[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 11 (Friday, January 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2674-2675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1134]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5950-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Exports From and Imports to the United States 
Under the OECD Decision

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 document announces that the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: ``Exports From and Imports To 
the United States Under the OECD Decision,'' EPA ICR Number 1647.02, 
OMB Control Number 2050-0143, which expires on January 31, 1998. 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 February 17, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Farmer at EPA by phone at (202) 
260-2740, by email at [email protected], or download off the 
Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr/icr.htm and refer to EPA ICR 
No.1647.02.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Exports from and imports to the United States under the OECD 
Decision OMB Control Number 2050-0143; EPA ICR No. 1647.02 expiring 1/
31/98. This

[[Page 2675]]

is a request for extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Authority to promulgate this rule is found in sections 
2002(a) and 3017(a)(2) and (f) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as 
amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and as amended 
by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments, 42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq. The 
OECD Decision is considered legally binding on the United States under 
Articles 5(a) and 6(2) of the OECD Convention, 12 U.S.T. 1728. In 
addition, the OECD Decision and the rule implementing the OECD Decision 
(61 FR 16290-16316, April 12, 1996) ensure that exports and imports of 
recoverable hazardous waste between the U.S. and OECD member countries 
may proceed even though the U.S. is not yet a ``Party'' to the Basel 
Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous 
Wastes and Their Disposal. The Office of Enforcement and Compliance 
Assurance, U.S. EPA, uses the information provided by each U.S. 
exporter and U.S. importer to determine compliance with the applicable 
OECD regulatory provisions. In addition, the information will be used 
to determine the number, origin, destination, and type of exports from 
and imports to the U.S. for tracking purposes and for reporting to the 
OECD. This information also will be used to assess the efficiency of 
the program.
    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 document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on 8/26/97 (62 
FR 45248); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 8.74 
hours for the U.S. exporter and 5.83 hours for the U.S. importer. These 
estimates include all aspects of the information collection including 
the time necessary to obtain and read the regulations and assess 
applicability, to complete a notification of intent to export hazardous 
waste, to complete the tracking document, sign and transmit copies of 
the tracking document, as well as the reduced response time (3 working 
days as compared to 30 days) to transmit a signed copy of a tracking 
document. 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.
    Estimated Number of Notification of Intent to Export: 437.
    Estimated Number of Notification of Intent to Import: 771.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden for Respondents: 8,314 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $391,000.
    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.1647.02 and OMB Control No. 2050-0143 in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OPPE Regulatory 
Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460, or 
Email: [email protected];
    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: January 12, 1998.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 98-1134 Filed 1-15-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P