[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 235 (Wednesday, December 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76406-76407]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31399]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OECA-2011-0217; FRL-9500-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; NSPS for Sulfuric Acid Plants 
(Renewal)

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 collection and the estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before January 6, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number EPA-HQ-
OECA-2011-0217, to: (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov 
(our preferred method), or by email to [email protected], or by mail 
to: EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Environmental Protection Agency, 
Enforcement and Compliance Docket and Information Center, mail code 
2822IT, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue 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: Learia Williams, Monitoring, 
Assistance, and Media Programs Division, Office of Compliance, Mail 
Code 2223A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue 
NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-4113; fax 
number: (202) 564-0050; email 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, 2011 (76 FR 26900), 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 both EPA and OMB within 30 
days of this notice.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under docket ID 
number EPA-HQ-OECA-2011-0217, which is available for public viewing 
online at http://www.regulations.gov, in person viewing at the 
Enforcement and Compliance Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), 
EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC. The 
EPA Docket Center 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 the Enforcement and Compliance Docket is (202) 566-1752.
    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: NSPS for Sulfuric Acid Plants (Renewal).
    ICR Numbers: EPA ICR Number 1057.12, OMB Control Number 2060-0041.
    ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2011. 
Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor 
the

[[Page 76407]]

collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB.
    Abstract: The New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Sulfuric 
Acid Plants were proposed on August 17, 1971, and promulgated on 
December 23, 1971. These standards apply to any sulfuric acid facility 
commencing construction, modification, or reconstruction after the date 
of proposal. The control of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and acid 
mist requires not only the installation of properly designed equipment, 
but also the proper operation and maintenance of that equipment. Sulfur 
dioxide and acid mist emissions from sulfuric acid plants result from 
the burning of sulfur or sulfur-bearing feed-stock to form 
SO2, catalytic oxidation of SO2 to sulfur 
trioxide, and absorption of SO2 in a strong acid stream. 
These standards rely on the capture of SO2 and acid mist by 
venting to a control device.
    Owners or operators of sulfuric acid plants are required to make 
the following one-time-only reports, notification of the date of 
construction or reconstruction, notification of actual startup dates, 
notification of any physical or operational change to an existing 
facility, and notification of demonstration of the continuous emissions 
monitoring system (CEMS). The owners and operators should notify the 
Administrator of the date of the initial performance test and the 
results of the test. After the initial recordkeeping and reporting 
requirements, semiannual reports are required if there has been an 
exceedance of control device operating parameters. Respondents are also 
required to maintain records of occurrence and duration of any startup, 
shutdown, or malfunction, or any period during which the monitoring 
system is inoperative.
    Notifications are to inform the Agency or delegated authority when 
a source becomes subject to the standard. The reviewing authority may 
then inspect the source to ensure that the pollution control devices 
are properly installed and operating and that the standards are being 
met. Performance test reports are required as these are the Agency's 
records of a source's initial capability to comply with the emission 
standards and to serve as a record of the operating conditions under 
which compliance are to be achieved. The information generated by 
monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements described in this 
ICR are used by the Agency to ensure that facilities that are affected 
by the standard continue to operate the control equipment and achieve 
continuous compliance with the regulation.
    All reports are sent to the delegated state or local authority. In 
the event that there is no such delegated authority, the reports are 
sent directly to the EPA regional office. This information is being 
collected to assure compliance with 40 CFR part 60, subpart H, as 
authorized in section 112 and 114(a) of the Clean Air Act. The required 
information consists of emissions data and other information that have 
been determined to be private.
    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 the EPA 
regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR chapter 15, and are 
identified on the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 81 
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: Sulfuric acid plants.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
    Frequency of Response: Initially, occasionally, and semiannually.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 8,594.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $1,061,150, which includes $822,650 in 
labor costs, no capital/startup costs, and $238,500 in operation and 
maintenance (O&M) costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: The adjustment decrease in burden from 
the most recently approved ICR is due to a more accurate estimate of 
existing and anticipated new sources. After consulting with the Office 
of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) and a number of trade 
associations, our data indicates that there are approximately 53 
sources subject to the rule, as compared with the active ICR that shows 
103 sources. There are no new facilities expected to be constructed 
over the next three years of this ICR. The decline in the number of 
sources is partially due to: (1) Plant closures, as the cost to 
retrofit aging facilities increased due to the down turn in the 
economy; (2) corporate mergers; and (3) foreign competition. Therefore, 
there is a net decrease in the burden to industry.
    Because there are no new sources with reporting requirements, no 
capital/startup costs are incurred. The only cost that is incurred is 
for the O&M of the monitoring equipment.

    Dated: November 30, 2011.
John Moses,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2011-31399 Filed 12-6-11; 8:45 am]
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