[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 245 (Thursday, December 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67017-67018]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32240]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5667-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know 
Act (EPCRA), Community Right-To-Know Reporting Requirements, (EPCRA 
Sections 311.312)

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: Community Right-to-Know 
Reporting Requirements, (EPCRA sections 311/312). OMB #2050-0072, 
expiring January 31, 1997. 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 January 21, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY CALL: Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-
2740, and refer to EPA ICR No. 1352.04.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Community Right-to-Know Reporting Requirements, (EPCRA 
sections 311/312) (OMB #2050-0072; EPA ICR #1352.04), expiring January 
31, 1997. This is a request for an extension of a currently approved 
collection.
    Abstract: Section 311 requires that the owner or operator of any 
facility which is required to prepare or have available material safety 
data sheets (MSDSs) for a hazardous chemical under OSHA regulations 
shall submit an MSDS for such chemical, or a list of chemicals, to the 
LEPC, SERC and local fire department. This submittal allows both local 
emergency planners/responders and the community to have information 
regarding the hazards of chemicals used at the facility.
    Section 312 requires the same owners and operators to annually 
report the inventories of the chemicals reported under section 311. EPA 
published two ``formats'' required under EPCRA. Tier I is the minimum 
amount of information to comply with this section. Tier II is chemical 
specific information and only needs to be submitted if specifically 
requested by the SERC or LEPC.
    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. The 
Federal Register Notice required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on September 
30, 1996 (61 FR 51107); one comment was received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 3.1 
hours per

[[Page 67018]]

response. 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Businesses and other for profit 
organizations; State, local and tribal governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 868,527
    Frequency of Response: one per year
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 2,963,209 hours
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $82,626,000
    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. 1352.04 and OMB Control No. 2050-0072 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: December 12, 1996
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 96-32240 Filed 12-18-96; 8:45 am]
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