Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 149 /Tuesday, August 4, 1998 / Notices 41567

essential in ensuring that EPA makes

sound decisions.

OPPT is required, through statute, to

consider the economic impacts of

actions taken to control the

manufacture, distribution, processing,

use, or disposal of chemical substances

or mixtures that present unreasonable

risks of injury to human health or the

environment. OPPT uses cost-benefit

analyses to determine that a proposed

regulatory action maximizes the net

benefits to society when compared to

the alternatives. Given the record

regarding the lack of publicly available

information on many chemicals, and

other situations that arise during the

course of determining regulatory

options, an information collection

activity often is required to collect the

needed data. OPPT and other EPA staff

then use these data to evaluate the

regulatory options available, to

determine the impact of a specific

program, or to develop non-regulatory,

voluntary options.

Responses to this collection of

information are voluntary.

Burden Statement: The annual public

reporting burden for this collection of

information is estimated to average 1.5

hours per response for an estimated

4,000 respondents making one or more

submissions of information. These

estimates include 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. No person is

required to respond to a collection of

information unless it displays a

currently valid OMB control number.

The OMB control numbers for these

regulations are displayed in 40 CFR Part

9.

Respondents/Affected Entities:

Entities potentially affected by this

action are persons in the United States

who manufacture, distribute, process,

import, use or dispose of chemical

substances or mixtures.

Estimated No. of Respondents: 4,000.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 6,000 hours.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

Changes in Burden Estimates

There is no change in the total

estimated respondent burden as

compared with that identified in the

information collection request most

recently approved by OMB.

According to the procedures

prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12, EPA has

submitted this ICR to OMB for review

and approval. Any comments related to

the renewal of this ICR should be

submitted within 30 days of this notice,

as described above.

Dated: July 29, 1998.

Richard T. Westlund,

Acting Director, Regulatory Information

Division.

[FR Doc. 98–20773 Filed 8–3–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–6135–2]

Toxic Chemicals; PCB Notification and

Manifesting; Submission of ICR No.

1446.06 to OMB; Agency Information

Collection Activities

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of submission to OMB.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et seq.), this notice announces that

the Information Collection Request (ICR)

entitled: ‘‘PCB Notification and

Manifesting of PCB Waste Activities,

and Records of PCB Storage and

Disposal,’’ [EPA ICR No. 1446.06; OMB

Control No. 2070–0112] has been

forwarded to the Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) for review and

approval pursuant to the OMB

procedures in 5 CFR 1320.12. The ICR,

which is abstracted below, describes the

nature of the information collection and

its estimated cost and burden.

The Agency is requesting that OMB

renew for 3 years the existing approval

for this ICR, which is scheduled to

expire on September 30, 1998. A

Federal Register notice announcing the

Agency’s intent to seek the renewal of

this ICR and the 60-day public comment

opportunity, requesting comments on

the request and the contents of the ICR,

was issued on May 21, 1998 (63 FR

27952). EPA did not receive any

comments on this ICR during the

comment period.

DATES: Additional comments may be

submitted on or before September 3,

1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY

CONTACT: Sandy Farmer at EPA by

phone on (202) 260–2740, by e-mail:

‘‘farmer.sandy@epamail.epa.gov,’’ or

download off the Internet at http://

www.epa.gov/icr/icr.htm and refer to

EPA ICR No. 1446.06.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing

EPA ICR No. 1446.06 and OMB Control

No. 2070–0112, to the following

addresses:

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, Regulatory

Information Division (Mailcode:

2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington,

DC 20460

And to:

Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and

Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk

Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20503

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Review Requested: This is a request to

renew a currently approved information

collection pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12.

ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1446.06;

OMB Control No. 2070–0112.

Current Expiration Date: Current

OMB approval expires on September 30,

1998.

Title: PCB Notification and

Manifesting of PCB Waste Activities,

and Records of PCB Storage and

Disposal.

Abstract: Section 6(e) of the Toxic

Substances Control Act (TSCA) directs

EPA to regulate the marking, disposal,

manufacturing, processing, distribution

in commerce, and use of

polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). EPA

has promulgated rules prescribing

methods for disposal of PCBs and

criteria for the storage and handling of

PCBs prior to disposal. These

regulations require persons who own or

operate equipment containing PCBs, or

persons who own and operate facilities

that store or dispose of PCB waste, to

maintain records and submit certain

reports, including third-party

notifications, on the handling and

disposition of such PCBs and PCB

Items. This ICR addresses the burden

associated with such recordkeeping and

reporting requirements.

Responses to the collection of

information are mandatory (see 40 CFR

part 761). 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 burden for this collection of

information is estimated to range

between approximately 1 hour and 428

hours per response, depending upon the
41568 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 149 /Tuesday, August 4, 1998 / Notices

category of respondent, for an estimated

50,955 respondents making one or more

submissions of information annually.

These estimates include 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. No person is

required to respond to a collection of

information unless it displays a

currently valid OMB control number.

The OMB control numbers for these

regulations are displayed in 40 CFR Part

9.

Respondents/Affected Entities:

Entities potentially affected by this

action are persons who own or operate

equipment containing PCBs or who own

or operate PCB storage and disposal

facilities.

Estimated No. of Respondents:

50,995.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 175,453 hours.

Frequency of Collection: Annually

and/or on occasion, depending upon the

specific reporting or recordkeeping

requirement involved.

Changes in Burden Estimates

There is a minor decrease (from

175,648 hours to 175,453 hours) in the

total estimated respondent burden as

compared with that identified in the

information collection request most

recently approved by OMB. This

reduction reflects EPA’s experience

with the reporting requirements

associated with this information

collection over the last three years,

specifically decreases in the annual

number of notifications of PCB activity

and in the number of third-party

notifications.

According to the procedures

prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12, EPA has

submitted this ICR to OMB for review

and approval. Any comments related to

the renewal of this ICR should be

submitted within 30 days of this notice,

as described above.

Dated: July 29, 1998.

Richard T. Westlund,

Acting Director, Regulatory Information

Division.

[FR Doc. 98–20774 Filed 8–3–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[FRL–6135–3]

Toxic Chemicals; Asbestos Abatement

Worker Protection; Submission of ICR

No. 1246.06 to OMB; Agency

Information Collection Activities

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of submission to OMB.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3501 et seq.), this notice announces that

the Information Collection Request (ICR)

entitled: Reporting and Recordkeeping

Requirements for Asbestos Abatement

Worker Protection [EPA ICR No.

1246.06; OMB Control No. 2070–0072]

has been forwarded to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for

review and approval pursuant to the

OMB procedures in 5 CFR 1320.12. The

ICR, which is abstracted below,

describes the nature of the information

collection and its estimated cost and

burden.

The Agency is requesting that OMB

renew for 3 years the existing approval

for this ICR, which is scheduled to

expire on August 31, 1998. A Federal

Register notice announcing the

Agency’s intent to seek the renewal of

this ICR and the 60-day public comment

opportunity, requesting comments on

the request and the contents of the ICR,

was issued on May 21, 1998 (63 FR

27952). EPA did not receive any

comments on this ICR during the

comment period.

DATES: Additional comments may be

submitted on or before September 3,

1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY

CONTACT: Sandy Farmer at EPA by

phone on (202) 260–2740, by e-mail:

‘‘farmer.sandy@epamail.epa.gov,’’ or

download off the Internet at http://

www.epa.gov/icr/icr.htm and refer to

EPA ICR No. 1246.06.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing

EPA ICR No. 1246.06 and OMB Control

No. 2070–0072, to the following

addresses:

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency, Regulatory

Information Division (Mailcode:

2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington,

DC 20460.

And to:

Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and

Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk

Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20503

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Review Requested: This is a request to

renew a currently approved information

collection pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1246.06;

OMB Control No. 2070–0072.

Current Expiration Date: Current

OMB approval expires on August 31,

1998.

Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping

Requirements for Asbestos Abatement

Worker Protection.

Abstract: EPA’s asbestos worker

protection rule (40 CFR 763 subpart G)

is designed to provide occupational

exposure protection to state and local

government employees who are engaged

in asbestos abatement activities in states

that do not have state plans approved by

the Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA). The rule

provides protection for public

employees not covered by the OSHA

standard from the adverse health effects

associated with occupational exposure

to asbestos.

This rule requires state and local

governments to monitor employee

exposure to asbestos, take action to

reduce exposure, to monitor employee

health, train employees about asbestos

hazards, and provide employees with

information about exposures to asbestos

and the associated health effects. The

rule also requires state and local

governments to notify EPA before

commencing any asbestos abatement

project. State and local governments

must maintain medical surveillance and

monitoring records and training records

on their employees, must establish a set

of written procedures for respirator

programs and must maintain procedures

and records of respirator fit tests. EPA

will use the information to monitor

compliance with the asbestos worker

protection rule. Responses to the collection of

information are mandatory (see 40 CFR

part 763, subpart G). 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 burden for this collection of

information is estimated to average

approximately 22.7 hour per response

for an estimated 2,080 respondents

making one or more submissions of

information. These estimates include

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