[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6976-6977]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-3087]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPT-2003-0017; FRL-7621-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Voluntary Cover Sheet for TSCA 
Submissions, EPA ICR No. 1780.03, OMB No. 2070-0156

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: Voluntary Cover Sheet for 
TSCA Submission (EPA ICR 1780.03; OMB 2070-0156). 
This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. This ICR is 
scheduled to expire on February 29, 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 cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before March 15, 
2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID Number OPPT-
2003-0017, to (1) 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: 7407T, 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: 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. On April 18, 2003, EPA sought comments on this renewal ICR (68 
FR 19203). EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). 
EPA received one comment and has addressed the comment received.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. OPPT-2003-0017, which is available for public viewing at the OPPT 
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 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 Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics Docket is 202-566-0280. 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 www.epa.gov/edocket.
    Title: Voluntary Cover Sheet for TSCA Submissions.
    Abstract: The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires industry 
to submit information and studies for existing chemical substances 
under sections 4, 6, and 8. Under normal reporting conditions, EPA 
receives thousands of submissions each year; each submission represents 
on average three studies. In addition, specific data call-ins can be 
imposed on industry.
    As a follow-up to industry experience with a 1994 TSCA data call-
in, the Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA, now known as the 
American Chemistry Council (ACC)), the Specialty Organics Chemical 
Manufacturers Association (SOCMA), and the Chemical Industry Data 
Exchange (CIDX), in cooperation with EPA, took an interest in pursuing 
electronic transfer of TSCA summary data and of full submissions to 
EPA. In particular, ACC developed a standardized cover sheet for 
voluntary use by industry as a first step to an electronic future and 
to begin familiarizing companies with standard requirements and 
concepts of electronic transfer.
    This form is designed for voluntary use as a cover sheet for 
submissions of information under TSCA sections 4, 8(d) and 8(e). The 
cover sheet facilitates submission of information by displaying certain 
basic data elements, permitting

[[Page 6977]]

EPA more easily to identify, log, track, distribute, review and index 
submissions, and to make information publicly available more rapidly 
and at reduced cost, to the mutual benefit of both the respondents and 
EPA.
    Responses to the collection of information are voluntary. 
Respondents may claim all or part of a notice as CBI. EPA will disclose 
information that is covered by a CBI claim only to the extent permitted 
by, and in accordance with, the procedures in 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 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 0.5 
hour 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: Companies that manufacture, process, 
use, import or distribute in commerce chemical substances that are 
subject to reporting requirements under sections 4, 8(d) or 8(e) of 
TSCA.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 964.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 9,136 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Costs: $703,435.
    Changes in Burden Estimates: There is an increase of 8,221 hours 
(from 915 hours to 9,136 hours) in the total estimated respondent 
burden compared with that identified in the information collection 
request most recently approved by OMB. This change reflects a net 
increase in the estimated number of submissions under TSCA sections 4, 
8(d) and 8(e) for which the Voluntary TSCA Cover Sheet could be used, 
in particular a substantial increase in the estimated number of TSCA 
section 4 submissions. Since the use of the Voluntary TSCA Cover Sheet 
is a direct reflection of the number of submissions received under TSCA 
sections 4, 8(d) and 8(e), any change in the estimated numbers of 
submissions under those requirements will result in a parallel change 
in the burden hours associated with this information collection. This 
increase represents an adjustment.

    Dated: January 22, 2004.
Doreen Sterling,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 04-3087 Filed 2-11-04; 8:45 am]
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