[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 136 (Monday, July 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36876-36877]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-17907]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5537-2]


Toxics; Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request 
(ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The Agency is requesting the 
renewal of an existing approval, which expires on August 31, 1996. The 
ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected 
cost and burden; where appropriate, it includes the actual data 
collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 14, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY CALL: Sandy Farmer at EPA, 202-260-
2740, and refer to EPA ICR No. 1139.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Review Requested: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1139; OMB No. 2070-0033.
    Expiration Date: Current OMB approval expires on August 31, 1996.
    Title: TSCA Section 4 Test Rules, Consent Orders/Agreement and Test 
Rule Exemptions.
    Abstract: Section 4 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is 
designed to assure that chemicals that may pose serious risks to human 
health or the environment undergo testing by manufacturers or 
processors, and that the results of such testing are made available to 
EPA. EPA uses the information collected under the authority of TSCA 
section 4 activity to assess risks associated with the manufacture, 
processing, distribution, use or disposal of a chemical, and to support 
any necessary regulatory action with respect to that chemical.

[[Page 36877]]

    EPA must assure that appropriate tests are performed on a chemical 
if it decides: (1) that a chemical being considered under TSCA section 
4(a) may pose an ``unreasonable risk'' or is produced in 
``substantial'' quantities that may result in substantial or 
significant human exposure or substantial environmental release of the 
chemical; (2) that additional data are needed to determine or predict 
the impacts of the chemical's manufacture, processing, distribution, 
use or disposal; and (3) that testing is needed to develop such data. 
Rules and consent orders under TSCA section 4 require that one 
manufacturer or processor of a subject chemical perform the specified 
testing and report the result of that testing to EPA. TSCA section 4 
also allows a manufacturer or processor of a subject chemical to apply 
for an exemption from the testing requirement if that testing will be 
or has been performed by another party.
    Responses to the collection of information are mandatory (see 40 
CFR part 790). 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 annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 488 
hours per response. This estimate 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. No person is 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 
displayed in 40 CFR Part 9.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Companies that manufacture, process, 
use, distribute or dispose of chemicals.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 152.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 95,728 hours.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Send comments regarding the burden estimate, or any other aspect of 
the information collection, including suggestions for reducing the 
burden, to the following addresses. Please refer to EPA ICR No. 1139 
and OMB Control No. 2070-0033 in any correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Information 
Policy Branch (2137), 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460.
      and
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: July 9, 1996.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 96-17907 Filed 7-10-96; 8:45 am]
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