Document ID: EPA-HQ-RCRA-2011-0752-0001
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: State Program Adequacy Determination; Municipal Solid Waste Landfills, etc.
Posted Date: 2011-09-21T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 183 (Wednesday, September 21, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58496-58498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-24273]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-RCRA-2011-0752, FRL-9468-7]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; State Program Adequacy Determination: Municipal Solid 
Waste Landfills (MSWLFs) and Non-Municipal, Non-Hazardous Waste 
Disposal Units That Receive Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity 
Generator (CESQG) Hazardous Waste

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 the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to renew 
an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) concerning 
the State Program adequacy determinations for non-hazardous municipal 
waste disposal. This ICR is scheduled to expire on February 29, 2012. 
Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is 
soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information 
collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 21, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
RCRA-2011-0752 by one of the following methods:
    http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for 
submitting comments.
    E-mail: rcra-docket@epa.gov.
    Fax: 202-566-0272.

[[Page 58497]]

    Mail: RCRA Docket (28221T), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    Hand Delivery: 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Room 3334, Washington, 
DC 20460. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal 
hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for 
deliveries of boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-RCRA-
2011-0752. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the public docket without change and may be made available online 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 http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov website 
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 http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public 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. For additional information about EPA's public 
docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Dufficy, Materials Recovery and 
Waste Management Division, Office of Resource Conservation and 
Recovery, mail code 5304P, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 703-
308-9037; fax number: 703-308-8686; e-mail address: 
dufficy.craig@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

How can I access the docket and/or submit comments?

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-RCRA-2011-0752, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the RCRA Docket in 
the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is 202-566-1744, 
and the telephone number for the RCRA Docket is 202-566-0270.
    Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those 
documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once 
in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number 
identified in this document.

What information is EPA particularly interested in?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically 
solicits comments and information to enable it 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; and
    (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. 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.

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. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 
under DATES.
    7. 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.

What information collection activity or ICR does this apply to?

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
States.
    Title: State Program Adequacy Determination: Municipal Solid Waste 
Landfills (MSWLFs) and Non-Municipal, Non-Hazardous Waste Disposal 
Units that Receive Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator 
(CESQG) Hazardous Waste.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1608.06, OMB Control No. 2050-0152.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on February 
29, 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 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 in certain EPA 
regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: Section 4010(c) of the Resource Conservation and Recovery 
Act (RCRA) of 1976 requires that EPA revise the landfill criteria 
promulgated under paragraph (1) of Section 4004(a) and Section 
1008(a)(3). Section 4005(c) of RCRA, as amended by the Hazardous Solid 
Waste Amendments (HSWA) of 1984, requires states to develop and 
implement permit programs to ensure

[[Page 58498]]

that MSWLFs and non-municipal, non-hazardous waste disposal units that 
receive household hazardous waste or CESQG hazardous waste are in 
compliance with the revised criteria for the design and operation of 
non-municipal, non-hazardous waste disposal units under 40 CFR part 
257, Subpart B and MSWLFs under 40 CFR Part 258. (40 CFR part 257, 
subpart B and 40 CFR part 258 are henceforth referred to as the 
``revised federal criteria''.) Section 4005(c) of RCRA further mandates 
the EPA Administrator to determine the adequacy of state permit 
programs to ensure owner and/or operator compliance with the revised 
federal criteria. A state program that is deemed adequate to ensure 
compliance may afford flexibility to owners or operators in the 
approaches they use to meet federal requirements, significantly 
reducing the burden associated with compliance.
    In response to the statutory requirement in Sec.  4005(c), EPA 
developed 40 CFR Part 239, commonly referred to as the State 
Implementation Rule (SIR). The SIR describes the state application and 
EPA review procedures and defines the elements of an adequate state 
permit program.
    The collection of information from the state during the permit 
program adequacy determination process allows EPA to evaluate whether a 
program for which approval is requested is appropriate in structure and 
authority to ensure owner or operator compliance with the revised 
federal criteria. The SIR does not require the use of a particular 
application form. Section 239.3 of the SIR, however, requires that all 
state applications contain the following five components:
    (1) A transmittal letter requesting permit program approval.
    (2) A narrative description of the state permit program, including 
a demonstration that the state's standards for non-municipal, non-
hazardous waste disposal units that receive CESQG hazardous waste are 
technically comparable to the part 257, subpart B criteria and/or that 
its MSWLF standards are technically comparable to the Part 258 
criteria.
    (3) A legal certification demonstrating that the state has the 
authority to carry out the program.
    (4) Copies of state laws, regulations, and guidance that the state 
believes demonstrate program adequacy.
    (5) Copies of relevant state-tribal agreements if the state has 
negotiated with a tribe for the implementation of a permit program for 
non-municipal, non-hazardous waste disposal units that receive CESQG 
hazardous waste and/or MSWLFs on tribal lands.
    The EPA Administrator has delegated the authority to make 
determinations of adequacy, as contained in the statute, to the EPA 
Regional Administrator. The appropriate EPA Regional Office, therefore, 
will use the information provided by each state to determine whether 
the state's permit program satisfies the statutory test reflected in 
the requirements of 40 CFR part 239. In all cases, the information will 
be analyzed to determine the adequacy of the state's permit program for 
ensuring compliance with the federal revised criteria.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting burden for this 
collection of information is estimated to average 242 hours per 
response. There is no recordkeeping burden associated with this ICR. 
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; 
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 the Agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 12.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 2,405.
    Estimated total annual costs: $128,268. All costs are labor costs, 
there are no capital/start-up or O&M costs associated with this ICR.

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. At that time, 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.

    Dated: September 14, 2011.
Suzanne Rudzinski,
Director, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery.
 [FR Doc. 2011-24273 Filed 9-20-11; 8:45 am]
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