[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 216 (Thursday, November 6, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66035-66036]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26498]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0264; FRL-8739-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Recordkeeping and Periodic Reporting of the 
Production, Import, Recycling, Destruction, Transhipment, and Feedstock 
Use of Ozone-Depleting Substances (Renewal); EPA ICR No. 1432.29, OMB 
Control No. 2060-0170

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 8, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2008-0264, 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, EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0264, 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: Kirsten Cappel, Stratospheric 
Protection Division, Office of Atmospheric Programs (6205J), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 343-9556; fax number: 
(202) 343-2338; e-mail address: [email protected]. You may also 
visit the Ozone Depletion Web site of EPA's Stratospheric Protection 
Division at http://www.epa.gov/ozone/strathome.html.

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 29, 2008 (73 FR 30917) EPA sought comments on this ICR 
pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received only one comment during the 
comment period, which is addressed in the ICR. 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-2008-0264, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air and 
Radiation 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 8:30 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 Air and Radiation 
Docket is 202-566-1742.

[[Page 66036]]

    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: Recordkeeping and Periodic Reporting of the Production, 
Import, Recycling, Destruction, Transhipment, and Feedstock Use of 
Ozone-Depleting Substances (Renewal).
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1432.29, OMB Control No. 2060-0170.
    ICR Status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on December 
31, 2008. 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, and 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 is seeking to renew this ICR, which authorizes the 
recordkeeping and reporting requirements established in the regulations 
stated in 40 CFR part 82, subpart A and as required by the United 
States' commitments under the international treaty The Montreal 
Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Protocol). This 
information collection allows EPA to monitor the United States' 
compliance with the Protocol and Title VI of the Clean Air Act 
Amendments of 1990 (CAA).
    Under its Protocol commitments, the United States is obligated to 
cease production and import of Class I controlled substances excluding 
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that are subject to essential use 
exemptions, methyl bromide that is subject to critical use exemptions 
or exemptions for quarantine and preshipment uses or emergency uses, 
previously used material, and material that will be transformed, 
destroyed, or exported to developing countries. The Protocol also 
establishes limits and reduction schedules leading to the eventual 
phaseout of Class II controlled substances with similar exemptions 
beyond the phaseout. In addition to the Montreal Protocol, the CAA has 
its own limits on production and consumption of controlled substances 
that EPA must adhere to and enforce.
    Under 40 CFR 82.13, producers, importers, exporters, distributors, 
and other entities must meet quarterly, annual, and/or transactional 
requirements for Class I ozone-depleting substances (ODS). This 
information collection is conducted to meet U.S. obligations under the 
Montreal Protocol. The information collection request is required to 
obtain a benefit under Title VI of the CAA, added by section 764 of the 
1999 Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act 
(Pub. L. No. 105-277; October 21, 1998).
    The requirements for Class I ODS will enable EPA to: (1) Ensure 
compliance with the restrictions on production, import, and export of 
Class I controlled substances; (2) allow exempted production and import 
for certain uses and the consequent tracking of that production and 
import; (3) address industry and Federal concerns regarding the illegal 
import of mislabeled used controlled substances; (4) satisfy the United 
States' obligations to report data under Article 7 of the Protocol; (5) 
fulfill statutory obligations under Section 603(b) of the CAA for 
reporting and monitoring; and (6) provide information to report to the 
U.S. Congress on the production, use, and consumption of Class I 
controlled substances as statutorily required in section 603(d) of 
Title VI of the CAA.
    The reported data will enable EPA to: (1) Maintain compliance with 
the Protocol requirements for annual data submission on the production 
of ODS; and (2) analyze technical use data to ensure that exemptions 
are used in accordance with requirements included in the annual 
authorization rulemakings.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2 
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: Chemical Producers, Importers, and 
Exporters (CFCs); Research and Development (Laboratories); and MeBr 
Producers, Importers, Exporters, Distributors, and Applicators.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,157.
    Frequency of Response: Quarterly, annually, and occasionally.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 2,810 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $269,242, including $5,580 in O&M 
costs and no capital costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 5,560 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden currently identified in the OMB 
Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. This large decrease is primarily due 
to a decrease in the overall burden for compliance, specifically the 
hours needed to certify laboratory and QPS uses of ozone depleting 
substances. The prior estimate for self-certification was much higher 
than the Agency's experience has shown it to be. The burden and cost 
estimates for the Agency increased largely due to increases in the 
average hourly wage rate caused by normal inflation. As implementation 
of electronic reporting via the Agency's central data exchange (CDX) 
expands to additional segments of the regulated community, EPA expects 
burden and costs to further decline. EPA anticipated that when the CDX 
system becomes fully utilized, all required data will be submitted and 
tracked electronically, thus reducing and/or eliminating reporting by 
paper.

    Dated: October 30, 2008.
Deborah Williams,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
 [FR Doc. E8-26498 Filed 11-5-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P