[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 172 (Tuesday, September 5, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53716-53718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-22654]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6864-1]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and 
Nonattainment New Source Review (NSR) Programs

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 notice announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Information Collection Request for 
Prevention of Significant Deterioration and Nonattainment New Source 
Review, EPA ICR Number 1230.10, OMB Control

[[Page 53717]]

Number 2060-0003, expiration date September 30, 2000. 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 November 6, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send all comments on this ICR to Ms. Pamela J. Smith, 
Information Transfer and Program Integration Division (MD-12), Office 
of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711. Interested 
persons may obtain a copy of the ICR without charge by contacting Ms. 
Smith at (919) 541-0641 or E-mail ``[email protected]'' and refer to 
EPA ICR Number 1230.10.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis Crumpler at (919) 541-0871 and 
E-mail ``[email protected].''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those which must submit an application for a permit to construct a new 
source or to modify an existing source of air pollution, permitting 
agencies which review the permit applications, and members of the 
public who are due the opportunity to comment on permitting actions.
    Title: Information Collection Request for 40 CFR parts 51 and 52 
Prevention of Significant Deterioration and Nonattainment New Source 
Review, EPA ICR Number 1230.10, OMB Control Number 2060-0003, 
Expiration date September 30, 2000. This is a request for extension of 
a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Part C of the Clean Air Act (Act)--``Prevention of 
Significant Deterioration,'' and Part D--``Plan Requirements for 
Nonattainment Areas,'' require all States to adopt preconstruction 
review programs for new or modified stationary sources of air 
pollution. Implementing regulations for State adoption of these two NSR 
programs into a State Implementation Plan (SIP) are promulgated at 40 
CFR 51.160 through 51.1666 and appendix S to part 51. Federal 
permitting regulations are promulgated at 40 CFR 52.21 for PSD areas 
that are not covered by a SIP program.
    In order to receive a construction permit for a major new source or 
major modification, the applicant must conduct the necessary research, 
perform the appropriate analyses and prepare the permit application 
with documentation to demonstrate that their project meets all 
applicable statutory and regulatory NSR requirements. Specific 
activities and requirements are listed and described in the Supporting 
Statement for the ICR.
    Permitting agencies, either State, local or Federal, review the 
permit application to affirm the proposed source or modification will 
comply with the Act and applicable regulations. The permitting Agency 
then provides for public review of the proposed project and issues the 
permit based on its consideration of all technical factors and public 
input. The EPA, more broadly, reviews a fraction of the total 
applications and audits the State and local programs for their 
effectiveness. Consequently, information prepared and submitted by the 
source is essential for the source to receive a permit, and for 
Federal, State and local environmental agencies to adequately review 
the permit application and thereby properly administer and manage the 
NSR programs.
    To facilitate adequate public participation, information is 
submitted by sources as a part of their permit application and should 
generally be a matter of public record. See sections 165(a)(2) and 
110(a)(2)(C), (D), and (F) of the Act. Notwithstanding, to the extent 
that the information required for the completeness of a permit is 
proprietary, confidential, or of a nature that it could impair the 
ability of the source to compete in the marketplace, that information 
is collected and handled according to EPA's policies set forth in title 
40, chapter 1, part 2, subpart B--Confidentiality of Business 
Information (see 40 CFR part 2). See also section 114(c) of the Act.
    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 annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is broken down as follows:

 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              Major     Major
           Type of permit action               PSD     Part D     Minor
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of sources.........................      300       100    56,500
Burden Hours per Response:
    Industry..............................      839       577        40
    Permitting Agencies...................      272       109        30
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Respondents/Affected Entities: Industrial plants, State and local 
permitting agencies.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: (113,400).
    Frequency of Response: (1 per respondent).
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: (4,155,950) hours.
    Estimated Annualized Cost Burden: $(0).
    The estimated total annual burden is adjusted downward by 559,310 
hours and the actual change in burden is 0 but there is an adjustment 
of $28.870 million due to the downward adjustment of numbers of major 
source permits since the 1997 ICR approval. The adjustment is based on 
a more accurate assessment of the distribution of major PSD permits, 
major Part D permits and minor State NSR permits. The total number of 
respondents decreases by 1,420. The burden per type of permit remains 
unchanged. The 1997 ICR documentation with recalculated spreadsheets 
and explanation for the adjustment in burden can be found at website 
``http://www.epa.gov/ttn/nsr'' under ``What's New on NSR'' or can be 
obtained by calling Pamela J. Smith at 919-541-0641 or E-mailing her at 
``[email protected]'' for review and comment.
    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

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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: August 16, 2000.
William T. Harnett,
Acting Director, Information Transfer and Program Integration Division.
[FR Doc. 00-22654 Filed 9-1-00; 8:45 am]
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