33732 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 126 / Friday, June 28, 1996 / Notices

estimated cost of the proposed facility

replacements would be $100,632.

Comment date: August 5, 1996, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph G

at the end of this notice.

6. Northwest Pipeline Corporation

[Docket No. CP96–581–000]

Take notice that on June 19, 1996,

Northwest Pipeline Corporation

(Northwest), 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake

City, Utah 84158, filed in Docket No.

CP96–581–000 a request pursuant to

Sections 157.205 and 157.211 of the

Commission’s Regulations under the

Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.205,

157.211) for authorization to construct

and operate the new Merlin Meter

Station in Josephine County, Oregon to

deliver natural gas to The Washington

Water Power Company (Water Power), a

local distribution company, under

Northwest’s blanket certificate issued in

Docket No. CP82–433–000 pursuant to

Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act, all as

more fully set forth in the request that

is on file with the Commission and open

to public inspection.

Northwest proposes to construct and

operate the new Merlin Meter Station

consisting of a 2-inch hot tap, two 1-

inch regulators, two 2-inch rotary

meters, inlet and outlet piping and

appurtenances at approximately

milepost 126.95 on Northwest’s Eugene

to Grants Pass Lateral in Section 21,

Township 35 South, Range 5 West,

Josephine County, Oregon. The

proposed Merlin Meter Station will

have a design capacity of approximately

700 Dth per day at a delivery pressure

of 300 psig. Northwest estimates that the

total cost for the proposed meter station

to be $201,715.

Comment date: August 5, 1996, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph G

at the end of this notice.

7. Northern Natural Gas Company

[Docket No. CP96–584–000]

Take notice that on June 19, 1996,

Northern Natural Gas Company

(Northern), P.O. Box 3330, Omaha,

Nebraska 68103–0330, filed in Docket

No. CP96–584–000, a request pursuant

to Sections 157.205 and 157.216(b) of

the Commission’s Regulations under the

Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.205 and

157.216) for authorization to abandon

23 small volume measuring facilities

located in Iowa, Minnesota, and

Nebraska, under Northern’s blanket

certificate issued in Docket No. CP82–

401–000 and Section 7(c) of the Natural

Gas Act, all as more fully set forth in the

request which is on file with the

Commission and open to public

inspection.

Northern asserts that it has the

consent of each end-user to remove the

measuring stations from their property.

Northern states that the facilities to be

abandoned are jurisdictional facilities

under the NGA and were constructed

pursuant to superseded 2.55 regulations,

budget, or blanket authority, depending

on the year the facilities were originally

placed in-service.

Comment date: August 5, 1996, in

accordance with Standard Paragraph G

at the end of this notice.

Standard Paragraphs

F. Any person desiring to be heard or

make any protest with reference to said

filing should on or before the comment

date file with the Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission, 888 First

Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426, a

motion to intervene or a protest in

accordance with the requirements of the

Commission’s Rules of Practice and

Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and

385.214) and the Regulations under the

Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10). All

protests filed with the Commission will

be considered by it in determining the

appropriate action to be taken but will

not serve to make the protestants parties

to the proceeding. Any person wishing

to become a party to a proceeding or to

participate as a party in any hearing

therein must file a motion to intervene

in accordance with the Commission’s

Rules.

Take further notice that, pursuant to

the authority contained in and subject to

jurisdiction conferred upon the Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission by

Sections 7 and 15 of the Natural Gas Act

and the Commission’s Rules of Practice

and Procedure, a hearing will be held

without further notice before the

Commission or its designee on this

filing if no motion to intervene is filed

within the time required herein, if the

Commission on its own review of the

matter finds that a grant of the

certificate is required by the public

convenience and necessity. If a motion

for leave to intervene is timely filed, or

if the Commission on its own motion

believes that a formal hearing is

required, further notice of such hearing

will be duly given.

Under the procedure herein provided

for, unless otherwise advised, it will be

unnecessary for the applicant to appear

or be represented at the hearing.

G. Any person or the Commission’s

staff may, within 45 days after the

issuance of the instant notice by the

Commission, file pursuant to Rule 214

of the Commission’s Procedural Rules

(18 CFR 385.214) a motion to intervene

or notice of intervention and pursuant

to Section 157.205 of the Regulations

under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR

157.205) a protest to the request. If no

protest is filed within the time allowed

therefore, the proposed activity shall be

deemed to be authorized effective the

day after the time allowed for filing a

protest. If a protest is filed and not

withdrawn within 30 days after the time

allowed for filing a protest, the instant

request shall be treated as an

application for authorization pursuant

to Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act.

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 96–16566 Filed 6–27–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OPPTS–00185; FRL–5370–9]

Agency Information Collection

Activities

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

EPA is planning to submit the following

continuing Information Collection

Requests (ICRs) to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB). Before

submitting the ICRs to OMB for review

and approval, EPA is soliciting

comments on specific aspects of the

information collections described

below. The ICRs are: (1) A continuing

ICR entitled ‘‘Pre-Manufacture Review

Reporting and Exemption Requirements

for New Chemical Substances and

Significant New Use Reporting

Requirements for Chemical

Substances,’’ EPA ICR No. 0574, OMB

No. 2070-0012, and (2) a continuing ICR

entitled ‘‘Polychlorinated Biphenyls

(PCBs): Exclusions, Exemptions and Use

Authorizations,’’ EPA ICR No. 1001,

OMB No. 2070-0008. 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.

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted on or before August 27, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Submit three copies of all

written comments to: TSCA Document

Receipts (7407), Room NE-G99, Office of

Pollution Prevention and Toxics,

Environmental Protection Agency, 401

M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460,
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 126 / Friday, June 28, 1996 / Notices 33733

Telephone: 202-260-7099. All comments

should be identified by the respective

administrative record numbers:

comments on ICR No. 0574 should

reference administrative record number

158, and comments on ICR No. 1001

should reference administrative record

number 157. These ICRs are available

for public review at, and copies may be

requested from, the docket address and

phone number listed above.

Comments and data may also be

submitted electronically by sending

electronic mail (e-mail) to:

oppt.ncic@epamail.epa.gov. Electronic

comments must be submitted as an

ASCII file avoiding the use of special

characters and any form of encryption.

Comments and data will also be

accepted on disks in WordPerfect in 5.1

file format or ASCII file format. All

comments and data in electronic form

with respect to ICR No. 0574 must be

identified by the administrative record

number AR-158 and ICR number 0574.

All comments and data in electronic

form with respect to ICR No. 1001 must

be identified by the administrative

record number AR-157 and ICR number

1001. No CBI should be submitted

through e-mail. Electronic comments on

this document may be filed online at

many Federal Depository Libraries.

Additional information on electronic

submissions can be found in Unit III. of

this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

general information contact: Susan B.

Hazen, Director, Environmental

Assistance Division (7408), Office of

Pollution Prevention and Toxics,

Environmental Protection Agency, 401

M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460,

Telephone: 202-554-1404, TDD: 202-

554-0551, e-mail: TSCA–

Hotline@epamail.epa.gov. For technical

information contact the following

individuals:

For ICR No. 0574, contact Miriam

Wiggins-Lewis, Chemical Control

Division (7405), Office of Pollution

Prevention and Toxics, Environmental

Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW.,

Washington, DC 20460, Telephone 202-

260-3937; Fax: 202-260-0118; e-mail:

wiggins-lewis.miriam@epamail.epa.gov.

For ICR No. 1001, contact Margaret

Reynolds, Chemical Management

Division (7404), Office of Pollution

Prevention and Toxics, Environmental

Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW.,

Washington, DC 20460, Telephone 202-

260-3965; Fax: 202-260-1724; e-mail:

reynold.peggy@epamail.epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Entities potentially affected by this

action are: with respect to ICR No. 0574,

manufacturers or importers of new

chemical substances, as defined by the

Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA),

or manufacturers, processors, or

importers of a chemical substance for a

use that has been determined a

significant new use, as defined by

TSCA; and with respect to ICR No.

1001, chemical companies that

manufacture chemical products, the

manufacture of which is accompanied

by the inadvertent generation of PCBs as

trace byproducts or impurities, and

companies that import chemical

products that contain PCBs as trace

byproducts or impurities. For the

collection of information addressed in

this notice, EPA would like to solicit

comments to:

(i) 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.

(ii) Evaluate the accuracy of the

Agency’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used.

(iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected.

(iv) 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.

II. Information Collections

EPA is seeking comments on two

Information Collection Requests, which

are identified and discussed separately

below.

Title: Pre-Manufacture Review

Reporting and Exemption Requirements

for New Chemical Substances and

Significant New Use Reporting

Requirements for Chemical Substances,

EPA ICR No. 0574, OMB No. 2070-0012,

expires October 31, 1996.

Abstract: TSCA section 5 requires

manufacturers and importers of new

chemical substances to submit to EPA

notice of intent to manufacture or

import a new chemical substance 90

days before manufacture or import

begins. EPA reviews the information

contained in the notice to evaluate the

health and environmental effects of the

new chemical substance. On the basis of

the review, EPA may take further

regulatory action under TSCA, if

warranted. If EPA takes no action within

90 days, the submitter is free to

manufacture or import the new

chemical substance without restriction.

TSCA section 5 also authorizes EPA

to issue Significant New Use Rules

(SNURs). EPA uses this authority to take

follow-up action on new or existing

chemicals that may present an

unreasonable risk to human health or

the environment if used in a manner

that may result in different and/or

higher exposures of a chemical to

humans or the environment. Once a use

is determined to be a significant new

use, persons must submit a notice to

EPA 90 days before beginning

manufacture, processing or importation

of a chemical substance for that use.

Such a notice allows EPA to receive and

review information on such a use and,

if necessary, regulate the use before it

occurs.

Finally, TSCA section 5 also permits

applications for exemption from section

5 review under certain circumstances.

An applicant must provide information

sufficient for EPA to make a

determination that the circumstances in

question qualify for an exemption. In

granting an exemption, EPA may

impose appropriate restrictions.

Responses to the collection of

information are mandatory (see 40 CFR

parts 720, 721, and 723). 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 burden to

respondents for complying with this ICR

is estimated to total 241,611 hours per

year, based on an average burden of

approximately 105 hours per response

for an estimated 432 respondents

submitting one or more reports 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.

Title: Polychlorinated Biphenyls

(PCBs): Exclusions, Exemptions and Use

Authorizations, EPA ICR No. 1001,

OMB No. 2070-0008, expires January 31,

1997.
33734 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 126 / Friday, June 28, 1996 / Notices

Abstract: TSCA section 6(e) generally

prohibits the manufacture, processing,

distribution in commerce, and use of

polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

However, federal regulations exclude

certain manufacturing processes from

these prohibitions, enabling chemical

manufacturers to continue to

manufacture essential chemical

products, the manufacture of which is

accompanied by the inadvertent

generation of PCBs as trace byproducts

or impurities. To be eligible for such an

exclusion, chemical manufacturers must

comply with certain certification,

reporting and recordkeeping

requirements. These requirements

provide the means for EPA to verify that

companies indeed generate only trace

quantities of PCBs in their products and

thus do not present an unreasonable risk

of injury to human health or the

environment. EPA also uses the data to

identify sites for compliance

inspections.

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 burden to

respondents for complying with this ICR

is estimated to total 1,030 hours per

year, based on an average burden of

approximately 25 hours per response for

an estimated six respondents submitting

a one-time report of information, and an

average burden of approximately 5

hours for an estimated 176 respondents

maintaining required records. 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.

III. Public Record

A record has been established for this

action under docket number ‘‘OPPTS00185’’ (including comments and data

submitted electronically as described

below). A public version of this record,

including printed, paper versions of

electronic comments, which does not

include any information claimed as CBI,

is available for inspection from noon to

4 p.m., Monday through Friday,

excluding legal holidays. The public

record is located in the TSCA

Nonconfidential Information Center,

Rm. NE-B607, 401 M St., SW.,

Washington, DC 20460.

Electronic comments can be sent

directly to EPA at:

oppt.ncic@epamail.epa.gov

Electronic comments must be

submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the

use of special characters and any form

of encryption.

The official record for this action, as

well as the public version, as described

above will be kept in paper form.

Accordingly, EPA will transfer all

comments received electronically into

printed, paper form as they are received

and will place the paper copies in the

official record which will also include

all comments submitted directly in

writing. The official record is the paper

record maintained at the address in

ADDRESSES at the beginning of this

document.

List of Subjects

Environmental protection and

Information collection requests.

Dated: June 18, 1996.

Lynn R. Goldman,

Assistant Administrator for Prevention,

Pesticides and Toxic Substances.

[FR Doc. 96–16589 Filed 6–27–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–F

[FRL–5521–1 OMB No. 2070–0081; EPA ICR

No. 1289.04]

Agency Information Collection

Activities Under OMB Review; Wood

Preservatives—Submission of

Information Regarding Arsenic

Exposure Levels in Wood Treatment

Plants

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.

3507(a)(1)(D)), this notice announces

that the Information Collection Request

(ICR) for Wood Preservative—

Submission of Information Regarding

Arsenic Exposure Levels in Wood

Treatment Plants described below has

been forwarded to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for

review and comment. 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 July 29, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY

CALL: Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260–

2740, and refer to EPA ICR No. 1289.04.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Wood Preservatives—

Submission of Information Regarding

Arsenic Exposure Levels in Wood

Treatment Plants (OMB Control Number

2070–0081; EPA ICR No. 1289.04). This

is a request for an extension of a

currently approved collection.

Abstract: This information collection

provides wood treaters that use arsenic

formulations a way of exempting

themselves from the FIFRA pesticide

label requirements, which dictate that

all applicators of the registered pesticide

product wear NIOSH approved

respirators. The program that provides

this opportunity for facilities to exempt

themselves from the respirator

requirements is called the Permissible

Exposure Limit Monitoring Program

(PEL) and it is incorporated into the

‘‘Notice of Intent to Cancel Registrations

of Pesticide Product Containing

Creosote, Pentachlorophenol (Including

Its Salts) and Inorganic Arsenic.’’ It was

published in the July 1984 Federal

Register, vol. 49, No. 136, p. 28674.

Facilities that choose to participate in

the voluntary PEL can do the following

to exempt themselves from the

respirator requirements. First, the

facility operator needs to conduct

monitoring for air-borne arsenic.

Operators with facilities that have airborne arsenic levels that are higher than

the permissible exposure limit would

have to continue to require plant

personnel to wear respirators. If a

facility’s air-borne arsenic levels are

below the permissible exposure limit,

plant personnel would no longer be

required to wear respirators. Depending

on how close the levels are to the

permissible exposure limit, the facility

would be required to retest periodically

or fill out a checklist, which indicates

if arsenic exposure levels are likely to

increase due to changes in the facility’s

industrial process.

Participating facilities must submit

the air monitoring test results to EPA or,

if arsenic levels are low and testing is

not required, then they can simply fill

out the checklist and submit it to EPA.

All submissions must certify that the

information provided is accurate.

EPA uses the certification and air

monitoring data to determine if the

wood preserving facility is complying

with the air-borne arsenic levels set by

the cancellation order, which was set to

ensure that plant personnel are not

exposed to levels of arsenic that pose an