[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49017-49018]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-23920]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7064-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air 
Pollutants (NESHAP) for Vinyl Chloride

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 that the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: National Emission Standards 
for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Vinyl Chloride, OMB Control 
Number 2060-0071, expiration date September 30, 2001. 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 October 25, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 0186.09 and OMB 
Control No. 2060-0071, to the following addresses: Susan Auby, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Collection Strategies Division (Mail 
Code 2822), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; 
and to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the ICR contact Susan 
Auby

[[Page 49018]]

at EPA by phone at (202) 260-4901, by email at 
[email protected], or download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 0186.09. For technical 
questions about the ICR contact Gregory Fried at EPA at (202) 564-7016.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants 
(NESHAP) for Vinyl Chloride Subpart F, OMB Control Number 2060-0071, 
EPA ICR Number 0186.09 expiring September 30, 2001. This is a request 
for extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air 
Pollutants (NESHAP) for Vinyl Chloride (VC) were proposed on December 
24, 1975, promulgated on October 21, 1976, and amended on June 7, 1977, 
September 30, 1986, September 23, 1988 and December 23, 1992. These 
standards apply to exhaust gases and oxychlorination vents at ethylene 
dichloride (EDC) plants; exhaust gases at vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) 
plants; and exhaust gases, reactors opening losses, manual vent valves, 
and stripping residuals at polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plants. The 
standards also apply to relief valves and fugitive emission sources at 
all three types of plants. In the Administrator's judgement, vinyl 
chloride emissions from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene dichloride 
(EDC), and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) plants cause or contribute to 
air pollution that may reasonably be anticipated to result in an 
increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible, or 
incapaciting reversible illness. Vinyl chloride is a known human 
carcinogen which causes a rare cancer of the liver. There is no reason 
to believe that operators of plants affected by this NESHAP would 
maintain low emissions without regulations under the Clean Air Act. In 
order to ensure compliance with the standard, adequate record keeping 
and reporting is necessary. This information enables the Agency to: (1) 
Ensure that facilities affected continue to operate the control 
equipment and use proper work practices to achieve compliance; (2) 
notification of startup indicates to enforcement personnel when a new 
facility has been constructed and is thus subject to the standards; and 
(3) provides a means for ensuring compliance. The standards require 
daily measurements from the continuous monitoring system and of the 
reactor pressure and temperature. Establishment of a continuous 
monitoring program is a high priority of the Agency. The continuous 
monitoring system monitors VC emissions from the stack to judge 
compliance with the numerical limits in the standards. The parameters 
are used to judge the operation of the reactor so that the source and 
EPA will be aware of improper operation and maintenance. The standards 
implicitly require the initial reports required by the General 
Provisions of 40 CFR 61.7 and 61.9. These initial reports include 
application for approval of construction or modification, and 
notification of startup. The standards also require quarterly reporting 
of vinyl chloride emissions from stripping, reactor openings, and 
exhausts. Reports must be submitted within 10 days of each valve 
discharge and manual vent valve discharge. All reports are sent to the 
delegated State authority. In the event that there is no such delegated 
State authority, the reports are sent directly to the EPA Regional 
Office. The owner/operator must make the following one-time-only 
reports; application for approval of construction or modification; 
notification of startup; application of waiver of testing (if desired 
by source); and an initial report. The initial report includes a list 
of the equipment installed for compliance, a description of the 
physical and functional characteristics off each piece of equipment, a 
description of the methods which have been incorporated into the 
standard operation procedures for measuring or calculating emissions, 
and a statement that equipment and procedures are in place and are 
being used. Generally, the one-time only reports are required of all 
sources subject to NESHAP.
    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 February 1, 
2001. No comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 
approximately 52 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: Manufacturers of Ethylene 
Dichloride, Vinyl Chloride Monomer, or Polyvinyl Chloride.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 308.
    Frequency of Response: Quarterly and on occasion.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 16,159 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Capital, O&M Cost Burden: $1,980,000.
    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 above addresses. Please refer to 
EPA ICR No. 0186.09 and OMB Control No. 2060-0071 in any 
correspondence.

    Dated: September 12, 2001.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 01-23920 Filed 9-24-01; 8:45 am]
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