[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 49 (Thursday, March 13, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12033-12034]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5967]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce (DOC) has submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for 
collection of information under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35)
    Agency: Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).
    Title: Chemical Weapons Convention Declaration Forms.
    Agency Form Number: Form 1-1, Form 1-2, Form 1-2A, Form 1-2B, etc.
    OMB Approval Number: 0694-0091.
    Type of Request: Renewal of a currently approved collection.
    Burden: 20,538 hours.
    Average Time Per Response: 10 minutes-31 hours per response.
    Number of Respondents: 929 respondents.
    Needs and Uses: Declarations: The CWC requires annual declarations 
and reports for activities involving Schedule 1, Schedule 2, Schedule 3 
and Unscheduled Discrete Organic Chemicals (UDOCs) above specified 
threshold quantities. The frequency of this collection is the minimum 
required under the CWC. The associated Declaration and Report Handbooks 
and the forms are available from the following Internet URL: http://www.cwc.gov/Declarations/Handbooks_and_Forms/cwcIndex_html
    Schedule 1: The CWC requires annual declarations for facilities 
that produced in excess of specified aggregate quantities of Schedule 1 
chemicals in the previous calendar year.
    Schedule 2: The CWC requires plant sites that had one or more 
plants that produced, processed or consumed Schedule 2 chemicals above 
the applicable threshold quantity during any of the three previous to 
determine whether there is an annual declaration requirement on past 
activities.
    Schedule 3: The CWC requires annual declarations from plant sites 
that had one or more plants that produced in excess of specified 
quantities of one or more Schedule 3 chemicals in the previous calendar 
year.
    UDOCs: Although the majority of declarations are required from 
plant

[[Page 12034]]

sites that produced UDOCs, the declaration requirements for such 
production involve the fewest forms. The CWC only requires declarations 
from plant sites that produced UDOCs in excess of specified quantities 
in the previous calendar year.
    BIS officials review the information collected from the data 
declarations for completeness and accuracy. The data is then compiled 
into a report for transmittal to the U.S. National Authority (USNA) and 
subsequent presentation to the Organization for the Prohibition of 
Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The collected data will also be used by BIS 
officials to monitor the aggregate amount of Schedule 1 chemicals in 
the United States to ensure that it is at all times below 1 metric ton 
(as required by Part VI.A.2 of the Convention's Annex on Implementation 
and Verification), and to prepare such additional reports as the USNA 
may reasonably require.
    Inspections: Each State Party to the CWC, including the United 
States Government, has agreed to allow inspections of certain declared 
facilities by inspectors employed by the OPCW to ensure that their 
activities are consistent with obligations under the CWC. The 
Department of Commerce is responsible for leading, hosting and 
escorting inspections of all facilities in the United States, except 
Department of Defense and Department of Energy facilities and other 
United States Government facilities that notify the USNA of their 
decision to be excluded from the CWCR.
    Affected Public: Individuals, businesses or other for-profit 
institutions.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, DOC Paperwork Clearance Officer, 
Office of the Chief Information Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of 
Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20230.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to David Rostker, OMB Desk Officer, Room 10202, New Executive Office 
Building, Washington, DC 20230.

    Dated: March 7, 2003.
Madeleine Clayton,
Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-5967 Filed 3-12-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P