[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 230 (Thursday, November 29, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59589-59590]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29652]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7110-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Voluntary Certification in Lieu of Chloroform 
Minimum Monitoring Requirements for Direct and Indirect Discharging 
Mills in the Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory of the 
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Point Source Category

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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: Voluntary Certification in 
Lieu of Chloroform Minimum Monitoring Requirements for Direct and 
Indirect Discharging Mills in the Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda 
Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Point Source Category, 
EPA ICR No. 2015.01. The ICR describes the nature of the information 
collection and its expected burden and cost.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 31, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, referencing EPA ICR No. 2015.01 to the 
following addresses: Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Collection Strategies Division (Mail Code 2822), 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; and to Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 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 Sandy 
Farmer at EPA by phone at (202) 260-2740, by email at 
[email protected], or download a copy of the ICR off the Internet at 
http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA ICR No. 2015.01. For technical 
information about the collection contact Mr. Ahmar Siddiqui by 
telephone at (202) 260-1826, or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Voluntary Certification in Lieu of 
Chloroform Minimum Monitoring Requirements for Direct and Indirect 
Discharging Mills in the Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory 
of the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Point Source Category (EPA ICR No. 
2015.01). This is a new collection.
    Abstract: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) imposed minimum 
monitoring requirements on bleached papergrade kraft and soda (subpart 
B) mills under 40 CFR part 430 as part of the final Cluster Rules 
promulgated on April 15, 1998. See 63 FR 18504. These provisions 
require direct and indirect discharging subpart B mills to monitor 
their effluent for certain pollutants, including chloroform, at 
specified frequencies. See 40 CFR 430.02. EPA is considering 
promulgating an amendment to the Cluster Rules to allow direct and 
indirect discharging subpart B mills, for a particular fiber line, to 
demonstrate compliance with applicable chloroform limitations and 
standards under 40 CFR part 430 in lieu of the minimum monitoring 
requirements specified in 40 CFR 430.02 by voluntarily certifying two 
sets of circumstances. EPA proposed that amendment on April 15, 1998. 
See 61 FR 18796. First, the mill would need to certify that the fiber 
line(s) in question is/are not using elemental chlorine or hypochlorite 
as bleaching agents. Second, the mill would need to certify that the 
fiber line(s) in question maintain(s) certain process and operating 
conditions that the facility has demonstrated achieve compliance with 
applicable chloroform limitations. (The proposed rule would require 
mills wishing to employ the certification alternative to monitor for 
chloroform at the minimum frequency required by 40 CFR 430.02 for at 
least two years prior to being eligible to make the certification 
discussed above.) EPA is also considering requiring participating mills 
to submit a brief report summarizing the results of the initial 
compliance demonstration period and subsequently submit periodic 
certifications confirming that the participating fiber line(s) 
continues to operate within the range of process and operating 
conditions documented during the initial compliance demonstration 
period.
    The burden associated with these additional voluntary reporting 
requirements is expected to be offset by a substantial savings in 
burden and costs that would otherwise be incurred, pursuant to the 
minimum monitoring frequency and duration at 40 CFR 430.02, to comply 
with applicable chloroform effluent limitations and standards.
    All data submitted by mills as part of the initial compliance 
demonstration and claimed as confidential business information (CBI) 
would be maintained pursuant to 40 CFR part 2 when EPA is the 
permitting authority, and pursuant to regulations governing such 
information when States are the permitting authorities.
    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 March 19, 
2001 (66 FR 15424-15427). EPA received one comment, which is addressed 
in the ICR.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this voluntary collection of information is estimated to 
average six 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: Operations that chemically pulp wood 
fiber using kraft or soda methods to produce bleached papergrade pulp, 
paperboard, coarse paper, tissue paper, fine paper, and/or paperboard.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 80.
    Frequency of Response: not less than annually for direct 
dischargers and not less than twice annually for indirect dischargers.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 480 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden (non-labor costs): $0.

[[Page 59590]]

    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 addresses listed above. Please 
refer to EPA ICR No. 2015.01 in any correspondence.

    Dated: November 20, 2001.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 01-29652 Filed 11-28-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P