[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 166 (Wednesday, August 27, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45410-45412]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22809]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5883-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities Up for Renewal; Comment 
Request, Underground Storage Tanks: Technical and Financial 
Requirements, and State Program Approval Procedures

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) for review and approval: ``Underground 
Storage Tanks: Technical and Financial Requirements, and State Program 
Approval Procedures,'' OMB Control Number 2050-0068, EPA ICR Number 
1360.05. ICR Number 1360.05 replaces EPA ICR Number 1360.04, which will

[[Page 45411]]

expire on March 31, 1998. Before submitting this ICR to OMB for review 
and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the 
continuing information collections as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 27, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Commenters should send an original and two copies of their 
comments referencing docket number UST-9 to: OUST Docket, c/o RCRA 
Docket Information Center, Office of Solid Waste (5305G), U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW, Washington, DC 20460. 
Hand deliveries of comments should be made to OUST Docket c/o RCRA 
Docket Information Center, Crystal Gateway One, First Floor, 1235 
Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202. Comments may also be 
submitted electronically by sending electronic mail through the 
Internet to: [email protected]. Comments in electronic form 
should also be identified by the docket number (UST-9). All electronic 
comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption.
    Copies of the draft ICR, supporting materials, and public comments 
are available for viewing in the RCRA Information Center (RIC), located 
at the Arlington, VA address listed above. 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'' stated 
above.
    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 for this 
action. 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: Sammy Ng; Office of Underground 
Storage Tanks, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW, 
Washington DC 20460, (703)-603-7166, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those facilities that own and operate Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) 
and those states that implement the UST programs.
    Title: ``Underground Storage Tanks: Technical and Financial 
Requirements, and State Program Approval Procedures,'' OMB Control 
Number 2050-0068, EPA ICR Number 1360.05. This ICR replaces ICR number 
1360.04, which will expire on March 31, 1998. This is a request for 
extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Subtitle I of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 
(RCRA), as amended, requires that the EPA develop standards for USTs 
and procedures for approval of state programs as may be necessary to 
protect human health and the environment. EPA promulgated technical and 
financial requirements for owners and operators of USTs at 40 CFR part 
280 and state program approval procedures at 40 CFR part 281. This ICR 
is a comprehensive presentation of all information collection 
requirements contained at 40 CFR parts 280 and 281.
    All 40 CFR part 280 requirements are presented in this ICR under 
the heading ``Technical and Financial Requirements;'' this section 
applies to owners and operators of USTs. Part 280 contains requirements 
covering:
     Program Scope and Interim Prohibition;
     UST Systems: Design, Construction, Installation, and 
Notification;
     General Operating Requirements;
     Release Detection;
     Release Reporting, Investigation, and Confirmation;
     Release Response and Corrective Action;
     Out-of-Service UST Systems and Closure; and
     Financial Responsibility.
    All 40 CFR part 281 requirements are presented in this ICR under 
the heading ``State Program Approval Procedures''; this section applies 
to states operating a delegated UST program. EPA promulgated 
regulations at 40 CFR part 281 in the following subparts:
     Components of a Program Application;
     Adequate Enforcement Compliance;
     Approval Procedures; and
     Withdrawal of Approval of State Programs.
    EPA would also 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.
    Burden Statement: This ICR is a comprehensive description of the 
total respondent burden for all information collection activities 
related to the UST program. EPA has revised its respondent universe and 
burden estimates based on updated data from the Office of Underground 
Storage Tanks, and State and industry sources. The burden estimates 
have been greatly affected by the requirements of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) which emphasized the need to separate the 
listing of (1) capital and (2) operational and maintenance (O&M) costs. 
EPA estimates that around 95% of the overall burden reflected in this 
proposed ICR can be attributed to changes in definition in the PRA. 
Furthermore, these estimates were affected by shifting the services 
provided by outside contractors (``purchased services'') from the labor 
category to the O&M category; this accounting change reduced the 
``hours'' burden and increased the ``financial'' burden. The reviewer 
is reminded to keep these factors in mind in reviewing both this 
document and the Supporting Statement.
    EPA estimates that the total annual respondent burden for all 
activities covered by this proposed ICR is 2,649,923 hours; this 
compares to the current burden of 7,769,586 hours. The total estimated 
annual financial burden is $4.1 billion dollars ($1.1 billion in 
capital/startup costs and $3 billion in O&M costs); the financial 
burden under the current ICR is $418.5 million. Most of this increase 
is due to the reporting of capital and O&M costs (unreported in 
previous ICRs) and the shifting of contractor services from the labor 
category to the O&M category. It should be noted that most of these 
costs were included in the Regulatory Impact Analyses for these 
requirements but had

[[Page 45412]]

not been explicitly accounted for in previous ICRs. The Agency 
estimates that the average total annual number of respondents will be 
317,094 and the frequency of their response will depend upon the 
individual reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
    Based on this analysis, the public reporting burden for UST 
facilities is estimated to average 1.8 hours per respondent per year. 
This estimate includes time for preparing and submitting notices, 
preparing and submitting demonstrations and applications, reporting 
releases, gathering information, and preparing and submitting reports. 
The recordkeeping burden for UST facilities is estimated to average 6.5 
hours per respondent per year. This estimate includes time for 
gathering information, and developing and maintaining records.
    For states applying for program approval, the public reporting 
burden is estimated to average 329.2 hours per respondent per year. 
This estimate includes time for preparing and submitting an application 
and associated information. The recordkeeping burden is estimated to be 
31.0 hours per respondent per year. This estimate includes time for 
maintaining application files.
    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: August 20, 1997.
Anna Hopkins Virbick,
Director, Office of Underground Storage Tanks.
[FR Doc. 97-22809 Filed 8-26-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P