[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 139 (Wednesday, July 19, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44779-44781]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-18264]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPTS-00295; FRL-6596-2]


Request for Contractor Access to TSCA Confidential Business 
Information; Request for Comment on Renewal of Information Collection 
Activities

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), EPA is 
seeking public comment and information on the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR): Request for Contractor Access to TSCA 
Confidential Business Information (EPA ICR No. 1250.05, OMB No. 2070-
0075). This ICR involves a collection activity that is currently 
approved and scheduled to expire on December 31, 2000. The information 
collected under this ICR helps EPA evaluate the suitability of 
employees of firms under contract to EPA for access to TSCA 
Confidential Business Information (CBI), thereby helping to protect the 
confidentiality of information submitted to EPA by industry. The ICR 
describes the nature of the information collection activity and its 
expected burden and costs. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval under the PRA, EPA 
is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the collection.

DATES: Written comments, identified by the docket control number OPPTS-
00295 and administrative record number AR-229, must be received on or 
before September 18, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by mail, electronically, or in 
person. Please follow the detailed instructions for each method as 
provided in Unit III. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. To ensure 
proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify docket 
control number OPPTS-00295 and administrative record number AR-229 in 
the subject line on the first page of your response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact: 
Barbara Cunningham, Director, Office of Program Management and 
Evaluation, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (7401), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 554-1404; e-mail address: 
[email protected].
    For technical information contact: Deborah Williams, Information 
Management Division (7407), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 260-1734; fax number: 
(202) 260-1657; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    You may be potentially affected by this action if you are a company 
working under contract to the Federal government whose employees need 
access to TSCA CBI, or if you are an employee of such a company. 
Potentially affected categories and entities may include, but are not 
limited to:

 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Type of business                         SIC codes
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Help Supply Services                        7363
Computer Facilities Management Services     7376
Management Consulting Services              8742
Facilities Support Management Services      8744
Services, Not Elsewhere Classified          8999
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This table is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a 
guide for readers regarding entities likely to be affected by this 
action. Other types of entities not listed in this table could also be 
affected. The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes are 
provided to assist you and others in determining whether or not this 
action might apply to certain entities. If you have any questions 
regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, 
consult the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.

II. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this 
Document and Other Related Documents?

A. Electronically

    You may obtain electronic copies of this document, and certain 
other related documents that might be available electronically, from 
the EPA Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/. On the Home Page 
select ``Laws and Regulations'' and then look up the entry for this 
document under the ``Federal Register--Environmental Documents.'' You 
can also go directly to the Federal Register listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.

B. Fax-on-Demand

    Using a faxphone call (202) 401-0527 and select item 4082 for a 
copy of the ICR.

C. In Person

    The Agency has established an official record for this action under 
docket control number OPPTS-00295 and administrative record number AR-
229. The official record consists of the documents specifically 
referenced in this action, any public comments received during an 
applicable comment period, and other information related to this 
action, including any information claimed as CBI. This official record 
includes the documents that are physically located in the docket, as 
well as the documents that are referenced in those documents. The 
public version of the official record does not include any information 
claimed as CBI. The public version of the official record, which 
includes printed, paper versions of any electronic comments submitted 
during an applicable comment period, is available for inspection in the 
TSCA Nonconfidential Information Center, North East Mall Rm. B-607, 
Waterside Mall, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC. The Center is open from 
noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The 
telephone number for the Center is (202) 260-7099.

III. How Can I Respond to this Action?

A. How and to Whom Do I Submit the Comments?

    You may submit comments through the mail, in person, or 
electronically. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that 
you identify docket control number OPPTS-00295 and administrative 
record number AR-229 on the subject line on the first page of your 
response.
    1. By mail. Submit your comments to: Document Control Office 
(7407), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics

[[Page 44780]]

(OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.
    2. In person or by courier. Deliver your comments to: OPPT Document 
Control Office (DCO) in East Tower Rm. G-099, Waterside Mall, 401 M 
St., SW., Washington, DC. The DCO is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the 
DCO is (202) 260-7093.
    3. Electronically. Submit your comments and/or data electronically 
by e-mail to: ``[email protected],'' or submit your computer disk to 
the address identified in Units III.A.1. and 2. Do not submit any 
information electronically that you consider to be CBI. Electronic 
comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption. Comments and data will also be 
accepted on standard disks in WordPerfect 6.1/8.0 or ASCII file format. 
All comments in electronic form must be identified by docket control 
number OPPTS-00295 and administrative record number AR-229. Electronic 
comments may also be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.

B. How Should I Handle CBI that I Want to Submit to the Agency?

    Do not submit any information electronically that you consider to 
be CBI. You may claim information that you submit to EPA in response to 
this document as CBI by marking any part or all of that information as 
CBI. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance 
with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. In addition to one complete 
version of the comment that includes any information claimed as CBI, a 
copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as 
CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public version of the 
official record. Information not marked confidential will be included 
in the public version of the official record without prior notice. If 
you have any questions about CBI or the procedures for claiming CBI, 
please consult the technical person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

C. What Should I Consider when I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 
that support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.
    6. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    7. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline in this 
notice.
    8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 
control number and administrative record number assigned to this action 
in the subject line on the first page of your response. You may also 
provide the name, date, and Federal Register citation.

D. In What Information is EPA Particularly Interested?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), 
EPA specifically solicits comments and information to enable it to:
    1. Evaluate whether the proposed collections of information are 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility.
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimates of the burdens 
of the proposed collections of information.
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected.
    4. Minimize the burden of the collections of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated 
or electronic collection technologies or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

IV. What Information Collection Activity or ICR does this Action 
Apply to?

    EPA is seeking comments on the following ICR:
    Title: Request for Contractor Access to TSCA Confidential Business 
Information.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1250.05, OMB No. 2070-0075.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on December 
31, 2000. 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 
information collections appear on the collection instruments or 
instructions, in the Federal Register notices for related rulemakings 
and ICR notices, and, if the collection is contained in a regulation, 
in a table of OMB approval numbers in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: Certain employees of companies working under contract to 
EPA require access to CBI collected under the authority of TSCA in 
order to perform their official duties. The Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), which is responsible for maintaining the 
security of TSCA CBI, requires that all individuals desiring access to 
TSCA CBI obtain and annually renew official clearance to TSCA CBI. As 
part of the process for obtaining TSCA CBI clearance, OPPT requires 
certain information about the contracting company and about each 
contractor employee requesting TSCA CBI clearance, primarily the name, 
Social Security Number and EPA identification badge number of the 
employee, the type of TSCA CBI clearance requested and the 
justification for such clearance, and the signature of the employee to 
an agreement with respect to access to and use of TSCA CBI.
    Responses to the collection of information are voluntary, but 
failure to provide the requested information will prevent a contractor 
employee from obtaining clearance to TSCA CBI. EPA will observe strict 
confidentiality precautions with respect to the information collected 
on individual employees, based on the Privacy Act of 1974, as outlined 
in the ICR and in the collection instrument.

V. What are EPA's Burden and Cost Estimates for this ICR?

    Under the PRA, ``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. For this 
collection it 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.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of this estimate, which is 
only briefly summarized in this notice. The annual public burden for 
this

[[Page 44781]]

collection of information is estimated to average about 1.56 hours per 
response. The following is a summary of the estimates taken from the 
ICR:
    Respondents/affected entities: 432.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Estimated total/average number of responses for each respondent: 
One.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 675.
    Estimated total annual burden costs: $40,727.

VI. Are There Changes in the Estimates from the Last Approval?

    There is a decrease of 139 hours (from 814 hours to 675 hours) in 
the total estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in 
the information collection request most recently approved by OMB. This 
change reflects a lower estimate of the number of employees at 
contracting firms that need to obtain clearance to access TSCA CBI.

VII. What is the Next Step in the Process for this ICR?

    EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as 
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for 
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. EPA will issue another 
Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce 
the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit 
additional comments to OMB. If you have any questions about this ICR or 
the approval process, please contact the technical person listed under 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: July 12, 2000.
Susan H. Wayland,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic 
Substances.
[FR Doc. 00-18264 Filed 7-18-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F