[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8979-8980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4519]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5970-1]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Registration of Fuels and Fuel Additives--
Health-effects Research Requirements

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: Registration of Fuels and 
Fuel Additives: Health-effects Research Requirements for Manufacturers 
(40 CFR 79--subpart F) (OMB Control Number 2060-0297, expiration date: 
4-30-98). 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 March 25, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For a copy of the ICR, call Sandy Farmer at EPA, by phone at (202) 260-
2740, by E-Mail at Farmer.S[email protected] or download off the 
Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr/icr.htm, and refer to EPA ICR No. 
1696.02.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

    Title: Registration of Fuels and Fuel Additives: Health-effects 
Research Requirements for Manufacturers (40 CFR 79--subpart F), (OMB 
Control Number 2060-0297, EPA ICR Number 1696.02) expiring 4-30-98. 
This is a request for an extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: In accordance with the Clean Air Act regulations at 40 
CFR 79, manufacturers (including importers) of gasoline, diesel fuel, 
and additives for gasoline or diesel fuel, are required to have their 
products registered by the EPA prior to their introduction into 
commerce. Registration involves providing a chemical description of the 
fuel or additive, and certain technical, marketing, and health-effects 
information. The health-effects research is the subject of this ICR. 
The other information collection requirements at 40 CFR 79 are covered 
by a separate ICR (EPA ICR Number 309.09, OMB Control Number 2060-
0150). The health-effects research is divided into three tiers of 
requirements for specific categories of fuels and additives. Tier 1 
requires a health-effects literature search and emissions 
characterization. Tier 1 data were submitted in 1997 and will be 
applicable for most new products seeking registration. Tier 2 requires 
short-term inhalation exposures of laboratory animals to emissions to 
screen for adverse health effects, unless comparable data are already 
available. Alternative Tier 2 testing can be required in lieu of the 
standard Tier 2 if EPA concludes that such testing would be more 
appropriate. Certain small businesses are exempt from some or all of 
the Tier 1 and Tier 2 requirements. Tier 3 provides for follow-up 
research, if necessary. (However, no Tier 3 requirements have been 
established. Thus, it is not covered in this notice.) This information 
will be used to determine if there are any products whose evaporative 
or combustion emissions may pose an unreasonable risk to public health, 
thus meriting further investigation and potential regulation. In 
accordance with the Clean Air Act, the results of this research shall 
not be considered confidential. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, 
and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information 
unless it displays a 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 
December 1, 1997 (62 FR 63544); no comments were received.

[[Page 8980]]

    Burden Statement: The burden covered by this document is limited 
because little additional Tier 1 activity is anticipated and the EPA is 
in negotiation with the regulated parties on Alternative Tier 2 
requirements for most of the registered products for which standard 
Tier 2 testing would otherwise be required. This ICR will be amended 
once the Alternative Tier 2 requirements are established. Thus, over 
the next three years only one Tier 1 submission and one standard Tier 2 
submission are anticipated, with a total burden of 10,400 hours and 
cost of $1 million. The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection is estimated to average 3,467 hours. 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Manufacturers of gasoline, diesel 
fuel, and fuel additives.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 3,467 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $154,000.
    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 the use of automated 
collection techniques, to the following addresses. Please refer to EPA 
ICR Number 1696.02 and OMB Control Number 2060-0297 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 February 19, 1998.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 98-4519 Filed 2-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M