Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPPT-2012-0675-0008
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Design for the Environment Formulator Product Recognition Program
Posted Date: 2013-06-25T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38029-38030]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-15036]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2012-0675; FRL-9533-3]

Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; EPA's Design for the Environment Formulator 
Product Recognition Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), ``EPA's Design for the 
Environment Formulator Product Recognition Program'' (EPA ICR No. 
2302.02, OMB Control No. 2070-0178), to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

[[Page 38030]]

This is a renewal of the ICR that is currently approved through June 
30, 2013. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal 
Register (77 FR 71415) on November 30, 2012, during a 60-day comment 
period. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the 
information collection activity and its expected burden and costs. 
Copies of the ICR and related documents are available in the docket.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before July 25, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2012-0675, to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by email to oppt.ncic@epa.gov or by mail to: EPA 
Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via email to 
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for 
EPA.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pamela Myrick, Deputy Director, 
Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics, Mail code: 7408-M, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-554-
1404; fax number: 202-564-8251; email address: TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at http://www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, EPA West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Abstract: EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Formulator Product 
Recognition Program formally recognizes safer products where all 
ingredients have an environmental and human health profile showing that 
they are the safest in their functional use class. Under the 
encouragement of this program, leading companies have made great 
progress in developing safer, highly effective chemical products. Since 
the program's inception in 1997, formulators have used the program as a 
portal to OPPT's unique chemical expertise, information resources, and 
guidance on greener chemistry. DfE Formulator partners enjoy Agency 
recognition, including the use of the DfE logo on products with the 
safest possible formulations. In the future, EPA expects much greater 
program participation due to rising demand for safer products. This 
information collection enables EPA to accommodate participation by more 
than nine formulators each year and to enhance program transparency.
    Information collection activities associated with this program will 
assist the Agency in meeting the goals of the Pollution Prevention Act 
(PPA) (42 U.S.C. 13101 et seq.) by providing resources and recognition 
for businesses committed to promoting and using safer chemical 
products. In turn, the program will help businesses meet corporate 
sustainability goals by providing the means to, and an objective 
measure of, environmental stewardship. Investment analysts and advisers 
seek these types of measures in evaluating a corporation's 
sustainability profile and investment worthiness. Formulator Program 
partnership is an important impetus for prioritizing and completing the 
transition to safer chemical products. The Formulator Program is also 
needed to promote greater use of safer chemical products by companies 
unaware of the benefits of such a change. EPA has tailored its request 
for information, and especially the Formulator Product Recognition 
Program application forms, to ensure that the Agency requests only that 
information essential to verify applicants' eligibility for 
recognition.
    Responses to the collection of information are voluntary. 
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.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are establishments engaged in the formulation of end-use, 
for-sale chemical products, identified by NAICS codes 325510 (Paint and 
Coating Manufacturing), 325611 (Soap and Other Detergent 
Manufacturing), 325612 (Polish and Other Sanitation Good 
Manufacturing), 325910 (Printing Ink Manufacturing), 325992 
(Photographic Film, Paper, Plate, and Chemical Manufacturing), and 
325998 (All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation 
Manufacturing).
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 66 (total).
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 1,193 hours per year. Burden is defined at 
5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $396,800 per year, including operation and 
maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 502 hours, as 
well as a cost increase of $14,000, in the total estimated respondent 
burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. This increase 
reflects EPA's higher estimate of the number of likely respondents to 
this information collection. This change is an adjustment. The 
Supporting Statement provides additional detail concerning the change 
in burden estimate.

Richard T. Westlund,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2013-15036 Filed 6-24-13; 8:45 am]
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