[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 42 (Thursday, March 2, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11304-11305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-5040]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6545-1]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Under EPA's 
WasteWise Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this notice announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Reporting and Recordkeeping 
Requirements Under EPA's WasteWise Program; EPA ICR No. 1698.04; and 
OMB Control No. 2050-0139, expiring 7/31/00. This is a request for 
extension of a currently approved information collection EPA ICR No. 
1698.03. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA 
is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information 
collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 1, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Commenters must send an original and two copies of their 
comments referencing docket number F-2000-WRIP-FFFFF to: (1) If using 
regular US Postal Service mail: RCRA Docket Information Center, Office 
of Solid Waste (5305G), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
Headquarters (EPA, HQ), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 
20460-0002, or (2) if using special delivery, such as overnight express 
service: RCRA Docket Information Center (RIC), Crystal Gateway One, 
1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, First Floor, Arlington, VA 22202. 
Comments may also be submitted electronically through the Internet to: 
[email protected]. Comments in electronic format should also be 
identified by the docket number F-2000-WRIP-FFFFF and must be submitted 
as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of 
encryption.
    Commenters should not submit electronically any confidential 
business information (CBI). An original and two copies of CBI must be 
submitted under separate cover to: RCRA CBI Document Control Officer, 
Office of Solid Waste (5305W), U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20460-0002.
    Public comments and supporting materials are available for viewing 
in the RCRA Information Center (RIC), located at Crystal Gateway I, 
First Floor, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. The RIC is 
open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal 
holidays. To review docket materials, it is recommended that the public 
make an appointment by calling 703-603-9230. The public may copy a 
maximum of 100 pages from any regulatory docket at no charge. 
Additional copies cost $0.15/page.
    The ICR is available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/wastewise/icr.htm.
    The official record for this action will be kept in paper form. 
Accordingly, EPA will transfer all comments received electronically 
into paper form and place them in the official record, which will also 
include all comments submitted directly in writing. EPA responses to 
comments, whether the comments are written or electronic, will be in a 
notice in the Federal Register. EPA will not immediately reply to 
commenters electronically other than to seek clarification of 
electronic comments that may be garbled in transmission or during 
conversion to paper form, as discussed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, contact the 
RCRA Hotline at 800-424-9346 or TDD 800-553-7672 (hearing impaired). In 
the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, call 703-412-9810 or TDD 703-
412-3323. For more detailed information on specific aspects of this 
rulemaking, contact Barbara A. Nichols, Office of Solid Waste (5306W), 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20460-0002, 703-308-8659, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Affected entities: Entities potentially 
affected by this action are those businesses, institutions, and 
government agencies that voluntarily sign up to participate in EPA's 
WasteWise program.
    Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Under EPA's 
WasteWise Program (OMB No. 2050-0139; EPA ICR No. 1698.04), expiring 
July 31, 2000.
    Abstract: EPA's voluntary WasteWise program encourages businesses 
and other organizations to reduce solid waste through waste prevention, 
recycling, and the purchase or manufacture of recycled-content 
products. WasteWise participants include partners, which commit to 
implementing waste reduction activities of their choice, and endorsers, 
which choose to promote the WasteWise program and waste reduction to 
their members. Endorsers, which are typically trade associations or 
other membership-based associations, are asked to submit only a one-
page form, the Endorser Registration Form, either electronically or in 
hard copy. This form identifies the organization, the principal 
contact, and the activities to which the Endorser commits. Partners are 
asked to fill out three forms as follows. The Partner Registration Form 
identifies the organization and the facilities that will participate in 
WasteWise, and includes the signature of a senior official that can 
commit the organization to the program. This form can be submitted 
either electronically or in hard copy. Each partner develops its own 
waste reduction goals and submits a one-page Goals Identification Form 
to EPA every three years, either electronically or in hard copy. 
Partners also report annually on the progress made toward achieving 
these goals in the Annual Reporting Form, estimating amounts of waste 
prevented and recyclables collected,

[[Page 11305]]

and describing buying or manufacturing recycled-content products, 
either electronically or in hard copy.
    The EPA WasteWise program uses the voluntarily-submitted 
information to: (1) Identify and recognize outstanding waste reduction 
achievements by individual organizations, (2) compile aggregate results 
that indicate overall accomplishments of WasteWise partners, (3) 
identify cost-effective waste reduction strategies to share with other 
organizations, and (4) identify topics on which to develop assistance 
and information efforts.
    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 EPA would like to solicit comments to:
    (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (ii) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used;
    (iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    (iv) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    Burden Statement: The respondent burden for this collection is 
estimated to average 16 hours per response for the Endorser 
Registration Form; 16 hours per response for the Partner Registration 
Form; 25 hours per response for the Goals Identification Form; and 45 
hours per response for the Annual Reporting Form. This results in an 
estimated one-time respondent burden of 16 hours for Endorsers, and an 
annual Partner respondent burden of 41 hours for new partners and 70 
hours for current partners needing to reset 3 year goals and 45 hours 
for current partners not needing to reset goals. The estimated number 
of respondents is 1,120 in year 1; 1,270 in year 2; and 1,430 in year 
3. Estimated total annual burden on all respondents is 57,510 hours in 
year 1; 64,260 hours in year 2; and 71,010 hours in year 3.
    Burden estimates include 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.

    Dated: February 17, 2000.
Elizabeth Cotsworth,
Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 00-5040 Filed 3-1-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P