[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59248-59249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29472]



[[Page 59248]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7108-1]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Requirements for Generators, Transporters, and 
Hazardous Waste Management Facilities Under the RCRA Hazardous Waste 
Manifest System, EPA ICR No. 801.14

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 EPA is planning to submit the 
following proposed and/or continuing Information Collection Request 
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): Requirements for 
Generators, Transporters, and Hazardous Waste Management Facilities 
Under the RCRA Hazardous Waste Manifest System, EPA ICR No. 801.14, OMB 
Control Number 2050-0039, current expiration date 3/31/2002. Before 
submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting 
comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection 
described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 28, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Commenters must send an original and two copies of their 
comments referencing docket number F-2001-RW3P-FFFFF to RCRA Docket 
Information Center, Office of Solid Waste (5305G), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20460. Hand deliveries of comments should be made to the 
Arlington, VA, address listed below. Comments may also be submitted 
electronically by sending electronic mail through the Internet to: 
[email protected]. Comments in electronic format should also 
be identified by the docket number F-2001-RW3P-FFFFF. All electronic 
comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption. Public comments and supporting 
materials are available for viewing in the RCRA Information Center 
(RIC), located at Crystal Gateway 1, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, 
first floor, Arlington, VA. The RIC is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. To review docket 
materials, the public must make an appointment by calling 703-603-9230. 
The public may copy a maximum of 100 pages from any regulatory docket 
at no charge. Additional copies cost $.15/page. Copies of the original 
ICR may be requested from the docket address and phone number listed 
above or may be found on the Internet at: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/gener/manifest/icr-man.htm.
    The official record for this action will be kept in paper form. 
Accordingly, EPA will transfer all comments received electronically 
into paper form and place them in the official record, which will also 
include all comments submitted directly in writing. The official record 
is the paper record maintained in the RCRA Information Center (the RIC 
address is listed above in this section).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information, contact the 
RCRA Hotline at 1-800-424-9346 or TDD 1-800-553-7672 (hearing 
impaired). In the Washington metropolitan area, call 703-412-9610 or 
TDD 703-412-3323. For technical information, contact Bryan Groce at 
703-308-8750, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Requirements for Generators, Transporters, and Hazardous 
Waste Management Facilities Under the RCRA Hazardous Waste Manifest 
System, OMB Control No. 2050-0039; EPA ICR No. 801.14) expiring 3/30/
2002. This is an extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as 
amended, establishes a national program to assure that hazardous waste 
management practices are conducted in a manner that is protective of 
human health and the environment. EPA's authority to require compliance 
with the manifest system stems primarily from RCRA section 3002(a)(5). 
This section mandates a hazardous waste manifest ``system'' to assure 
that all hazardous waste generated is designated for and arrives at the 
appropriate treatment, storage, and disposal facility. An essential 
part of this manifest system is the Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest 
(Form 8700-22A). The manifest is a tracking document that accompanies 
the waste from its generation site to its final disposition. The 
manifest lists the wastes that are being shipped and the final 
destination of the waste. The manifest system is a self-enforcing 
mechanism that requires generators, transporters, and owner/operators 
of treatment, storage, and disposal facilities to participate in 
hazardous waste tracking. In addition the manifest provides information 
to transporters and waste management facility workers on the hazardous 
nature of the waste, identifies wastes so that they can be managed 
appropriately in the event of an accident, spill, or leak, and ensures 
that shipments of hazardous waste are managed properly and delivered to 
their designated facilities.
    This system does not ordinarily involve intervention on the part of 
EPA unless hazardous wastes do not reach their point of disposition 
within a specified time frame. In most cases, RCRA-authorized States 
operate the manifest system, and requirements may vary among authorized 
States.
    EPA believes manifest requirements and the resulting information 
collection mitigate potential hazards to human health and the 
environment by ensuring that hazardous waste is sent to and received by 
appropriate treatment, storage, and disposal facilities, by initiating 
appropriate response actions if a shipment does not reach its intended 
destination, and by providing necessary emergency response information 
in the event of an accident, spill, or leak during transportation.
    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 
Agency notes that the burden hour and cost estimates given below are 
based on estimates approved by OMB during the 1999 ICR renewal process. 
The Agency did not have the most recent Biennial Reporting System (BRS) 
information available at the time of completion of this ICR. The Agency 
will update these burden estimates using the most recent BRS 
information and publish the revised burden estimates in a second 
Federal Register notice. Affected entities will have an opportunity to 
comment on the revised burden estimates during a comment period for the 
second FR notice. 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

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use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., allowing electronic submission of responses.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.26 
hours per response.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Generators, transporters, and 
treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 105,558.
    Frequency of Response: Per shipment of hazardous waste.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 2,920,383 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Capital, Operating/Maintenance Cost 
Burden: $1,871,246. 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.

    Dated: November 20, 2001.
Elizabeth A. Cotsworth,
Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 01-29472 Filed 11-26-01; 8:45 am]
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