[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 223 (Friday, November 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60258-60259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-27941]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2008-0717; FRL-8983-7; EPA ICR No. 2328.01; OMB Control 
No. 2070-TBD]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Pressed Wood Manufacturing 
Industry Survey

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: Pressed Wood Manufacturing Industry 
Survey; ICR No. 2328.01, OMB No. 2070-TBD. The ICR, which is abstracted 
below, describes the nature of the information collection activity and 
its expected burden and costs.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before December 21, 
2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OPPT-2008-0717 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 79083), EPA sought comments on 
this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received four comments during 
the comment period, which are addressed in the ICR. 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-2008-0717, 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 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 http://www.regulations.gov. For 
further information about the electronic docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.

[[Page 60259]]

    Title: Pressed Wood Manufacturing Industry Survey.
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 2328.01, OMB Control No. 2070-TBD.
    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: EPA has initiated a proceeding to investigate whether and 
what type of regulatory or other action might be appropriate to control 
the levels of formaldehyde emitted from pressed wood products, as 
described in EPA's Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) for 
Formaldehyde Emissions from Pressed Wood Products, which published in 
the Federal Register on December 3, 2008 (73 FR 73620). As part of this 
investigation, EPA seeks to survey U.S. pressed wood manufacturers to 
collect information on the categories and volume of pressed wood 
manufactured; the types of resins used in the manufacturing process; 
the formaldehyde emissions levels from the pressed wood; recent or 
planned changes to reduce formaldehyde emissions and the resulting 
costs; and any issues that may affect the ability to reduce 
formaldehyde emissions. The survey will be sent to all U.S. pressed 
wood manufacturers identified by EPA (i.e., it will be a census). This 
survey asks for readily obtainable information, so the plant does not 
have to generate new information (for example, by testing product 
emissions) to complete the survey.
    When EPA sought comments on the ICR on December 24, 2008 (73 FR 
79083), the Agency intended to use the same questionnaire for all 
pressed wood manufacturers. EPA has now modified the survey so that 
there are two different questionnaires. One questionnaire is for 
manufacturers of hardwood plywood, particleboard, and medium density 
fiberboard (which are the products subject to the CARB rule). The 
second questionnaire is for manufacturers of hardboard or structural 
composites (glued laminated timber, I-joists, oriented strandboard, 
softwood plywood, and structural composite lumber) that are not subject 
to the CARB rule. These manufacturers are unlikely to have as much 
readily available information to use responding to the survey, this 
questionnaire asks for a more limited set of information.
    EPA will request that all U.S. pressed wood manufacturers 
voluntarily complete the survey. If EPA does not achieve a sufficient 
survey response rate to accurately characterize the industry, EPA will 
consider whether to exercise the authority available to it under TSCA 
section 11(c), 15 U.S.C. 2610(c). TSCA section 11(c) provides EPA with 
the authority to issue subpoenas requiring the production of reports, 
papers, documents, answers to questions, and other information that the 
Administrator deems necessary. EPA could potentially use its TSCA 
section 11(c) authority to issue subpoenas requiring recipients (i.e., 
non-respondents) to complete and return the survey.
    Respondents may elect to claim certain submitted information as 
confidential business information (CBI) if there is a legitimate need 
to do so as described in EPA's regulations at 40 CFR part 2. These 
claims will be handled according to EPA procedures described in the 
regulation at 40 CFR part 2. 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, 15 U.S.C. 
2613, and the regulation at 40 CFR part 2.
    The information collected through the survey will allow EPA to 
predict a future baseline for the types of resins that will be used in 
pressed wood, and the levels of formaldehyde that will be emitted from 
them. EPA will also use this information to assess the incremental 
benefits and costs of potential actions at the national level on 
formaldehyde emissions from pressed wood products. This information is 
necessary to inform Agency decisionmaking about the need for and scope 
of regulatory or other actions to control the levels of formaldehyde 
emitted from pressed wood products. If this survey is not conducted, 
EPA will not have this data to establish the baseline for its actions 
nor insight into the adjustments that plants in the industry are 
planning to make. Therefore, this survey is necessary for the proper 
performance of Agency functions.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to range between 
14 and 20 hours per response, depending upon the nature of the 
respondent. 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 facilities engaged in the manufacturing of pressed wood 
products, including glued laminated timber, hardboard, medium density 
fiberboard, oriented strandboard, particleboard, hardwood and softwood 
plywood, prefabricated I-joists, and structural composite lumber (which 
includes laminated veneer lumber, laminated strand lumber, parallel 
strand lumber, and oriented strand lumber).
    Frequency of Collection: Once.
    Estimated average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 343.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 5,804 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Costs: $324,220.
    Changes in Burden Estimates: This is a new ICR. This estimated 
burden for this new ICR is estimated to be 5,804 hours and is a program 
change.

    Dated: November 16, 2009.
John Moses,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. E9-27941 Filed 11-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P