[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 169 (Friday, August 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55835-55836]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-22233]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPT-2002-0002; FRL-7269-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission of EPA ICR 
No. 1031.07 (OMB No. 2070-0017) to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request

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: Recordkeeping and Reporting 
Requirements for Allegations of Significant Adverse Reactions to Human 
Health or the Environment (TSCA Section 8(c)) (EPA ICR No. 1031.07; OMB 
Control No. 2070-0017). The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes 
the nature of the information collection and its estimated cost and 
burden. On April 16, 2002 (67 FR 18604), with a correction on May 15, 
2002 (67 FR 34705), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.8(d). EPA has addressed the single comment it received.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before September 30, 
2002.

ADDRESSES: Follow the detailed instructions in the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Cunningham, Acting Director, 
Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 7408, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-
554-1404; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   

    EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for review and approval 
according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. EPA has 
established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. OPPT-2002-
0002, which is available for public viewing at the TSCA Non-
confidential Information Center (NCIC), North East Rm. B-607, Waterside 
Mall, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC, from 12 noon to 4 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays (202-260-7099) until August 
14, and afterwards at the OPPT Docket in the EPA Docket Center, EPA 
West Building Basement Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC. The Center is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays. An electronic version of the 
public docket is available through EPA's electronic public docket and 
comment system, EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. 
Use EDOCKET to submit or view public comments, access the index listing 
of the contents of the public docket, and to access those documents in 
the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the 
system, select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number identified 
above.
    Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB 
within 30 days of this notice, and according to the following detailed 
instructions:
    (1) Submit your comments to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred 
method), by e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to: Document 
Control Office (DCO), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 7407M, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket ID No. OPPT-2002-
0002, and
    (2) Mail a copy of your comments to OMB at: Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), 
Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20503.
    EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted 
electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing 
in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment 
contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose public 
disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment 
containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that 
material in the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The 
entire printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be 
available in the public docket. Although identified as an item in the 
official docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure is 
otherwise restricted by statute, is not included in the official public 
docket, and will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET.
    Title: Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements for Allegations of 
Significant Adverse Reactions to Human Health or the Environment (EPA 
ICR No. 1031.07; OMB Control No. 2070-0017). This is a request to renew 
an existing approved collection that is scheduled to expire on August 
31, 2002. Under the PRA regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct 
or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is 
pending at OMB.
    Abstract: TSCA section 8(c) requires companies that manufacture, 
process, or distribute chemicals to maintain records of significant 
adverse reactions to health or the environment alleged to have been 
caused by such chemicals. Since section 8(c) includes no automatic 
reporting provision, EPA can obtain and use the information contained 
in company files only by inspecting those files or requiring reporting 
of records that relate to specific substances of concern. Therefore, 
under certain conditions, and using the provisions found in 40 CFR part 
717, EPA may require companies to report such allegations to the 
Agency.
    EPA uses such information on a case-specific basis to corroborate 
suspected adverse health or environmental effects of chemicals already 
under review by EPA. The information is also useful to identify trends 
of adverse effects across the industry that may not be apparent to any 
one chemical company.
    Responses to the collection of information are mandatory (see 40 
CFR part 717). Respondents may claim all or part of a notice 
confidential. EPA will disclose information that is covered by a claim 
of confidentiality only to the extent permitted by, and in accordance 
with, the procedures in TSCA section 14 and 40 CFR part 2.
    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, and are 
identified on the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting burden for this 
collection of information is estimated to range between 0.25 hours and 
8.0 hours per response, depending upon the category of respondent. 
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

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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, processors, 
importers, or distributers in commerce of chemical substances or 
mixtures.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 7,397.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 29,939 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Costs: $2,613,486.
    Changes in Burden Estimates: There is a decrease of 340 hours in 
the total estimated burden compared with that identified in the 
information collection request most recently approved by OMB. This 
decrease reflects minor downward re-estimates in the number of small 
and large businesses and the average number of employees at those 
businesses (adjustment). The decrease in the estimates of number of 
employees in turn decreases the number of estimated allegations. 
Because allegations trigger response by industry, this results in a 
decrease in the estimated burden hours and costs.

    Dated: August 21, 2002.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 02-22233 Filed 8-29-02; 8:45 am]
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