[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 239 (Thursday, December 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70833-70834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-24156]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0265; FRL-8505-9]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; PM 2.5 National Ambient Air 
Quality Standard Implementation Rule; EPA ICR No. 2258.01, OMB Control 
No. 2060-NEW

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 for a new 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 January 14, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2007-0265, 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, Air and 
Radiation Docket, Mailcode 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 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: Butch Stackhouse, Air Quality Policy 
Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Mail Code C539-
01, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, telephone number 
(919) 541-5208, facsimile number (919) 541-0824, electronic mail 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 April 25, 2007 (72 FR 20668), 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-OAR-2007-0265, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air 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 the Air Docket is 202-566-1742.
    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, 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: PM 2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard Implementation 
Rule
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2258.01, OMB Control No. 2060-NEW.
    ICR Status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity. 
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: The Paperwork Reduction Act requires the information 
found in this ICR to assess the burden of the PM 2.5 National Ambient 
Air Quality Standard Implementation (NAAQS) Rule as well as the 
periodic reporting and record keeping necessary to maintain the rule. 
The rule was proposed November 1, 2005 (70 FR 65983) and promulgated 
April 25, 2007 (72 FR 20585). The preamble to the proposed and final 
regulation addressed

[[Page 70834]]

the administrative burden in general terms. The preamble to the final 
rule stated that an ICR would be prepared. The rule includes 
requirements that involve collecting information from States with areas 
that have been designated nonattainment for the PM 2.5 NAAQS.
    The time period covered in this ICR is a three year period from 
April 5, 2008 through April 4, 2011. The milestones for the State or 
local air agency respondents will include the required SIP elements 
prescribed in CAA sections 110 and part D, subpart 1 of title I for 
Implementation plans and the requirements in the PM 2.5 NAAQS 
Implementation Rule (40 CFR 51.1000-51.1012). The PM2.5 SIP will 
contain rules and other requirements designed to achieve the NAAQS by 
the deadlines established under the CAA, and it also contains a 
demonstration that the State's requirements will in fact result in 
attainment. The SIP must meet the requirements in subpart 1 to adopt 
Reasonable Available Control Measures (RACM) and Reasonable Available 
Control Technology (RACT), and provide for Reasonable Further Progress 
(RFP) toward attainment for the period prior to the area's attainment 
date. However, not all of the milestones and associated burden and 
administrative cost estimates apply to every designated PM 2.5 
nonattainment area. Areas with cleaner air quality have fewer 
requirements.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 
10,000 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: State and local governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 21.
    Frequency of Response: Annual.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 210,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $11.8 million, which includes no 
annualized capital or O&M costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: This is a new collection based on the EPA 
revision to the NAAQS for particulate matter on July 18, 1997, to add 
new standards for fine particles, using PM2.5 as the indicator. The 21 
States will submit implementation plans to EPA for each nonattainment 
area that will need to include a number of elements, including an 
evaluation of reasonably available control technology (RACT) and 
reasonably available control measures (RACM), an attainment 
demonstration showing how the area will attain the standards as 
expeditiously as practicable, and a plan showing that the area will 
make reasonable further progress (RFP) from the date the area's SIP is 
due to its attainment date.

    Dated: December 6, 2007.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
 [FR Doc. E7-24156 Filed 12-12-07; 8:45 am]
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