[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 154 (Thursday, August 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41404-41406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-20226]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPTS-00192; FRL-5385-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities

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 EPA is planning to submit the 
following continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB). Before submitting the ICR to OMB for 
review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of 
the information collection as described below. The ICR is a continuing 
ICR entitled ``Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): Use in Electrical 
Equipment and Transformers,'' EPA ICR No. 1000, OMB No. 2070-0003. 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.

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Dates: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 7, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Submit three copies of all written comments to: TSCA 
Document Receipts (7407), Room NE-G99, Office of Pollution Prevention 
and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., 
Washington, DC 20460, Telephone 202-260-7099. All comments should 
reference administrative record number AR-162. This ICR is available 
for public review at, and copies may be requested from, the docket 
address and phone number listed above. Comments and data may also be 
submitted electronically by sending electronic mail (e-mail) to: 
[email protected]. Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII 
file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. 
Comments and data will also be accepted on disks in WordPerfect in 5.1 
file format or ASCII file format. All comments and data in electronic 
form must be identified by the administrative record number ``AR-162 
and ICR 1000.'' No CBI should be submitted through e-mail. Electronic 
comments on this document may be filed online at many Federal 
Depository Libraries. Additional information on electronic submissions 
can be found in Unit III. of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact: Susan 
B. Hazen, Director, Environmental Assistance Division (7408), Office of 
Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M 
St., SW., Washington, DC 20460, Telephone: 202-554-1404, TDD: 202-554-
0551, e-mail: TSCA-H[email protected]. For technical information 
contact: Tom Simons, Chemical Management Division (7404), Office of 
Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M 
St., SW., Washington, DC 20460, Telephone: 202-260-3991; Fax: 202-260-
1724; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Availability: Electronic copies of the ICR are available 
from the EPA Public Access gopher (gopher.epa.gov) at the Environmental 
Sub-Set entry for this document under ``Rules and Regulations.''

I. Background

    Entities potentially affected by this action are owners of PCB-
containing transformers used in industry, utilities, government and 
private buildings or elsewhere. For the collection of information 
addressed in this notice, EPA would like to solicit comments 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.
    (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.

II. Information Collection

    EPA is seeking comments on the following Information Collection 
Request.
    Title: Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): Use in Electrical 
Equipment and Transformers; EPA ICR No. 1000, OMB No. 2070-0003, 
expires April 30, 1997.
    Abstract: Section 6(e) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) 
generally prohibits the manufacture, processing, distribution in 
commerce, and use of PCBs after July 2, 1979. EPA has authority, 
however, to allow a use to continue if it determines that the use will 
not present unreasonable risks to public health and the environment. In 
the case of regulating PCB electrical equipment, EPA has promulgated a 
series of rules since the 1978 prohibition on the use of PCBs (see 40 
CFR part 761).
    EPA imposed the reporting requirements contained in these rules to 
ensure that the National Response Center is informed immediately of 
fires involving PCB transformers. PCB transformer fires generate 
hazardous dioxins and furans, substances many times more toxic than 
PCBs. The recordkeeping requirements are used to document the use, 
location and condition of PCB equipment. The reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements are essential to prevent adverse effects to 
human health and the environment from leaks or spills of PCB fluids or 
from potential exposures to dioxins and furans during transformer 
fires. Without such recordkeeping and reporting safeguards, EPA would 
not be able to fulfill its responsibility under TSCA of preventing 
unreasonable risk to human health and the environment from exposure to 
PCBs.
    Responses to the collection of information are mandatory (see 40 
CFR part 761). The information collected under this ICR is not 
considered to be confidential.
    Burden Statement: The burden to respondents for complying with this 
ICR is estimated to total 24,906 hours per year, with an annual cost of 
$967,758. These totals are based on an average burden of approximately 
10 minutes (0.17 hours) per response for an estimated 150,000 
respondents performing one or more required inspections annually of 
PCB-containing transformers and maintaining associated records, and an 
average burden of approximately 1 hour per response for an estimated 6 
respondents submitting reports of PCB transformer fires. These 
estimates include 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.

III. Public Record

    A record has been established for this action under docket number 
``OPPTS-00192'' (including comments and data submitted electronically 
as described below). A public version of this record, including 
printed, paper versions of electronic comments, which does not include 
any information claimed as CBI, is available for inspection from noon 
to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The public 
record is located in the TSCA Nonconfidential Information Center, Rm. 
NE-B607, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460.
    Electronic comments can be sent directly to EPA at:
    [email protected]
    Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the 
use of special characters and any form of encryption.
    The official record for this action, as well as the public version, 
as described above will be kept in paper form. Accordingly, EPA will 
transfer all comments received electronically into printed, paper form 
as they are received and will place the paper copies in the official 
record which will also include all comments submitted directly in

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writing. The official record is the paper record maintained at the 
address in ADDRESSES at the beginning of this document.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection and Information collection requests.
    Dated: July 30, 1996.
Lynn R. Goldman,
Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic 
Substances.

[FR Doc. 96-20226 Filed 8-7-96; 8:45 am]
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