[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 41 (Thursday, March 2, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10668-10669]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2950]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OAR-2060-0088; FRL-8039-7]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Consolidated Emissions Reporting (Renewal); EPA ICR 
No. 0916.12, OMB Control No. 2060-0088

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that EPA is planning to submit a request 
to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is scheduled to 
expire on May 31, 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 May 1, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2005-0490, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: (202) 566-1741.
     Mail: Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2005-0490, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mailcode: 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, 1301 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Room B102, Washington, DC. Such deliveries are only 
accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special 
arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2005-0490. The EPA's policy is that all comments received will be 
included in the public docket without change and may be made available 
online at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed 
to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information 
that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov, or e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site 
is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your 
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of 
your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without 
going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you 
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name 
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any 
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA 
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid 
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public 
docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm. For additional instructions on submitting 
comments, go to the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions concerning today's 
action, please contact Bill Kuykendal, U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality 
Planning and Standards, Air Quality Assessment Division, Mail Code 
D205-01, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, telephone (919) 541-5372, 
e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

How Can I Access the Docket and/or Submit Comments?

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2005-0490, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air and 
Radiation Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 
B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC. The EPA/DC 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 Air and Radiation Docket 
is 202-566-1742.
    Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the 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 in this document.

What Information is EPA Particularly Interested in?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), EPA specifically solicits comments and 
information to enable it 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

[[Page 10669]]

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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from 
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of 
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork 
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What Should I Consider When I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific 
examples.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 
that support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 
under DATES.
    7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page 
of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal 
Register citation.

What Information Collection Activity or ICR Does This Apply to?

    Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2005-0490, EPA ICR No. 0916.12, OMB 
Control No. 2060-0088.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
generally State air pollution control agencies. An estimated 55 State 
and Territorial air pollution control agencies, as well as 49 local air 
agencies will be required to compile and report emissions information 
for large stationary point sources on an annual basis, and for smaller 
point sources, stationary nonpoint and mobile sources on a 3-year 
basis. Also, a portion of industry sources will be required by State 
and local air agencies to estimate and report PM2.5 and NH3 point 
source emissions.
    Title: Consolidated Emissions Reporting (Renewal).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No.0916.12, OMB Control No.2060-0088.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on May 31, 
2006.
    Abstract: EPA has promulgated a Consolidated Emissions Reporting 
Rule (CERR) (40 CFR part 51, subpart A) to coordinate new emissions 
inventory reporting requirements with existing requirements of the 
Clean Air Act (CAA) and 1990 Amendments. Under the CERR, 55 State and 
Territorial air quality agencies, including the District of Columbia 
(DC), as well as an estimated 49 local air quality agencies, must 
annually submit emissions data for point sources emitting specified 
levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), oxides of nitrogen 
(NOX), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide 
(SO2), particulate matter less than or equal to 10 
micrometers in diameter (PM10), particulate matter less than 
or equal to 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5), and ammonia 
(NH3).
    Every 3 years, States will be required to submit a point source 
inventory, as well as a statewide stationary nonpoint, nonroad mobile, 
onroad mobile, and biogenic source inventory for all criteria 
pollutants and PM2.5, and NH3. The emissions data 
submitted for the annual and 3-year cycle inventories for stationary 
point, nonpoint, nonroad mobile, and mobile sources will be used by 
EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) to assist in 
developing ambient air quality emission standards, performing regional 
modeling, and in preparing national trends assessments and other 
special analyses and reports. Collection of PM2.5 emissions 
data will be necessary to support implementation of the 
PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). The 
information collected under the authority of the CERR is mandatory and 
as specified in the CERR cannot be treated as confidential by EPA.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 30 
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 which have subsequently changed; 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.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 2038.
    Frequency of response: Annual.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 4.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 60,812.
    Estimated total annual costs: $2,811,146. This includes an 
estimated burden cost of $2,580,246 and an estimated cost of $230,900 
for capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.

Are There Changes in the Estimates From the Last Approval?

    There is a decrease of 52,039 hours in the total estimated 
respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This decrease resulted from the elimination of the 
``One Time Activities'' that were accounted for under the currently 
approved ICR. All respondents have incurred these one time burdens and 
thus these burdens do not recur in this renewal ICR.

What Is the Next Step in the Process for This ICR?

    EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as 
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for 
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will 
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any 
questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the 
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: February 16, 2006.
William H. Lamason,
Acting Director, Air Quality Assessment Division.
[FR Doc. E6-2950 Filed 3-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P