[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 9, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11628-11629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-4587]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[RCRA-2005-0003, FRL-7882-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; The 2005 Hazardous Waste Report, EPA ICR Number 
0976.12, OMB Control Number 2050-0024

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

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 EPA is planning to submit a 
continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request for an existing approved 
collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on October 31, 2005. Before 
submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting 
comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as 
described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 9, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number RCRA-
2005-0003, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-
mail to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, RCRA Docket, mail code 5305T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Levy, Office of Solid Waste, Mail 
Code 5302W, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-8479; fax 
number: (703) 308-8433; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number RCRA-2005-0003, 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 obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, 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 within 
60 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.
    Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those which generate, treat, store, recycle, or dispose of hazardous 
waste.
    Title: The 2005 Hazardous Waste Report.

[[Page 11629]]

    Abstract: This ICR renews an ongoing information collection from 
hazardous waste generators and hazardous waste treatment, storage, or 
disposal facilities. This collection is done on a two-year cycle as 
required by Sections 3002 and 3004 of RCRA. The information is 
collected via a mechanism known as the Hazardous Waste Report for the 
required reporting year [EPA Form 8700-13 A/B] (also known as the 
Biennial Report). Both RCRA Sections 3002 and 3004 require EPA to 
establish standards for recordkeeping and reporting of hazardous waste 
generation and management. Section 3002 applies to hazardous waste 
generators and Section 3004 applies to hazardous waste treatment, 
storage, and disposal facilities. The implementing regulations are 
found at 40 CFR 262.40(b) and (d); 262.41(a)(1)-(5), (a)(8), and (b); 
264.75(a)-(e) and (j); 265.75(a)-(e) and (j); and 270.30(l)(9). This is 
mandatory reporting by the respondents.
    The respondents' submissions (reports) describe each generated 
hazardous waste, the activity by which they generated the waste, and 
the waste quantity; the reports also list the management method by 
which each waste is treated, recycled, or disposed and the quantity 
managed. There are a number of uses of Biennial Report data. EPA uses 
Biennial Report data for planning and developing regulations, 
compliance monitoring, and enforcement. Also, Biennial Report data 
allows the Agency to determine whether its regulations are having the 
desired effect on the generation and management of hazardous waste. For 
example, Biennial Report data provides information on whether waste 
management has shifted from one method of disposal to another. Some 
State uses of Report data include support of planning, fee assessment, 
compliance monitoring, and enforcement.
    Some businesses consider some of their hazardous waste information 
to be Confidential Business Information (CBI). A business may, if it 
desires, protect its Biennial Report information from public disclosure 
by asserting a claim of confidentiality covering all or part of its 
information. When a claim is made EPA will treat the information in 
accordance with the confidentiality regulations in 40 CFR part 2, 
subpart B. EPA also ensures that the information collection procedures 
comply with the Privacy Act of 1974 and OMB Circular 108.
    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.
    The EPA would like to solicit comments to:
    (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (ii) Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden 
of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used;
    (iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    (iv) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average about 
22 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: Those facilities which generate, 
treat, store, recycle, or dispose of hazardous waste.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 17,691.
    Frequency of Response: Biennially.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 191,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $9,810,000, includes $0 annualized 
capital and $25,000 O&M costs.
    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.

    Dated: March 3, 2005.
Matthew Hale,
Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. 05-4587 Filed 3-8-05; 8:45 am]
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