[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 101 (Tuesday, May 25, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29717-29718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-11776]


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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[RCRA-2000-0066; FRL-7666-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping 
Requirements Under EPA's WasteWise Program (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 
1698.05, OMB Control Number 2050-0139

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 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 May 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 June 24, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number RCRA-
2000-0066, 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, Mailcode 5305T, 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: Charles Heizenroth, Office of Solid 
Waste, 5306W, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-0154; fax 
number: (703) 308-8686; 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 January 13, 2004 (69 FR 1977), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. RCRA-2000-0066, which is available for public viewing at the RCRA 
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 RCRA Docket is 
(202) 566-0270. 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: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Under EPA's 
WasteWise Program (Renewal).
    Abstract: EPA's voluntary WasteWise program encourages businesses 
and other organizations to reduce solid waste through waste prevention, 
recycling, and the purchase or manufacture of recycled-content 
products. WasteWise participants include partners, which commit to 
implementing waste reduction activities of their choice, and endorsers 
which promote the WasteWise program and waste reduction to their 
members.
    The Partner Registration Form identifies an organization and its 
facilities registering to participate in WasteWise, and requires the 
signature of a senior official that can commit the organization to the 
program. (This form can be submitted either electronically or in hard 
copy.) Within six months of registering, each partner is asked to 
conduct a waste assessment and submit baseline data and waste reduction 
goals to EPA via the Annual Assessment Form. (This form can also be 
submitted either electronically or in hard copy.) On an annual basis 
partners are asked to report, via the Annual Assessment Form, on their 
progress toward achieving their waste reduction goals by estimating 
amounts of waste prevented and recyclables collected, and describing 
buying or manufacturing recycled-content products. They can also 
provide WasteWise with information on total waste prevention revenue, 
total recycling revenue, total avoided purchasing costs due to waste 
prevention, and total avoided disposal costs due to recycling and waste 
prevention. Additionally, they are asked to submit new waste reduction 
goals.
    Endorsers, which are typically trade associations or state/local 
governments, submit the Endorser Registration Form once during their 
endorser relationship with WasteWise. (This form can be submitted 
either electronically or in hard copy.) The Endorser Registration Form 
identifies the organization, the principal contact, and the activities 
to which the Endorser commits.
    EPA's WasteWise program uses the submitted information to (1) 
identify and recognize outstanding waste

[[Page 29718]]

reduction achievements by individual organizations, (2) compile 
aggregate results that indicate overall accomplishments of WasteWise 
partners, (3) identify cost-effective waste reduction strategies to 
share with other organizations, and (4) identify topics on which to 
develop assistance and information efforts.
    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 respondent burden for this collection is 
estimated to average 1 hour per response for the Partner Registration 
Form, 40 hours per response for the Annual Assessment Form, and 10 
hours per response for the Endorser Registration Form. This results in 
an estimated annual partner respondent burden of 41 hours for new 
partners, 40 hours for established partners, and a one-time respondent 
burden of 10 hours for endorsers.
    The estimated number of respondents is 1,325 in Year 1; 1,425 in 
Year 2; and 1,525 in Year 3. Estimated total annual burden on all 
respondents is 52,350 hours in Year 1; 56,350 hours in Year 2; and 
60,350 hours in Year 3. 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: The WasteWise program was initially 
targeted to the Fortune 500 manufacturing companies and the Fortune 500 
service companies. During the period covered by this ICR, however, 
WasteWise will continue to focus its marketing efforts on a broader 
audience, including medium to large size businesses, universities, and 
federal/state/local/tribal governments. While WasteWise actively 
promotes the program to a smaller subset of these groups, the program 
is open to all companies, trade associations, nonprofit organizations, 
schools, colleges, universities, and federal/state/local/tribal 
governments. Due to the broad universe of eligible WasteWise partners, 
a relevant list of NAICS codes would include virtually every business 
area contained in the NAICS code manual. Therefore, it is not practical 
to include such a comprehensive list of affected organizations. The 
WasteWise Endorser Program initially targeted more than 100 trade 
associations across numerous industry sectors. The program is, however, 
open to all trade associations, membership organizations, and federal/
state/local/tribal organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,425.
    Frequency of Response: Once when registering for the program, then 
yearly to report progress.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 56,350.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $3,527,000, includes $0 annual 
capital/startup costs, $0 annual O&M and $3,527,000 annual labor costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 7,910 hours in the 
total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of 
Approved ICR Burdens. This decrease is due to a change in program 
requirements. The goals identification form was eliminated and the new 
annual assessment form is easier for respondents to complete.

    Dated: May 18, 2004.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 04-11776 Filed 5-24-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P