[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33316-33317]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-12956]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6704-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission of EPA ICR 
No. 0574.11 to OMB

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

[[Page 33317]]


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: ``Pre-Manufacture Review Reporting and 
Exemption Requirements for New Chemical Substances and Significant New 
Use Reporting Requirements for Chemical Substances'' (EPA ICR No. 
0574.11; OMB Control No. 2070-0012) 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 is scheduled to expire on May 
31, 2000. A Federal Register notice 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 September 13, 1999 (64 FR 49484). EPA received no comments on 
this ICR during the comment period.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before June 22, 2000.

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. 
0574.11.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 0574.11 and OMB 
Control No. 2070-0012, to the following addresses:
(1) Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Collection 
Strategies Division (Mail Code: 2822), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, DC 20460; and
(2) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, 
N.W., 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. 0574.11; OMB Control No. 2070-00012.
    Title: Pre-Manufacture Review Reporting and Exemption Requirements 
for New Chemical Substances and Significant New Use Reporting 
Requirements for New Chemical Substances.
    Abstract: Section 5 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) 
requires manufacturers and importers of new chemical substances to 
submit to EPA notice of intent to manufacture or import a new chemical 
substance 90 days before manufacture or import begins. EPA reviews the 
information contained in the notice to evaluate the health and 
environmental effects of the new chemical substance. On the basis of 
the review, EPA may take further regulatory action under TSCA, if 
warranted. If EPA takes no action within 90 days, the submitter is free 
to manufacture or import the new chemical substance without 
restriction.
    TSCA section 5 also authorizes EPA to issue Significant New Use 
Rules (SNURs). EPA uses this authority to take follow-up action on new 
or existing chemicals that may present an unreasonable risk to human 
health or the environment if used in a manner that may result in 
different and/or higher exposures of a chemical to humans or the 
environment. Once a use is determined to be a significant new use, 
persons must submit a notice to EPA 90 days before beginning 
manufacture, processing or importation of a chemical substance for that 
use. Such a notice allows EPA to receive and review information on such 
a use and, if necessary, regulate the use before it occurs.
    Finally, TSCA section 5 also permits applications for exemption 
from section 5 review under certain circumstances. An applicant must 
provide information sufficient for EPA to make a determination that the 
circumstances in question qualify for an exemption. In granting an 
exemption, EPA may impose appropriate restrictions.
    Responses to the collection of information are mandatory (see 40 
CFR parts 700, 720, 721, 723 and 725). 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 105.5 hours per 
response for an estimated 443 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 manufacture or import new chemical 
substances, as defined by TSCA, or manufacture, process or import a 
chemical substance for a use that has been determined to be a 
significant new use, as defined by TSCA.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 443.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 184,608 hours.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

    Dated: May 16, 2000.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 00-12956 Filed 5-22-00; 8:45 am]
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