[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 146 (Friday, July 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46453-46454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19121]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6841-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Confidentiality Rules

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces

[[Page 46454]]

that the following Information Collection Request (ICR) has been 
forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval: Confidentiality Rules, EPA ICR No. 1665.03, OMB Control No. 
2020-0003, expiration date August 31, 2000. The ICR describes the 
nature of the information collection and its expected burden and cost; 
where appropriate, it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 28, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the ICR, contact Sandy 
Farmer at EPA by phone at (202) 260-2740 or by email at 
[email protected], or download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 1665.03. For technical 
questions about the ICR, contact Rebecca Moser in EPA's Office of 
Information Collection by phone at (202) 260-6780, by fax at (202) 260-
8550, or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Confidentiality Rules (OMB Control No. 2020-0003; EPA ICR 
No. 1665.03), expiring August 31, 2000. This is a request for extension 
of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: EPA administers a number of environmental protection 
statutes which require it to collect data from thousands of facilities. 
Businesses often claim the data they submit as confidential business 
information (CBI). EPA developed the regulations at 40 CFR part 2, 
subpart B to protect CBI, as well as the rights of the public under the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). When EPA must determine whether 
information is entitled to confidential treatment, it provides the 
affected business with an opportunity to submit comments (a 
substantiation). EPA then considers the business's comments in 
determining whether the previously submitted information should be 
protected as CBI. This ICR relates to the collection of information 
that will assist EPA in making confidentiality determinations.
    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 
Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on April 12, 
2000 (65 FR 19750); comments were received from one organization.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4.8 
hours per response. 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. 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: 1330.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 1101.
    Frequency of Response: on occasion.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 6432 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Capital and Operating & Maintenance Cost 
Burden: $0.
    Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the 
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods 
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 1665.03 and OMB Control No. 2020-0003 in any 
correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of 
Environmental Information, Collection Strategies Division (2822), 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave, NW., Washington, DC 20460; and

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: July 19, 2000.
Joseph Retzer,
Director, Collection Services Division.
[FR Doc. 00-19121 Filed 7-27-00; 8:45 am]
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