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[Federal Register: October 25, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 206)]
[Notices]               
[Page 66061-66063]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25oc11-65]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2011-0699; FRL-8889-4]

 
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) (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), 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: ``Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements for Allegations of 
Significant Adverse Reactions to Human Health or the Environment (TSCA 
Section 8(c))'' and identified by EPA ICR No. 1031.10 and OMB Control 
No. 2070-0017, is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2012. 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 December 27, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2011-0699 by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the on-line 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. Attention: 
Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2011-0699. 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-
2011-0699. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the docket without change and may be made available on-line 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 e-
mail. 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 e-
mail comment directly to EPA without going through regulations.gov, 
your e-mail 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,

[[Page 66062]]

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: 
Mike Mattheisen, Chemical Control Division (7405M), Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(202) 564-3077; fax number: (202) 564-4755; e-mail address: 
mattheisen.mike@epa.gov.
    For general information contact: The TSCA-Hotline, ABVI-Goodwill, 
422 South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620; telephone number: (202) 
554-1404; e-mail address: TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. What information is EPA particularly interested in?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of PRA, 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 
manufacturers, processors or importers of chemical substances.
    Title: ``Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements for Allegations 
of Significant Adverse Reactions to Human Health or the Environment 
(TSCA Section 8(c))''.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1031.10, OMB Control No. 2070-0017.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on August 31, 
2012. 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: TSCA section 8(c) requires manufacturers, processors, and 
distributors of chemicals to maintain records of significant adverse 
reactions to health or the environment alleged to have been caused by 
such chemicals. Since section 8(c) includes no automatic reporting 
provisions, EPA can obtain and use the information contained in company 
files only by inspecting those files or requiring reporting of records 
that relate to specific substances of concern. Therefore, under certain 
conditions, and using the provisions found in 40 CFR part 717, EPA may 
require companies to report such allegations to the Agency. EPA uses 
such information on a case-specific basis to corroborate suspected 
adverse health or environmental effects of chemicals already under 
review by EPA. The information is also useful to identify trends of 
adverse effects across the industry that may not be apparent to any one 
chemical company. This information collection addresses the reporting 
and recordkeeping provisions described above. Responses to the 
collection of information are mandatory (see 40 CFR part 717). 
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 range between 
approximately 1 minute and 8 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 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.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of this estimate, which is 
only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 13,951.
    Frequency of response: Annual.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
1.1.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 23,650 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $1,562,535. This includes an 
estimated burden cost of $ 0 and an estimated cost

[[Page 66063]]

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 114 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 a greater number of 
potential respondents affected by the reporting requirement. 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 notice 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: October 5, 2011.
Stephen A. Owens,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2011-27612 Filed 10-24-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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