[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 22, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67555-67556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-19751]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OEI-2006-0515; FRL-8245-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Confidentiality Rules (Renewal); 
EPA ICR No. 1665.07, OMB Control No. 2020-0003

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 December 22, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OEI-
2006-0515 to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA 
Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460 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: Larry F. Gottesman, National FOIA 
Officer, Collection Strategies Division, Office of Information 
Collection, Mail Code 2822T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-
566-2162; fax number: 202-566-2147; 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 July 17, 2006, (71 FR 40510), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. 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-OEI-2006-0515, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Office of 
Environmental Information Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA 
West, Room 3334, 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.
    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 www.regulations.gov as EPA receives 
them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted 
material, Confidential Business Information (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: Confidentiality Rules (Renewal).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1665.07, OMB Control No. 2020-0003.
    ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on November 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, 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 the course of administering environmental protection 
statutes, EPA collects data from thousands of facilities in many 
sectors of the U.S. economy. In many cases, industry marks the data it 
submits to EPA as CBI. In addition, businesses submit information to 
EPA without the Agency requesting the information. EPA

[[Page 67556]]

established the procedures described in 40 CFR part 2, subparts A and 
B, to protect the confidentiality of information as well as the rights 
of the public to obtain access to information under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA). In accordance with these regulations, when EPA 
finds it necessary to make a final confidentiality determination (e.g., 
in response to a FOIA request or in the course of rulemaking or 
litigation), or in advance confidentiality determination, it shall 
notify the affected business and provides an opportunity to comment 
(i.e., to submit a substantiation of confidentiality claim). This ICR 
relates to the collection of information that will assist EPA in 
determining whether previously submitted information is entitled to 
confidential treatment.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4.9 
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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are businesses and other for-profit companies.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,330.
    Frequency of Response: 1 per year.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 6,521 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $240,158, includes $0 annualized 
capital or O&M costs and $240,158 annual labor costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is no change in hours in the total 
estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved 
ICR Burdens.

    Dated: November 14, 2006.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E6-19751 Filed 11-21-06; 8:45 am]
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