[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 29, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71634-71635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34416]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6211-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Best Management Practices for the Bleached 
Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory and the Papergrade Sulfite 
Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Point Source Category

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: Information Collection 
Request for Best Management Practices for the Bleached Papergrade Kraft 
and Soda Subcategory and the Papergrade Sulfite Subcategory of the 
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Point Source Category (EPA ICR No. 
1829.01).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 28, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Sandy Farmer at EPA by phone 
at (202) 260-2740, by e-mail at [email protected], or download the 
ICR off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 
1829.01.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Best Management Practices for the 
Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory and the Papergrade 
Sulfite Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Point Source 
Category (EPA ICR No. 1829.01). This is a new collection.
    Abstract: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established 
Best Management Practices (BMPs) provisions as part of final amendments 
to 40 CFR part 430, the Pulp, Paper and Paperboard Point Source 
Category promulgated on April 15, 1998 (see 63 FR 18641-18643). These 
provisions, promulgated under the authorities of sections 304, 307, 
308, 402, and 501 of the Clean Water Act, require that owners or 
operators of bleached papergrade kraft, soda and sulfite mills 
implement site-specific BMPs to prevent or otherwise contain leaks and 
spills of spent pulping liquors, soap and turpentine and to control 
intentional diversions of these materials. EPA has determined that 
these BMPs are necessary because the materials controlled by these 
practices, if spilled or otherwise lost, can interfere with wastewater 
treatment operations and lead to increased discharges of toxic, 
nonconventional, and conventional pollutants. For further discussion of 
the need for BMPs, see section VI.B.7 of the preamble to the amendments 
to 40 CFR part 430 (see 63 FR 18561-18566). The Federal Register 
document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on this 
collection of information was published on 4/15/98 (63 FR 18399); no 
comments were received.
    EPA has structured the regulation to provide maximum flexibility to 
the regulated community and to minimize administrative burdens on 
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit and 
pretreatment control authorities that regulate bleached papergrade 
kraft and soda and papergrade sulfite mills. Although EPA does not 
anticipate that mills will be required to submit any confidential 
business information or trade secrets as part of this ICR, all data 
claimed as confidential business information will be handled pursuant 
to 40 CFR part 2 when EPA is the permitting authority and applicable 
state rules and local ordinances when these entities are the permitting 
or control authorities.
    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.
    Burden Statement: The annual burden to prepare, certify, and update 
the BMP plan and to fulfill on-going BMP requirements is estimated to 
average approximately 941 hours per respondent. Annual Agency burden to 
assist state and local governments in the implementation of the BMP 
requirements is estimated at about 4 hours per respondent.
    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 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 previously applicable instructions and requirements; train 
personnel to be able to respond to the collection of information; 
search data sources; complete and review the collection of

[[Page 71635]]

information and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are those operations that chemically pulp wood fiber using 
kraft or soda methods to produce bleached papergrade pulp, paperboard, 
coarse paper, tissue paper, fine paper, and/or paperboard; those 
operations that chemically pulp wood fiber using papergrade sulfite 
methods to produce pulp and/or paper; and State permitting and local 
pretreatment control authorities.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 130.
    Frequency of Response: Initial plus annual and as-needed to respond 
to leaks or spills and to update records. Initial and annual recurring 
burden for state permitting and local pretreatment control authorities.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 122,383 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $7,255,000.
    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. 1829.01 in any correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OP 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: December 22, 1998.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 98-34416 Filed 12-28-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P