[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 164 (Friday, August 24, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48633-48634]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-16818]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2006-0807; FRL-8459-4]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Request for Contractor Access to 
TSCA Confidential Business Information (CBI); EPA ICR No. 1250.08, OMB 
No. 2070-0075

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. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the 
nature of the information collection activity and its expected burden 
and costs.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before September 24, 
2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2006-0807 to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method), by e-mail to [email protected] or by mail to: 
Document Control Office (DCO), Office of Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 7407T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., 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: Barbara Cunningham, Director, 
Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 7408-M, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-
554-1404; 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 November 9, 2006 (71 FR 65809), EPA sought comments on this 
renewal ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments 
during the comment period. Any additional

[[Page 48634]]

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-OPPT-2006-0807, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person inspection at the OPPT Docket 
in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center 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 Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics Docket is 202-566-0280. Use http://www.regulations.gov 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.
    Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at http://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: Request for Contractor Access to TSCA Confidential Business 
Information (CBI).
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1250.08, OMB Control No. 2070-0075.
    ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2007. 
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: EPA procures contract support to facilitate the 
performance of certain duties. As authorized by section 14 of TSCA, 
certain employees of companies working under contract to EPA require 
access to TSCA confidential business information collected under the 
authority of TSCA in order to perform their official duties. Each 
contractor employee who will use TSCA CBI in the performance of his or 
her duties must be authorized for access to TSCA CBI through a multi-
step process. The TSCA CBI Protection Manual provides Federal and 
contractor employees with guidelines and operating procedures for 
handling TSCA CBI while performing their official duties, as well as 
the procedures to obtain authorization for access to TSCA CBI. The 
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), which is responsible 
for maintaining the security of TSCA confidential business information, 
requires that all individuals desiring access to TSCA CBI obtain and 
annually renew official clearance to TSCA CBI. As part of the process 
for obtaining TSCA CBI clearance, OPPT requires certain information 
about the contracting company and about each contractor employee 
requesting TSCA CBI clearance, primarily the name, EPA badge number or 
other identification of the employee, the type of TSCA CBI clearance 
requested and the justification for such clearance, and the signature 
of the employee to an agreement with respect to access to and use of 
TSCA CBI. For purposes of this information collection, contractor 
personnel must complete and submit EPA Form 7740-6, titled ``TSCA CBI 
Access Request, Agreement, and Approval''.
    Responses to the collection of information are required in order 
for a contractor employee to obtain clearance to access TSCA CBI. EPA 
will observe strict confidentiality precautions with respect to the 
information collected on individual employees, based on the Privacy Act 
of 1974, as outlined in the ICR and in the collection instrument.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.6 
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: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are companies under contract to the Environmental 
Protection Agency to provide certain services, whose employees must 
have access to TSCA confidential business information to perform their 
duties.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Estimated Average Number of Responses for Each Respondent: 10.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 28.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 446 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Costs: $20,466.
    Changes in Burden Estimates: This request reflects an increase of 
31 hours (from 415 hours to 446 hours) in the total estimated 
respondent burden from that currently in the OMB inventory. This 
increase represents an increase in the number of contractor employees 
that need clearance. The change is an adjustment.

    Dated: August 16, 2007.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E7-16818 Filed 8-23-07; 8:45 am]
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