[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 173 (Friday, September 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51437-51439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-17688]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-RCRA-2007-0417, FRL-8465-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Hazardous Waste Generator Standards (Renewal); EPA ICR 
No. 0820.10, OMB Control No. 2050-0035

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 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 January 31, 2008. 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 November 6, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
RCRA-2007-0417, by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Fax: 202-566-9744.
     Mail: RCRA Docket (5305T), U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Room 3334, 
Washington, DC 20460. 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-RCRA-
2007-0417. 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 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim O'Leary, Office of Solid Waste, 
(5304P), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 703-308-0441; fax number: 703-
308-0514; e-mail address: [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-RCRA-2007-0417, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the RCRA Docket in 
the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 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 RCRA Docket is (202) 566-0270.
    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 PRA, 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;

[[Page 51438]]

    (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. 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?

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
private sector; State, Local, or Tribal Governments; and the Federal 
Government.
    Title: Hazardous Waste Generator Standards (Renewal).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 0820.10, OMB Control No. 2050-0035.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on January 
31, 2008. 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: Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 
as amended, Congress directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
to implement a comprehensive program for the safe management of 
hazardous waste. The core of the national waste management program is 
the regulation of hazardous waste from generation to transport to 
treatment and eventual disposal, or from ``cradle to grave.'' Section 
3001(d) of RCRA requires EPA to develop standards for small quantity 
generators. Section 3002 of RCRA, among other things, states that EPA 
shall establish requirements for hazardous waste generators regarding 
recordkeeping practices. Section 3002 also requires EPA to establish 
standards on appropriate use of containers by generators.
    Finally, section 3017 of RCRA specifies requirements for 
individuals exporting hazardous waste from the United States, including 
a notification of the intent to export, and an annual report 
summarizing the types, quantities, frequency, and ultimate destination 
of all exported hazardous waste.
    This ICR addresses the following categories of informational 
requirements in part 262: pre-transport requirements for both large 
(LQG) and small (SQG) quantity generators; air emission standards 
requirements for LQGs (referenced in 40 CFR Part 265, Subparts I and 
J); recordkeeping and reporting requirements for LQGs and SQGs; and 
export requirements for LQGs and SQGs (i.e., notification of intent to 
export and annual reporting).
    This collection of information is necessary to help generators and 
EPA: (1) Identify and understand the waste streams being generated and 
the hazards associated with them; (2) determine whether employees have 
acquired the necessary expertise to perform their jobs; and (3) 
determine whether LQGs have developed adequate procedures to respond to 
unplanned sudden or non-sudden releases of hazardous waste or hazardous 
constituents to air, soil, or surface water. This information is also 
needed to help EPA determine whether tank systems are operated in a 
manner that is fully protective of human health and the environment and 
to ensure that releases to the environment are managed quickly and 
efficiently.
    Additionally, this information contributes to EPA's goal of 
preventing contamination of the environment from hazardous waste 
accumulation practices, including contamination from equipment leaks 
and process vents. Export information is needed to ensure that: (1) 
foreign governments consent to U.S. exported wastes; (2) exported waste 
is actually managed at facilities listed in the original notifications; 
and (3) documents are available for compliance audits and enforcement 
actions. In general, these requirements contribute to EPA's goal of 
preventing contamination of the environment.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for LQGs under this collection of information is estimated to be 
13.18 hours (averaged across all LQG respondents). The average public 
reporting and recordkeeping burden for SQGs under this collection of 
information is estimated to be 1.22 hours (averaged across all SQG 
respondents). 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: 124,382.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 453,083.
    Estimated total annual costs: $28,532,136. This includes an 
estimated $28,475,842 in labor costs and an estimated $56,294 for 
capital investments and operation and maintenance costs.

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

[[Page 51439]]

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: August 27, 2007.
Matthew Hale,
Director, Office of Solid Waste.
[FR Doc. E7-17688 Filed 9-6-07; 8:45 am]
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