[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 26, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4245-4246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-1836]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6529-6]


Access to Confidential Business Information by Hazmed

AGENCY:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:  Notice of Access to Data and Request for Comments.

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SUMMARY:  EPA will authorize its contractor, HAZMED to access 
confidential business information (CBI) which has been submitted to EPA 
under the authority of all sections of the Resource Conservation and 
Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976, as amended. EPA has issued regulations (40 
CFR Part 2, Subpart B) that outline business confidentiality provisions 
for the Agency and require all EPA Offices that receive information 
designated by the submitter as CBI to abide by these provisions. HAZMED 
will provide support to the Office of Solid Waste (OSW) in operating 
the RCRA CBI Center (CBIC), a secure storage areas that contains all 
records/documents that are received by OSW with a claim of business 
confidentiality.

DATES:  Access to confidential data submitted to EPA will occur no 
sooner than February 7, 2000.

ADDRESSES:  Comments should be sent to Regina Magbie, Document Control 
Officer, Office of Solid Waste (5305W), U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20460. Comments 
should be identified as ``Access to Confidential Data.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Regina Magbie, Document Control 
Officer, Office of Solid Waste (5305W), U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20460, 703-308-
7909.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Access to Confidential Business Information

    Under EPA Contract No. OW-0502-NAWW, HAZMED will assist the 
Information Management Branch, within the Communications, Information, 
and Resources Management Division, of the Office of Solid Waste (OSW) 
in operating the RCRA Confidential Business Information Center (CBIC). 
OSW collects data from industry to support the RCRA hazardous waste 
regulatory program. Some of the data collected from industry are 
claimed by industry to contain trade secrets or CBI. In accordance with 
the provisions of 40 CFR Part 2, Subpart B, OSW has established 
policies and procedures for handling information collected from 
industry, under the authority of RCRA, including RCRA Confidential 
Business Information Security Manuals. HAZMED shall protect from 
unauthorized disclosure all information designated as confidential and 
shall abide by all RCRA CBI requirements, including procedures outlined 
in the RCRA CBI Security Manual. HAZMED will also provide data base 
management support to the RCRA CBIC document tracking system.
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued regulations (40 
CFR Part 2, Subpart B) that outlines business confidentiality 
provisions for the Agency and require all EPA Offices that receive 
information designated by the submitter as CBI to abide by these 
provisions. HAZMED will be authorized to have access to RCRA CBI under 
the

[[Page 4246]]

EPA ``Contractor Requirements for the Control and Security of RCRA 
Confidential Business Information Security Manual.''
    EPA is issuing this notice to inform all submitters of information 
under all sections of RCRA that EPA will provide HAZMED access to the 
CBI records located in the RCRA CBIC. Access to RCRA CBI under this 
contract will take place at EPA Headquarters only. Contractor personnel 
will be required to sign non-disclosure agreements and will be briefed 
on appropriate security procedures before they are permitted access to 
confidential information.

    Dated: January 11, 2000.
Elizabeth A. Cotsworth,
Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 00-1836 Filed 1-25-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M