[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 97 (Tuesday, May 20, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27599-27600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13206]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5827-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review, Comment Request

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: Environmental Projection 
Agency/Chemical Manufacturers Association Root Cause Pilot Analysis 
Project. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection, 
the expected burden and cost to collect the information, and the actual 
data collection instruments.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 19, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sandy Farmer at EPA (202) 260-2740 and refer to EPA ICR No. 1792.01.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

    Title: Environmental Protection Agency/Chemical Manufacturers 
Association Root Cause Analysis Pilot Project (Root Cause Project) (EPA 
ICR No. 1792.01.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 
conjunction with the CMA, is conducting a root cause analysis pilot 
project to identify and analyze the underlying causes of noncompliance 
under closed Federal civil judicial and administrative cases. This is a 
new collection.
    Abstract: The goals of the root cause project are: to improve 
compliance by developing compliance assistance tools and identifying 
regulatory reinvention opportunities to address the underlying causes 
of noncompliance; and to assess the relationship between environmental 
management systems (EMSs) (e.g., CMA's Responsible Care) and 
facilities' environmental performance. EPA, CMA, and an ad-hoc CMA 
member committee developed the survey instrument for the root cause 
project. Entities potentially affected by this action are Chemical 
Manufacturers Association (CMA) member facilities that voluntarily 
agree to participate in this project by completing the survey 
instrument and commenting on the facility-specific matrix(es).
    EPA and CMA developed the survey instrument to assist EPA 
understand the underlying causes of noncompliance and assess industry's 
compliance assistance needs. Sixty CMA member facilities will receive 
the survey and have the opportunity to respond voluntarily to the 
survey instrument questions. These 60 CMA member facilities were 
identified through EPA data and verified as CMA members by CMA. The 
criteria used to identify the CMA member facilities for participation 
in the project was whether they were a party to either a Federal civil 
judicial or administrative action that was commenced and closed between 
1990-1995. EPA developed a facility-specific matrix for each closed 
civil action. The facility-specific matrix(es) will be sent with the 
survey to each identified facility. The matrix provides general 
information on the outcome of the Federal action and will help the 
facility respond to the survey questions. CMA member facilities will 
have the opportunity to review and comment on the data in their 
facility-specific matrix(es). The information collection seeks comment 
on the survey instrument and the matrix.
    The respondents will be asked to: Identify the primary underlying 
cause(s) and contributing factor(s) of noncompliance identified by the 
Federal action(s) in the facility matrix(es); (2) describe the steps 
taken and lessons learned by the facilities to address the 
noncompliance; (3) provide information regarding the relationship that 
may exist between the facilities' environmental management system (EMS) 
and its environmental performance; and (4) recommend improvements to 
the facilities' and Agency's approaches to achieve regulatory 
compliance. In addition, each facility will have the opportunity to 
comment on the data supplied in their facility profile matrix(es). An 
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to 
respond to, a collection of information unless it displayes 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 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on this collection 
of information was published on 8/9/96 (FR Doc. 96-20 367); No comments 
were received.

[[Page 27600]]

    Burden Statement: It is estimated that approximately 60 facilities 
may voluntarily respond to the survey instrument and comment on the 
facility-specific matrix(es). Both the survey responses and the 
matrix(es) comments are a one-time request. EPA estimates that each 
participating facility may need to spend up to 32 hours to research 
compliance files and complete the survey. Therefore, a total of 1,920 
facility hours may be expended to provide EPA and CMA with data for use 
in the pilot project. This burden hour estimate translates to a cost of 
$2,992 per facility and a total cost to industry of $179,520. The 
respondent costs were calculated based on $80 per hour for the first 12 
hours and $100 per hour for the remaining 4 hours, plus 110 percent 
overhead. 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; develops, 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 collectin of information; 
search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; 
and tansmit or otherwise disclose the information.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: CMA member facilities that 
volunteer.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 60.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Estimated Total Hour Burden: 1,920 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $179,520.
    Send comments on the Agency's need for this informaiton, 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. 1792.01 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: May 15, 1997.
Rick Westlund,
Acting Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 97-13206 Filed 5-19-97; 8:45 am]
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