[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48126-48127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-16198]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[RCRA-2005-0005; FRL-7953-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; RCRA Expanded Public 
Participation (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 1688.05, OMB Control Number 
2050-0149

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 August 31, 
2005. 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 September 15, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number RCRA-
2005-0005, to (1) EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by 
e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to: Environmental Protection 
Agency, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), RCRA Docket, mail code 5305T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, 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: Norma Abdul-Malik, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone number: (703) 308-8753; fax number: (703) 308-8617; 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 7, 2005 (70 FR 17686), 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-2005-0005, which is available for public viewing at the RCRA 
Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 
Constitution Avenue, 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

[[Page 48127]]

comment contains copyrighted material, confidential business 
information (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: RCRA Expanded Public Participation (Renewal).
    Abstract: Section 7004(b) of RCRA gives EPA broad authority to 
provide for, encourage, and assist public participation in the 
development, revision, implementation, and enforcement of any 
regulation, guideline, information, or program under RCRA. In addition, 
the statute specifies certain public notices (i.e., radio, newspaper, 
and a letter to relevant agencies) that EPA must provide before issuing 
any RCRA permit. The statute also establishes a process by which the 
public can dispute a permit and request a public hearing to discuss it. 
EPA carries out much of its RCRA public involvement at 40 CFR parts 124 
and 270.
    In 1995, EPA expanded the public participation requirements under 
the RCRA program by promulgating the RCRA Expanded Public Participation 
Rule (60 FR 63417; December 11, 1995). The rule responded to calls by 
the Administration and stakeholders (e.g., States and private citizens) 
to provide earlier and better public participation in EPA's permitting 
programs, including procedures for more timely information sharing. In 
particular, the rule requires earlier public involvement in the 
permitting process (e.g., pre-application meetings), expanded public 
notice for significant events (e.g., notices of upcoming trial burns), 
and more opportunities for the exchange of permitting information 
(e.g., information repository).
    The required activities and information are needed to help assure 
timely and effective public participation in the permitting process. 
The requirements are intended to provide equal access to information to 
all stakeholders in the permitting process: the permitting agency, the 
permit applicant, and the community where a facility is located. Some 
facilities may be required to develop information repositories to allow 
for expanded public participation and access to detailed facility 
information as part of the permitting process.
    EPA sought to reduce the reporting frequency to the minimum that is 
necessary to ensure compliance with the rule. It would not be possible 
to collect this information less frequently and still assure that the 
requirements of permit and public involvement regulations are met by 
owners or operators. The reporting frequency is essential to assure 
that any changes in the trial burn plans or in the anticipated permit 
application contents are made known to EPA and to the public.
    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 91 
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: Facility owners or operators 
applying for an initial Part B permit or a Part B permit renewal.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 33.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 3,005 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $176,311, which includes $546 
annualized capital/startup costs, $2,863 O&M costs, and $172,902 annual 
labor costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is no change in the total estimated 
burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR 
Burdens.

    Dated: August 8, 2005.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 05-16198 Filed 8-15-05; 8:45 am]
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