[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 8 (Monday, January 13, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1750-1752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-746]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5675-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Reporting Requirements Under EPA's Voluntary WasteWi$e 
Program

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): Reporting Requirements Under EPA's 
WasteWi$e Program (OMB Control No. 2050-0139; EPA ICR No. 1698). This 
is a request for extension of a currently 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 March 14, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Commenters must send an original and two copies of their 
comments referencing docket number F-96-WWIP-FFFFF to: RCRA Docket 
Information Center, Office of Solid Waste (5305G), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA, HQ), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460. 
Hand deliveries of comments should be made to the Arlington, VA, 
address listed below. Comments may also be submitted electronically by 
sending electronic mail through the Internet to: rcra-
[email protected]. Comments in electronic format should also be 
identified by the docket number F-96-WWIP-FFFFF. All electronic 
comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption.
    Public comments and supporting materials are available for viewing 
in the RCRA Information Center (RIC), located at Crystal Gateway I, 
First Floor, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. The RIC is 
open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal 
holidays. To review docket materials, it is recommended that the public 
make an appointment by calling 703-603-9230. The public may copy a 
maximum of 100 pages from any regulatory docket at no charge. 
Additional copies cost $0.15/page.
    The official record for this action will be kept in paper form. 
Accordingly, EPA will transfer all comments received electronically 
into paper form and place them in the official record, which will also 
include all comments submitted directly in writing. The official record 
is the paper record maintained at the address in ADDRESSES at the 
beginning of this document.
    EPA responses to comments, whether the comments are written or 
electronic, will be in a notice in the Federal Register or in a 
response to comments document placed in the official record. EPA will 
not immediately reply to commenters electronically other than to seek 
clarification of electronic comments that may be garbled in 
transmission or during conversion to paper form, as discussed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynda Wynn at 401 M St., SW, (5306W), 
Washington DC 20460, or at 703-308-7273, FAX 703-308-8686, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Reporting Requirements Under EPA's Voluntary WasteWi$e 
Program (OMB No. 2050-0139. EPA ICR No. 1698). Expiring May 31, 1997.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those businesses, institutions, and government agencies that sign up to 
participate in EPA's WasteWi$e program.
    Abstract: EPA's voluntary WasteWi$e program encourages businesses 
and other organizations to reduce solid waste through waste prevention, 
recycling, and the purchase or manufacture of recycled products. 
WasteWi$e participants include partners, which commit to implementing 
waste reduction activities of their choice, and endorsers which promote 
the WasteWi$e program and waste reduction to their members. Endorsers, 
which are typically trade associations or other membership-based 
associations, submit only a one-page form, the Endorser Registration 
Form. This form identifies the organization, the principal contact, and 
the activities to which the Endorser commits. Partners fill out three 
forms as follows. The Partner Registration Form identifies the 
organization and the facilities that will participate in WasteWi$e, and 
requires the signature of a senior official that can commit the 
organization to the program. Each partner develops its own waste 
reduction goals and submits a one-page Goals Identification Form to EPA 
each year. Partners also report annually on the progress made toward 
achieving these goals in the Annual Reporting Form, estimating amounts 
of waste prevented and recyclables collected, and describing buy-
recycled activities.
    The EPA WasteWi$e program uses the submitted information to (1) 
identify and recognize outstanding waste reduction achievements by 
individual organizations, (2) compile aggregate results that indicate 
overall accomplishments of WasteWi$e partners, (3) identify cost-
effective waste reduction strategies to share with other organizations, 
and (4) identify topics on which to develop assistance and information 
efforts.
    The 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; 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.
    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.
    Burden Statement: The respondent burden for this collection is 
estimated to average 24 hours per response for the Endorser 
Registration Form; 10 hours per response for the Partner Registration 
Form; 40 hours per response for the first year's Goals Identification 
Form; 20 hours per response for each subsequent year's Goals 
Identification Form; and 55.5 hours per response for the Annual 
Reporting Form. This results in an estimated one-time respondent burden 
of 24 hours for Endorsers, and an annual Partner respondent burden of 
105.5 hours in the first year and 75.5 hours each subsequent year. The 
estimated number of respondents is 200 in year 1; 300 in year 2; and 
400 in year 3. Estimated total annual burden on respondents is 28,500 
hours in year 1; 29,850 hours in year 2; and 37,650 hours in year 3.
    Burden estimates include 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

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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.

    Dated: December 27, 1996.
Michael Shapiro,
Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 97-746 Filed 1-10-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P