Document ID: EPA-HQ-OPPT-2015-0435-0027
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Notification of Chemical Exports under the Toxic Substances Control Act Section 12(b)
Posted Date: 2023-09-22T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 183 (Friday, September 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65390-65392]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20548]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2015-0435; FRL-10678-01-OCSPP]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Renewal and 
Request for Comment; Notification of Chemical Exports Under TSCA 
Section 12(b)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this 
document announces the availability of and solicits public comment on 
the following Information Collection Request (ICR) that EPA is planning 
to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): ``Notification 
of Chemical Exports--TSCA Section 12(b),'' identified by EPA ICR No. 
0795.17 and OMB Control No. 2070-0030. This ICR represents the renewal 
of an approved ICR that is currently scheduled to expire on May 31, 
2024.

[[Page 65391]]

Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval under the PRA, 
EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the information 
collection that is summarized in this document. The ICR and 
accompanying material are available in the docket for public review and 
comment.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 21, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2015-0435, through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions 
for submitting comments. Do not submit electronically any information 
you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Additional 
instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along with more 
information about dockets generally, is available at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katherine Sleasman, Mission Support 
Division (7602M), Office of Program Support, Office of Chemical Safety 
and Pollution Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(202) 566-1204; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. What information is EPA particularly interested in?

    Pursuant to PRA section 3506(c)(2)(A) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), 
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 information collection activity or ICR does this action apply 
to?

    Title: Notification of Chemical Exports--TSCA Section 12(b).
    EPA ICR No.: 0795.17.
    OMB Control No.: 2070-0030.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently approved through May 31, 2024. 
Under the PRA, 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 
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: This ICR covers the information collection activities 
associated with the reporting and recordkeeping requirements under 
section 12(b) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) which requires 
any person who exports or intends to export to a foreign country a 
chemical substance or mixture for which submission of information is 
required under TSCA sections 4 or 5(b), or for which a rule, action or 
order has been proposed or promulgated under TSCA sections 5, 6, or 7, 
shall notify EPA of such export or intent to export. The Agency must, 
in turn, notify the government of the importing country of the notice 
and of EPA's regulatory action with respect to the substance.
    In implementing TSCA section 12(b), EPA described the notification 
requirements applicable to persons exporting chemicals, including 
frequency of notification, covered chemicals, and content of the 
notification. See 40 CFR part 707, subpart D. In summary, the export 
notice must include five easily ascertainable items: (1) The name and 
address of the exporter; (2) The name of the chemical; (3) The country 
of import, (4) The date of export or intended export; and (5) The 
section of TSCA under which EPA has taken action (i.e., TSCA sections 
4, 5, 6 or 7). There are currently over 1,000 substances or categories 
of substances that have been regulated or proposed to be regulated 
under the applicable sections of TSCA. For additional information about 
export requirements under TSCA, visit our website at https://www.epa.gov/tsca-import-export-requirements.
    Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.62 
hours per response. Burden is defined in 5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    The ICR, which is available in the docket along with other related 
materials, provides a detailed explanation of the collection activities 
and the burden estimate that is only briefly summarized here:
    Respondents/affected entities: Respondents to this collection are 
exporters of chemical substances regulated under TSCA, which are mostly 
chemical companies classified under the North American Industrial 
Classification System (NAICS) codes 325 and 324.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Responses are mandatory under 
TSCA section 12(b), as implemented by 40 CFR part 707, subpart D.
    Forms: EPA Form 9600-031.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Total estimated number of potential respondents: 266.
    Total estimated average number of responses for each respondent: 
18.
    Total estimated annual number of responses: 4,788.
    Total estimated annual burden: 2,968 hours.
    Total estimated annual costs: $184,690. This includes an estimated 
burden cost of $184,690 and an estimated cost of $0 for capital 
investment or maintenance and operational costs.

III. Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?

    This ICR renewal's estimate reflects a slight increase of 34 hours 
from that which is currently approved (i.e., 2,934 to 2,968 hours). 
This is the net result from a decrease in burden caused by assuming 100 
percent electronic submissions despite a small increase in burden due 
to a larger number of respondents compared to the previous ICR.

IV. 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 document pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to 
announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit 
additional

[[Page 65392]]

comments to OMB. If you have any questions about this ICR or the 
approval process, please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

    Dated: September 18, 2023.
Michal Freedhoff,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2023-20548 Filed 9-21-23; 8:45 am]
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