[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24487-24488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9812]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0034; FRL 9516-4]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Voluntary Aluminum Industrial 
Partnership (VAIP) (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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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 May 24, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2003-0034, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), by email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket 
Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket 
Information Center, 28221T, 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: Sally Rand, Climate Change Division, 
Office of Atmospheric Programs (6207J), Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: 202-343-9739; fax number: 202-343-2202; 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 February 16, 2012 (77 FR 9233), EPA sought comments on this 
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments during the 
comment period. 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-2003-0034, which is available for online viewing at 
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 the Air and Radiation Docket is 202-
566-1742.
    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

[[Page 24488]]

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: Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership (VAIP) (Renewal).
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1867.05, OMB Control No. 2060-0411.
    ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on April 30, 2012. 
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, 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's Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership (VAIP) 
was initiated in 1995 and is an important voluntary program 
contributing to the overall reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases. 
This program focuses on reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions 
including perfluorocarbon (PFC) and carbon dioxide (CO2) 
emissions from the production of primary aluminum. Six of the seven 
U.S. producers of primary aluminum participate in this program. PFCs 
are very potent greenhouse gases with global warming potentials several 
thousand times that of carbon dioxide, and they persist in the 
atmosphere for thousands of years. CO2 is emitted from 
consumption of the carbon anode. The Partnership effectively promotes 
the adoption of emission reduction technologies and practices 
associated with decreasing the frequency and duration of anode effects. 
Participants voluntarily agree to designate a VAIP liaison, and to 
undertake and share information on technically feasible and cost-
effective actions to reduce PFC and direct CO2 emissions. 
The information contained in the annual reports of VAIP members is used 
by EPA to assess the success of the program in achieving its goals and 
to advance Partner efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 40 
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: Primary Production of Aluminum.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6.
    Frequency of Response: Annual.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 240.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $22,668, includes $0 annualized 
capital or O&M costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 393 hours in the 
total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of 
Approved ICR Burdens. This decrease is attributable in part to 
implementation of the EPA Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule 
(74 FR 56260) which requires reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) data and 
other relevant information from large sources and suppliers in the 
United States. The regulation includes primary aluminum production and 
because emissions reporting shifted from a voluntary to a mandatory 
activity, companies are no longer required to track, assess and submit 
emissions data under the VAIP. There is also one less participating 
company due to their cessation of primary aluminum production.

John Moses,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2012-9812 Filed 4-23-12; 8:45 am]
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