[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 52 (Friday, March 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10749-10750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6245]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5442-1]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; the 1997 Hazardous Waste Report (Biennial Report) 
Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that EPA is planning to submit a 
continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to allow the Agency to collect data for the 
1997 Hazardous Waste Report (Biennial Report). This Report is a 
compilation of information that is required to be submitted to EPA 
under sections 3002 and 3004 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery 
Act (RCRA) every two years by generators and managers of hazardous 
waste. This ICR is a reinstatement of a previously approved information 
collection. 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 May 14, 1996.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Analysis and 
Information Branch (5302W), 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460. 
Interested persons may obtain a copy of the draft ICR by calling (703) 
308-8440.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Burchard, Analysis and 
Information Branch. (703) 308-8440.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities affected by this action are generators 
and owners/operators of hazardous waste management facilities.
    Title: 1997 Hazardous Waste Report, EPA ICR #0976.06, OMB No. 2050-
0024.
    Abstract: Generators and owners/operators of hazardous waste 
management facilities must compile, under RCRA sections 3002 and 3004, 
a biennial report of information on location, amount, and description 
of hazardous waste handled. EPA uses the information to define the 
population of the regulated community and to expand its data base of 
information for rulemaking and compliance with statutory requirements. 
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 and 48 CFR Chapter 15.
    EPA is soliciting comments on the following three options for the 
1997 Hazardous Waste Report ICR:
    (i) Renewing the existing ICR which authorized collection of 
information for the 1995 Biennial Report cycle. This would entail 
sending out Biennial Report Instructions and Forms identical to those 
used for the 1995 Biennial Report cycle.
    (ii) Modifying the existing ICR. In fitting with the Agency's goal 
to significantly reduce paperwork burden, the Agency might make 
modifications to the existing 1995 Biennial Report forms such as 
eliminating the waste minimization questions, eliminating the entire 
Waste Treatment, Disposal, or Recycling Process Systems (PS) form, not 
collecting information on exempt wastes (e.g. wastewaters); and 
collecting information from only the larger generators, such as those 
which also report in the Toxics Release Inventory or those generating 
over 50,000 tons of waste per year. The Agency solicits comment on 
these and/or other potential modifications to the existing Biennial 
Reporting System forms. Specifically, the Agency is seeking comment on 
the following questions as they pertain to the information that is 
ordinarily obtained from the waste minimization questions, the PS form, 
and the information on the exempt wastes: who the users of this 
information are; shortcomings with the BRS as a collection method for 
this information; mechanisms other than the BRS to collect this 
information; and ways to improve the BRS as a collection method for 
this information.
    (iii) Not renewing the Biennial Report ICR. Under this option, the 
Agency would not collect data for a 1997 Biennial Report cycle. 
Instead, it would undertake, during that time, a comprehensive 
reevaluation of the Biennial Report process in anticipation of 
developing a revamped Biennial Report process for the 1999 cycle. While 
the Agency has concerns whether this option meets the Agency's legal 
mandate, the Agency is still interested in comments on the impacts of 
this option and how we could be responsive to sections 3002 and 3004 of 
RCRA. The Agency is particularly concerned that this option could have 
serious impacts on a significant number of State programs. Therefore, 
the Agency specifically solicits comments on the effects this option 
would have on the operation of existing State hazardous waste programs. 
The Agency also specifically solicits comment on other methods of 
information collection that would satisfy the RCRA sections 3002 and 
3004 requirements: using Toxics Release Inventory data along with 
information from hazardous waste permits; using survey techniques 
combined with valid statistical sampling methodologies as an 
alternative to a total census; or requiring the authorized States, 
rather than EPA, to collect the Biennial Report information (if 
commenting on this option, please indicate how non-authorized States 
would collect the Biennial Report information).
    The Agency is also soliciting comments that:
    
[[Page 10750]]

    (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.
    Burden Statement: The estimated average public burden for renewing 
the existing ICR is about 21 hours per respondent. This estimate 
includes all aspects of the information collection including time for 
reviewing instructions, gathering the data needed, reviewing the 
collection of information, and submitting the form.
    Respondents: Generators and Handlers of Hazardous Waste.
    Estimated number of Respondents: 20,250.
    Frequency of Collection: Biennial.
    Estimated Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 234,900 hours.
    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.
    Send comments regarding the burden estimate, or any other aspect of 
this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the 
burden to the above address.
Elliott P. Laws,
Assistant Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-6245 Filed 3-14-96; 8:45 am]
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