[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 30, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30675-30676]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8302]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0039; FRL-8175-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping 
Requirements of the HCFC Allowance System, EPA ICR Number 2014.03, OMB 
Control Number 2060-0498

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (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. The ICR, which is abstracted below, 
describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated 
burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before June 29, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2003-0039, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), by e-mail to: [email protected], or by mail to: EPA 
Docket Center (EPA/DC), Environmental Protection Agency, Docket ID No. 
EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0039, Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center, 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 6102T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, 1200, and (2) OMB by 
mail to: 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: Cindy Axinn Newberg, 6205J, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-343-9729; fax number: 202-
343-2337; 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 December 20, 2005, (70 FR 75458), EPA sought comments on 
this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received one comment during 
the comment period. However, the comment does not pertain to this ICR 
or its information collections and therefore no action has been taken 
on the comment in relation to the renewal of this ICR. Any additional 
comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days 
of this notice.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0039, 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 Avenue, 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 EPA's electronic docket and comment system at 
www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those 
documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the 
system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number 
identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public 
comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made 
available for public viewing at http://www.regulations.gov as EPA 
receives them and without change, unless the comment contains 
copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose public disclosure 
is restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic 
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements of the HCFC 
Allowance System.
    ICR Numbers: 2014.03, OMB Control Number 2060-0498.
    ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2006. Under 
OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the 
collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 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 Title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when 
approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, and are displayed either by 
publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such 
as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The 
display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is 
consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: In order to continue to meet its obligations under the 
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Protocol) 
and the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA), EPA maintains an 
allowance system for class II controlled substances or 
hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). Under the Protocol, the U.S. is 
obligated to limit HCFC consumption (defined by the Protocol as 
production plus imports, minus exports) under a specific cap. The U.S. 
is also a signatory to amendments that froze HCFC production on January 
1, 2004. EPA controls U.S. production and consumption of HCFCs by 
granting baseline allowances based on the historical activity levels of 
producers and importers coupled with a chemical-by-chemical phaseout. 
Since each allowance equals 1 kilogram of HCFC, EPA can monitor the 
quantity of HCFCs being produced, imported, exported, transformed, or 
destroyed. There are two types of allowances: consumption allowances 
and production allowances. Transfers of production and consumption 
allowances among producers and importers are allowed. Producers, 
importers, and exporters are required to submit to EPA quarterly 
reports of the quantity of HCFCs in each of their transactions; they 
are also required to report the quantity of HCFCs transformed or 
destroyed. EPA requires all producers, importers, and exporters 
maintain records such as Customs entry forms, bills of lading, sales 
records, and canceled checks to support their quarterly reports. The 
quarterly reports may be faxed or mailed to EPA and soon may be 
submitted electronically.

[[Page 30676]]

Reports are handled as confidential business information. EPA stores 
the submitted information in a computerized database designed to track 
allowance balances and transfer activities. When electronic reporting 
is available, EPA will change its guidance document. EPA uses collected 
information to ensure that the U.S. maintains compliance with the 
Protocol caps, to report annually to United Nations Environment 
Programme the U.S. activity in HCFCs, and to ensure that allowance 
holders are in compliance. The respondents are producers, importers, 
and exporters of HCFCs; and entities granted HCFC-141b exemption 
allowances.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information currently estimated to 
average less than one hour 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: 70;
    Frequency of response: quarterly, annually, semi-annually, or one-
time only;
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
342;
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 1632 hours for respondents;
    Estimated total annual cost: $138,963, which includes $138,123 
labor costs, $0 capital/startup costs, and $840 annual O&M costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 1660 hours in the 
total estimated burden and a decrease of $333,234 currently identified 
in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. This decrease is due to 
adjustments that EPA made in its assumptions, the lack of additional 
capital costs necessary to meet the requirements, and certain 
inconsistencies found in the previous analysis. The previously approved 
ICR estimated 8 hours for a respondent to prepare and submit a report. 
This ICR estimates a respondent will need 4.5 hours. The 4.5-hour 
estimate is based on recent feedback from respondents under the program 
and is therefore more reliable and up-to-date than the eight-hour 
estimate. Additionally, in comparison with three years ago, respondents 
are more familiar with the reporting requirements and have improved 
their processes for collecting and documenting the information 
requested. Any capital costs required to comply with the requirements 
were met under the previous ICR. Lastly, while developing supporting 
materials for this ICR, EPA uncovered and corrected inconsistencies 
associated with the previous ICR. Consequently, the burden for the 
respondents has been greatly reduced for reporting the information.
    The option of electronic reporting imposes a minimal change to 
burden estimates because of the start-up hours associated with 
electronic reporting that EPA estimates will be required during the 
three years of this ICR. While electronic reporting is eventually 
expected to reduce the reporting burden for respondents, as well as the 
O&M costs, the reduction will not be seen until after this ICR period.

    Dated: May 17, 2006.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
 [FR Doc. E6-8302 Filed 5-26-06; 8:45 am]
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