[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 136 (Friday, July 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34752-34753]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17047]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2008-0816; FRL-8932-3]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Voluntary Children's Chemical 
Evaluation Program (VCCEP); EPA ICR No. 2055.03, OMB Control No. 2070-
0165

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 August 17, 
2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2008-0816 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 December 24, 2008 (73 FR 79086), EPA sought comments on 
this renewal ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received one comment 
from the Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance (HSIA) 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-2008-0816, 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/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 Pollution Prevention and Toxics 
Docket is 202-566-0280.
    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 public docket, and to access those 
documents in the public 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 in 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. When

[[Page 34753]]

EPA identifies a comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will 
provide a reference to that material in the version of the comment that 
is placed in http://www.regulations.gov. The entire printed comment, 
including the copyrighted material, will be available in the public 
docket. Although identified as an item in the official docket, 
information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise restricted 
by statute, is not included in the official public docket, and will not 
be available for public viewing in www.regulations.gov. For further 
information about the electronic docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Title: Voluntary Children's Chemical Evaluation Program (VCCEP).
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 2055.03, OMB Control No. 2070-0165.
    ICR Status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on July 31, 
2009. 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: VCCEP is a 
voluntary program intended to provide data to enable the public to 
understand the potential health risks to children associated with 
certain chemical exposures. EPA has asked companies that manufacture 
and/or import 20 chemicals that have been found in human tissues and 
the environment to volunteer to sponsor their evaluation in VCCEP. 
VCCEP consists of three tiers that a sponsor may commit to separately. 
As part of their sponsorship, companies submit commitment letters, 
collect and/or develop health effects and exposure information on their 
chemical(s), integrate that information in a risk assessment, and 
develop a ``Data Needs Assessment.'' The Data Needs Assessment 
discusses the need for additional data, which could be provided by the 
next tier, to fully characterize the risks the chemical may pose to 
children.
    The information submitted by the sponsor will be evaluated by a 
group of scientific experts with extensive, relevant experience in 
toxicity testing and exposure evaluations, a Peer Consultation Group. 
This Group will forward its opinions to EPA and the sponsor(s) 
concerning the adequacy of the assessments and the need for development 
of any additional information to fully assess risks to children. EPA 
will consider the opinions of the Peer Consultation and announce 
whether additional higher tier information is needed. Sponsors and the 
public will have an opportunity to comment on EPA's decision concerning 
data needs. EPA will consider these comments and issue a final 
decision. If the final decision is that additional information is 
needed, sponsors will be asked to volunteer to provide the next tier of 
information. If additional information is not needed, the risk 
communication and, if necessary, risk management phases of the program 
will be initiated.
    Responses to the collection of information are voluntary. 
Respondents may claim all or part of a notice confidential. EPA will 
disclose information that is covered by a claim of confidentiality only 
to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with, the procedures in 
TSCA section 14 and 40 CFR part 2.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average about 
549 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 ICR are manufacturers or importers of certain chemicals who have 
volunteered to sponsor chemicals in the VCCEP.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Estimated average number of responses for each respondent: 6.4.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 32.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 112,456 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Costs: $10,904,472.
    Changes in Burden Estimates: There is an increase of 6,200 hours 
(from 106,256 hours to 112,456 hours) in the total estimated respondent 
burden compared with that currently in the OMB inventory. This change 
is an adjustment and is related to a projected increase to the 
estimated number of responses. The Supporting Statement provides 
additional detail concerning the changes in burden estimates.

    Dated: July 13, 2009.
John Moses,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E9-17047 Filed 7-16-09; 8:45 am]
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