[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71685-71686]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-24515]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2007-0094; FRL-8508-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Pre-Manufacture Review Reporting 
and Exemption Requirements for New Chemical Substances and Significant 
New Use Reporting Requirements for Chemical Substances; EPA ICR No. 
0574.13, OMB No. 2070-0012

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 and its estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before January 17, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2007-0094 to (1) EPA online using 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 May 9, 2007 (72 FR 26353), EPA sought comments on this 
renewal ICR. EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.8(d). EPA received one non-substantive comment during the comment 
period. Any comments related to 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-2007-0094, 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 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 www.regulations.gov.
    Title: Pre-Manufacture Review Reporting and Exemption Requirements 
for New Chemical Substances and Significant New Use Reporting 
Requirements for Chemical Substances.
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 0574.13, OMB No. 2070-0012.
    ICR Status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on December 
31, 2007. 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: Section 5 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) 
requires manufacturers and importers of new chemical substances to 
submit to EPA notice of intent to manufacture or import a new chemical 
substance 90 days before manufacture or import begins. EPA reviews the 
information contained in the notice to evaluate the health and 
environmental effects of the new chemical substance. On the basis of 
the review, EPA may take further regulatory action under TSCA, if 
warranted. If EPA takes no action within 90 days, the submitter is free 
to manufacture or import the new chemical substance without 
restriction.
    TSCA section 5 also authorizes EPA to issue Significant New Use 
Rules (SNURs). EPA uses this authority to take follow-up action on new 
or existing chemicals that may present an unreasonable risk to human 
health or the environment if used in a manner that may result in 
different and/or higher exposures of a chemical to humans or the 
environment. Once a use is determined to be a significant new use, 
persons must submit a notice to EPA 90 days before beginning 
manufacture, processing or importation of a chemical substance for that 
use. Such a notice allows EPA to receive and review information on such 
a use and, if necessary, regulate the use before it occurs.
    Finally, TSCA section 5 also permits applications for exemption 
from section 5 review under certain circumstances. An applicant must 
provide information sufficient for EPA to make a determination that the 
circumstances in question qualify for an exemption. In granting an 
exemption, EPA may impose appropriate restrictions. This information 
collection addresses the reporting and recordkeeping requirements 
associated with TSCA section 5.
    Responses to the collection of information are mandatory (see 40 
CFR parts 700, 720, 721, 723 and 725). Respondents may claim all or 
part of a notice as CBI. EPA will disclose information that is covered 
by a CBI claim only to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with, 
the procedures in 40 CFR part 2.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is

[[Page 71686]]

estimated to average 100.3 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 that manufacture, process or import chemical 
substances.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 443.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 154,322 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Labor Costs: $36,387,880.
    Changes in Burden Estimates: There is a decrease of 9,469 hours 
(from 163,791 hours to 154,322 hours rounded) in the total estimated 
respondent burden compared with that currently in the OMB inventory. 
This decrease reflects EPA's experience with the numbers of submissions 
since the most recent OMB approval of this collection. The decrease is 
an adjustment.

    Dated: December 12, 2007.
Sara Hisel-McCoy,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
 [FR Doc. E7-24515 Filed 12-17-07; 8:45 am]
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