzing data on embodied greenhouse gas emissions of products 
and materials and setting substantially lower embodied carbon emissions 
thresholds. To do so effectively, the Agency will need to supplement 
available data from public data sources with direct requests for 
information from users about the specifications for materials purchased 
and the volumes purchased. The Program's beginning focus is on four 
types of materials: (1) concrete and cement, (2) steel, (3) asphalt 
binders, and (4) glass. The ICR, however, will only need to focus on 
two sectors: concrete and asphalt. Additionally, this ICR is only 
focused on collecting data from the larger consumers of these two 
materials (state/local agencies and large A&E firms). EPA will include 
the other sectors in a future ICR.
    Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 
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 those that potentially affected entities with North 
American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) for the following 
NAICS codes state government (NAICS code 9920), local governments 
(NAICS code 9930), construction (NAICS code 23), and construction of 
buildings (NAICS code 236).
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Forms: EPA Form 9600-XX.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Total estimated number of potential respondents: 95.
    Total estimated average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Total estimated annual burden hours: 5,700 hours.
    Total estimated annual respondent costs: $325,319 million, which 
includes $0 for capital investment or maintenance and operational 
costs.

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 person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

    Dated: November 2, 2024.
Michal Freedhoff,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2024-25880 Filed 11-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


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