[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 83 (Thursday, April 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23785-23786]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11512]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6006-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; NESHAP for Vinyl Chloride

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: National Emission Standards 
for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Vinyl Chloride, OMB control 
#2060-0071 expiration June 30, 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 June 1, 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. 0186.08

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: NESHAP for Vinyl Chloride Subpart F, OMB Control No. 2060-
0071; EPA ICR No. 0186.08 expiring 06/30/98. This is a request for 
extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air 
Pollutants (NESHAP) for vinyl chloride (VC) were proposed on December 
24, 1975, promulgated on October, 21, 1976, and amended on June 7, 
1977, September 30, 1986, September 23, 1988 and December 23, 1992. 
These standards apply to exhaust gases and oxychlorination vents at 
ethylene dichloride (EDC) plants; exhaust gases at vinyl chloride 
monomer (VCM) plants; and exhaust gases, reactors opening losses, 
manual vent valves, and stripping residuals at polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 
plants. The standards also apply to relief valves and fugitive emission 
sources at all three types of plants. In the Administrator's judgement, 
vinyl chloride emissions from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene 
dichloride (EDC), and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) plants cause or 
contribute to air pollution that may reasonably be anticipated to 
result in an increase in mortality or an increase in serious 
irreversible, or incapaciting reversible illness. Vinyl chloride is a 
known human carcinogen which causes a rare cancer of the liver. There 
is no reason to believe that operators of plants affected by this 
NESHAP would maintain low emissions without regulations under the Clean 
Air Act.
    In order to ensure compliance with the standard, adequate record 
keeping and reporting is necessary. This information enables the Agency 
to: (1) Ensure that facilities affected continue to operate the control 
equipment and use proper work practices to achieve compliance; (2) 
notification of startup indicates to enforcement personnel when a new 
facility has been constructed and is thus subject to the standards; and 
(3) provides a means for ensuring compliance. The standards require 
daily measurements from the continuous monitoring system and of the 
reactor pressure and temperature. Establishment of a continuous 
monitoring program is a high priority of the Agency. The continuous 
monitoring system monitors VC emissions from the stack to judge 
compliance with the numerical limits in the standards. The parameters 
are used to judge the operation of the reactor so that the source and 
EPA will be aware of improper operation and maintenance. The standards 
implicitly require the initial reports required by the General 
Provisions of 40 CFR 61.7 and 61.9. These initial reports include 
application for approval of construction or modification, and 
notification of startup. The standards also require quarterly reporting 
of vinyl chloride emissions from stripping, reactor openings, and 
exhausts. Reports must be submitted within 10 days of each valve 
discharge and manual vent valve discharge. All reports are sent to the 
delegated State authority. In the event that there is no such delegated 
State authority, the reports are sent directly to the EPA Regional 
Office.
    The owner/operator must make the following one-time-only reports; 
application for approval of construction or modification; notification 
of startup; application of waiver of testing (if desired by source); 
and an initial report. The initial report includes a list of the 
equipment installed for compliance, a description of the physical and 
functional characteristics off each piece of equipment, a description 
of the methods which have been incorporated into the standard operation 
procedures for measuring or calculating emissions, and a statement that 
equipment and procedures are in place and are being used. Generally, 
the one-time only reports are required of all sources subject to 
NESHAP.
    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 12/02/97 
(62 FR 63703); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 92 
hours per 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

[[Page 23786]]

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: Following Plants: Ethylene 
Dichloride, Vinyl Chloride Monomer, Polyvinyl Chloride.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 44.
    Frequency of Response: Quarterly.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 16,159 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $1,980,000.
    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. 0186.08 and OMB Control No. 2060-0071 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: April 24, 1998.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 98-11512 Filed 4-29-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P