[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 151 (Monday, August 5, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40636-40637]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19842]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5547-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure 
Plans

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 following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Spill Prevention, Control and 
Countermeasure Plans; OMB Control No. 2050-0021; expiring 9/30/96). The 
ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected 
burden and cost; where appropriate, it includes the actual data 
collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 4, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY CALL:
Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-2740, and refer to EPA ICR No. 328.05.


[[Page 40637]]



SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: ``Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Plans'' (OMB 
Control No. 2050-0021; EPA ICR No. 328.05) expiring 9/30/96. This ICR 
requests an extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Under Section 311 of the Clean Water Act, EPA's Oil 
Pollution Prevention regulation (40 CFR Part 112) requires facility 
owners or operators to prepare and implement SPCC Plans and keep 
certain records. Preparation of the SPCC Plan requires that a facility 
owner or operator analyze how to prevent oil discharges, thereby 
promoting appropriate facility design and operations. The information 
in the SPCC Plan also promotes efficient response in the event of a 
discharge. Finally, proper maintenance of the SPCC Plan promotes 
important spill-reducing measures, facilitates leak detection, and 
generally ensures that the facility deters discharges at its peak 
capability. All of the SPCC Plan recordkeeping activities are 
mandatory. The specific activities and reasons and uses for the 
information collection are described below.
    Recordkeeping Activities: Under Sec. 112.3, a facility owner or 
operator must prepare a written SPCC Plan, maintain it at or near the 
facility, and have it certified by a Registered Professional Engineer 
(PE). Under Sec. 112.5 the SPCC Plan must be amended (I) whenever there 
is a facility change that materially affects the potential to discharge 
oil, and (ii) to include more effective prevention and control 
technology identified in the owner of operator's triennial Plan review. 
If amended, the Plan must also be certified by a PE. Under Sec. 112.4, 
in the event of certain oil discharges, facility owners or operators 
must submit the SPCC Plan and other information to the EPA Regional 
Administrator and the appropriate state water pollution control agency 
within 60 days. Upon review, the Regional Administrator may require 
amendment of the SPCC Plan. Again, the amended Plan must be certified 
by a PE. Under Sec. 112.3, the owner or operator must maintain (and 
update) records of specific inspections as outlined under 
Sec. 112.7(e).
    Purpose of Data Collection: Facility owners or operators are the 
primary user of SPCC Plans and related data. EPA does not collect the 
Plan or related records on a routine basis. Facilities that prepare, 
implement, and maintain a SPCC Plan improve their ability to prevent 
oil discharges, and mitigate the environmental damage caused by such 
discharges. As facility owners or operators accumulate the data, they 
necessarily analyze the facility's capability to prevent oil 
discharges, facilitate safety awareness, and promote the use of 
appropriate design and operational standards that reduce the likelihood 
of an oil discharge. The Plan information can also help the facility 
respond efficiently in the event of a discharge. Inspection records 
help facility owners and operators to promote important operation and 
maintenance, and demonstrate compliance with the SPCC requirements.
    EPA also uses SPCC Plan data in certain situations. EPA primarily 
uses SPCC Plan data to verify that facilities comply with the 
regulation and implement their Plan, including design and operation 
specifications and inspection requirements. EPA reviews SPCC Plans: (1) 
When facilities submit the Plans because of oil discharges, and (2) as 
part of EPA's inspection program. State and local governments may also 
use the data, which is not necessarily available elsewhere and can 
greatly assist local emergency preparedness planning efforts.
    An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a current 
valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations 
are listed in 40 CFR Part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15. The Federal Register 
Notice required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on this 
collection of information, was published on 4/5/96 (61 FR 15246); EPA 
received nine (9) comment letters.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 39.9 
hours per newly regulated facility and 5.4 hours per already regulated 
facility. 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 to 
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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: 448,730.
    Frequency of Response: one-time plan, occasional records/reports.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 2.56 million hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $77.4 million.
    Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the 
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods 
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 328.05 and OMB Control No. 2050-0021 in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OPPE Regulatory 
Information Division (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 30, 1996.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 96-19842 Filed 8-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M