[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 14 (Thursday, January 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3134-3135]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-1236]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPA-2003-0001; FRL-7611-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; National Oil and Hazardous 
Substances Pollution Contingency Plan Regulation, Subpart J, EPA ICR 
Number 1664.05, OMB Control Number 2050-0141

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 an Information Collection 
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing 
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on January 31, 
2004. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or 
sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending 
at OMB. This ICR describes the nature of the information collection and 
its estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before February 23, 
2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OPA-2003-
0001, to (1) EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail 
to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, SUPERFUND Docket (5202T), 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William ``Nick'' Nichols, Oil Program, 
Office of Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (OEPPR) 
(5203G), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 603-9918; fax number: 
(703) 603-9116; 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. On July 7, 2003 (68 FR 40262), EPA sought comments on this ICR 
pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA has addressed the comment received.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. OPA-2003-0001, which is available for public viewing at the Office 
of Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Oil Program Docket 
in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public 
Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading 
Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the Office of 
Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Oil Program Docket is 
(202) 566-2426. An electronic version of the public docket is available 
through 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. 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. For further information about the electronic 
docket, see EPA's Federal Register notice describing the electronic 
docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002), or go to http://www.epa.gov/edocket.
    Title: National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency 
Plan Regulation, Subpart J.
    Abstract: Subpart J of the NCP allows and regulates the use of 
chemical and biological oil spill cleanup and control agents. The 
information collected is supplied by the manufacturer of such products. 
This information and data are then analyzed by EPA to determine the 
appropriateness, and under which category, the product may be listed on 
the NCP Product Schedule. This product data is critical for EPA to 
obtain in order to assure that effectiveness and toxicity data for 
these products is available to the oil spill community in order to use 
them legally and effectively. Responses to the collection of 
information are mandatory if EPA determines that the products 
specifications require its listing under subpart J (40 CFR 300.5a 
Definitions). However, manufacturers volunteer to have their product 
analyzed. The authority to review and use a product is 40 CFR 300.910. 
Confidentiality of data, ingredients, and other proprietary information 
for the products is maintained by EPA. Manufacturers may use any 
certified lab in the U.S. to test their product's effectiveness and 
toxicity. The cost of such tests range from $1,200 to $15,000 per test. 
The process to have a product listed takes at least 30 days, but no 
longer than 60 days, depending on the accuracy and completeness of the 
product information package provided to EPA by the manufacturer. Due to 
the technical and graphical data required to be listed, electronic 
submissions are not accepted.
    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 in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and are identified on 
the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 
between 13.4 and 40 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: Entities potentially affected by 
this

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action are those which manufacture, sell, distribute and/or use oil 
spill dispersants, other chemicals, and other spill mitigating devices 
and substances that may be used in carrying out the NCP, as listed in 
40 CFR 300.900 on land or waters of the United States.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 14.
    Frequency of Response: Respondents must submit information only 
when they apply to list a new product on the Schedule, or when the 
composition, formulation, application, or contact information of a 
product currently listed on the Schedule is changed.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 390.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $95,558, includes $82,800 annualized 
capital, $0 O&M costs, and $12,758 labor costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 436 hours in the 
total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of 
Approved ICR Burdens. This decrease is due to the following three 
adjustments to the estimates: (1) Manufacturers will apply to list 14 
new oil spill mitigating agents on the Schedule per year over a three-
year period versus an estimated 28 per year during the three-year 
period of the current ICR; (2) a decrease in the number of sorbent 
manufacturer certification requests per year (from 20 to 10); and (3) a 
decrease in the burden estimate per sorbent manufacturer respondent 
(from 5 to 3 hours).

    Dated: January 7, 2004.
Doreen Sterling,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 04-1236 Filed 1-21-04; 8:45 am]
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