[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 43382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-20553]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6417-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Notification of 
Chemical Exports; Submission of ICR No. 0795.10 to OMB

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of submission to OMB.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that the Information Collection 
Request (ICR) entitled: ``TSCA Section 12(b) Notification of Chemical 
Exports,'' (EPA ICR No. 0795.10; OMB Control No. 2070-0030) has been 
forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval pursuant to the OMB procedures in 5 CFR 1320.12. The ICR, 
which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information 
collection and its estimated cost and burden.
    The Agency is requesting that OMB renew for 3 years the existing 
approval for this ICR, which was scheduled to expire on April 30, 1999. 
However, OMB granted an emergency extension for this ICR until 
September 30, 1999. A Federal Register document announcing the Agency's 
intent to seek the renewal of this ICR and the 60-day public comment 
opportunity, requesting comments on the request and the contents of the 
ICR, was issued on January 14, 1999 (64 FR 2486). EPA received a number 
of comments on this ICR during the comment period, which are addressed 
in a memorandum accompanying the ICR.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before September 9, 
1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandy Farmer at EPA by phone on (202) 
260-2740, by e-mail: ``[email protected],'' or download off 
the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr/icr.htm and refer to EPA ICR No. 
0795.10.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 0795.10 and OMB 
Control No. 2070-0030, to the following addresses:

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Regulatory 
Information Division (Mail Code: 2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, 
DC 20460; and to:
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Review Requested: This is a request to renew a currently approved 
information collection pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12.
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 0795.10; OMB Control No. 2070-0030.
    Current Expiration Date: Current OMB approval expires on September 
30, 1999.
    Title: TSCA Section 12(b) Notification of Chemical Exports.
    Abstract: Section 12(b)(2) of the Toxic Substances Control Act 
(TSCA) requires that any person who exports or intends to export to a 
foreign country a chemical substance or mixture that is regulated under 
TSCA sections 4, 5, 6 and/or 7 submit to EPA notification of such 
export or intent to export. Upon receipt of notification, EPA will 
advise the government of the importing country of the U.S. regulatory 
action with respect to that substance. EPA uses the information 
obtained from the submitter via this collection to advise the 
government of the importing country.
    Responses to the collection of information are mandatory (see 40 
CFR part 707). Respondents may claim all or part of a document 
confidential. EPA will disclose information that is covered by a claim 
of confidentiality only to the extent permitted by, and in accordance 
with, the procedures in TSCA section 14 and 40 CFR part 2.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting burden for this 
collection of information is estimated to average 0.945 hours per 
response for an estimated 350 respondents making one or more 
submissions of information annually. These estimates include 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. No person is 
required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for these 
regulations are displayed in 40 CFR part 9.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are companies that export or engage in wholesale sales of 
chemicals.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 350.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 10,400 hours.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Changes in Burden Estimates: There is an increase (from 3,800 hours to 
10,400 hours) in the total estimated respondent burden as compared with 
that identified in the information collection request most recently 
approved by OMB. In response to comments and based on interviews with 
several firms, the Agency has increased the estimated burden hours 
allocated to compiling lists of products containing TSCA section 12(b) 
regulated chemicals, and has also added burden hours for checking 
shipments that do not ultimately result in TSCA 12(b) notices, an 
aspect of burden that had not been included in the previous collection. 
Finally, this increase also reflects EPA's experience over the last 
three years with the number of notices received and the number of 
companies submitting notices associated with this information 
collection.

    According to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12, EPA has 
submitted this ICR to OMB for review and approval. Any comments related 
to the renewal of this ICR should be submitted within 30 days of this 
document, as described above.

    Dated: August 2, 1999.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 99-20553 Filed 8-9-99; 8:45 am]
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