[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 243 (Tuesday, December 20, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75457-75458]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7558]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[RCRA-2005-0016, FRL-8010-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Under EPA's 
National Partnership for Environmental Priorities, EPA ICR Number 
2076.02, OMB Control Number 2050-0190

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 April 30, 2006. 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 February 21, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number RCRA-
2005-0016, 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: Newman Smith, Office of Solid Waste 
(5302W), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 703-308-8757; 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-2005-0016, 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, store, and treat hazardous waste.
    Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Under EPA's 
National Program for Environmental Priorities (formerly, Reporting and 
Recordkeeping Requirements under EPA's National Waste Minimization 
partnership Program)
    Abstract: EPA currently has an ongoing national program that, 
through source reduction, reuse, and recycling, encourages a reduction 
in use or the minimization of release of hazardous chemicals. 
Participation in the National Partnership for Environmental Priorities 
(previously the National Waste Minimization Partnership Program) is 
completely voluntary. EPA will use five

[[Page 75458]]

forms to collect information from participants, called partners, which 
can be prepared and submitted in a hard copy or electronically. 
Participation begins when the first of these forms, an Enrollment Form, 
is submitted and accepted by EPA. The form asks for basic site 
identification information as well as information on the company's 
chemical reduction goals under the program.
    Partners will also have an opportunity to complete and submit the 
second optional form titled Application for Certificate of 
Accomplishment. They may submit this form when they accomplish the 
goals they established for their initial participation in the program. 
These certificate applications will enable the Agency to confirm a 
partners' progress and to measure the overall success of the program. 
Evaluation and acceptance of these certificate applications is also the 
basis the Agency uses to recognize partner accomplishments in a formal 
(e.g., at an awards ceremony or by congratulatory letter) manner, if 
appropriate. This partner recognition is important as a motivation in 
enlisting new partners and in encouraging current partners to declare 
additional reduction goals.
    A third form is an optional, one-time Case Studies Submission Form. 
This form enables a partner to describe its waste minimization 
techniques, implementation problems, lessons learned, benefits, and 
relevant implications. The case studies will assist the Agency in 
better understanding waste minimization approaches and technologies. 
The information may also help the Agency in sharing lessons learned and 
effective strategies among the facilities generating hazardous waste, 
in order to promote continued and effective waste minimization efforts. 
Sharing effective waste reduction strategies with others is a 
fundamental objective of the partnership program.
    The fourth and fifth forms provide current partners the opportunity 
to revise current goals or to submit additional goals. They are titled 
the Add Our New Goals Form and the Goal Revision Form. Other than their 
titles, both forms are actually the same as the enrollment form 
described above.
    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.
    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 14 
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.
    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: December 13, 2005.
Matthew Hale,
Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. E5-7558 Filed 12-19-05; 8:45 am]
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