[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 106 (Tuesday, June 3, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30322-30323]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14445]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[AD-FRL-5833-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Information Collection Request for Iron and Steel 
Foundries

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 proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Information Collection Request for Iron 
and Steel Foundries, EPA ICR Number 1809.01. 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 August 4, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may submit written comments to the 
Emission Standards Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and 
Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle 
Park, NC 27711. A copy of the draft survey questionnaire may be 
obtained without charge by writing to this address or by contacting the 
person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. A copy of the 
draft questionnaire and supporting statement are also available 
electronically on the Technology Transfer Network (TTN), one of EPA's 
electronic bulletin boards. The TTN provides information and technology 
exchange in various areas of air pollution control. The service is 
free, except for the cost of a phone call. Dial (919) 541-5742 with a 
modem of up to 14,400 baud per second (BPS). The TTN is also accessible 
through the Internet at ``TELNET ttnbbs.rtpnc.epa.gov.'' If more 
information on the TTN is needed, call the help desk at (919) 541-5384. 
The help desk is staffed from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Eastern time. A voice 
menu system is available at other times.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Maysilles, Metals Group, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, 
telephone number (919) 541-3265, facsimile number (919) 541-5600, 
electronic mail address ``[email protected].''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
iron and steel foundries, which are facilities primarily engaged in 
manufacturing iron and steel castings. The Standard Industrial 
Classification (SIC) codes for these facilities include 3321 (gray and 
ductile iron foundries), 3322 (malleable iron foundries), 3324 (steel 
investment foundries), and 3325 (steel foundries, not elsewhere 
classified).
    Title: Information Collection Request for Iron and Steel Foundries, 
EPA ICR Number 1809.01.
    Abstract: The EPA is charged under section 112 of the Clean Air Act 
(the Act) with developing national emission standards for listed 
hazardous air pollutants (HAP). Preliminary information indicates that 
there are major sources of HAP in the iron and steel foundry source 
categories. These categories were listed pursuant to section 112(c) of 
the Act on July 16, 1992, and section 112(d) of the Act requires the 
Administrator to promulgate regulations establishing emission standards 
for this source category. Standards must be promulgated by November 15, 
2000. The responses to the survey are mandatory and are being collected 
under the authority of section 114 of the Act.
    The Emission Standards Division (ESD) of the Office of Air Quality 
Planning and Standards plans to use the survey responses to develop 
legally defensible maximum achievable control technology (MACT) 
standards. The focus of the survey is on determinations of HAP 
emissions, emission controls, and control performance, which are 
critical elements in the development of technology-based standards. 
Other questions in the survey provide information that ESD will use to 
develop reasonable estimates of impacts associated with potential 
standards,

[[Page 30323]]

including emission reductions, cost, and economic impacts.
    Specifically, the information will be used by ESD to develop 
estimates of emissions of HAP, make determinations with respect to 
probable ``major'' sources, and develop MACT standards for both new and 
existing foundries. The data base compiled from the results will be 
used to make a determination of the MACT floor for existing sources 
based on the average emission limitation achieved by the best-
performing 12 percent of sources. The results will also aid in 
identifying the best controlled sources for a determination of MACT for 
new foundries. In addition, the data base will be invaluable to make 
defensible estimates of the impacts of the standards, including 
emissions and emission reductions, costs of control options and their 
cost effectiveness, and economic impacts. Because many foundries meet 
the definition of small entities, the survey is necessary for EPA to 
meet the requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 and the 
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.
    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 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 a 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 the 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 forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Burden statement: The average burden for a respondent is estimated 
as 24 hours ($770), including technical, management, and clerical 
labor. This estimate is the average labor required by eight companies 
who participated in a pretest of the survey and completed the 
questionnaire for a total of 12 foundries. The labor required to 
complete the questionnaire by the facilities that participated in the 
evaluation ranged from 4 hours for a small foundry to 64 hours for a 
large corporation. The burden is a one-time occurrence for each of the 
742 foundries that must prepare a 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.

    Dated: May 16, 1997.
John A. Edwardson,
Acting Director, Emission Standards Division.
[FR Doc. 97-14445 Filed 6-2-97; 8:45 am]
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