[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 5, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33215-33216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13541]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9680-7]


Changes to the Central Data Exchange System

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Cross-Media Electronic Reporting 
Regulation (CROMERR), this notice announces EPA's plan to change its 
Central Data Exchange (CDX) system, as described in this notice.

DATES: EPA's changes to CDX are effective August 6, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tina Chen, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information, Mail Stop MC-
2823T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460, (202) 566-
0248, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 13, 2005, the final Cross-Media 
Electronic Reporting Rule was published in the Federal Register (70 FR 
59848) and codified as part 3 of title 40 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR). CROMERR establishes electronic reporting as an 
acceptable regulatory alternative to paper reporting and provides 
requirements to assure that electronic documents are as legally 
dependable as their paper counterparts. Subpart B of CROMERR sets 
requirements for electronic reporting to

[[Page 33216]]

EPA that may be used to satisfy a federal environmental reporting 
requirement. Specifically, section 3.10 of subpart B requires that 
electronic documents be submitted to an appropriate EPA electronic 
document receiving system that has been designated by the 
Administrator. Additionally, where a paper document must bear a 
signature under an existing regulation, CROMERR requires that an 
electronic document that substitutes for the paper document must be 
signed with a valid electronic signature.
    Generally, EPA's designated electronic document receiving system is 
CDX, which is consistent with the standards for electronic document 
receiving systems set forth in CROMERR Sec.  3.2000(b) of subpart D. 
CDX, developed and maintained by the Office of Environmental 
Information, serves as EPA's gateway for receiving documents 
electronically from the reporting community. CDX streamlines and 
consolidates EPA's reporting by offering the reporting community 
faster, easier, and more secure submission options through a single 
venue. As a cornerstone of EPA's efforts to advance electronic 
government, CDX supports electronic submission of environmental data 
for air, water, waste, and toxic programs from thousands of regulated 
entities. In developing CROMERR, EPA recognized that CDX would be 
subject to change over time and that such changes could affect 
regulated entities that participate in electronic reporting. Therefore, 
CROMERR subpart B requires EPA to provide notice when the Agency plans 
to change CDX hardware, software, or services. Section 3.20 of the 
regulation distinguishes four categories of CDX changes: Significant, 
Other, De minimis or Transparent and Emergency changes.
    Today's notice announces EPA's plans to take advantage of 
opportunities offered by evolving technologies to improve CDX services 
by modernizing the user registration process and providing additional 
user functionality. This change is considered an Other Change under 
Sec.  3.20(a)(2) of the regulation and requires EPA to provide notice 
to CDX users at least sixty (60) days in advance of implementation. 
Specific changes include:
     New user-friendly features that will make CDX registration 
easier, such as the ability to search for reporting programs and 
organizations, and activate accounts via email;
     Additional ``My CDX'' user profile functions, such as the 
ability to change an account password from the user profile page, a 
standardized list of security questions, and automated reminders for 
account password expiration; and
     New user profile page ``Alerts'' and ``News and Updates'' 
sections that will provide CDX users with timely general system 
information, as well as program specific information.
    In accordance with 40 CFR 3.20(a)(2), EPA is providing this notice 
to CDX users at least sixty (60) days in advance of implementation of 
the changes described above.

    Dated: May 29, 2012.
Connie Dwyer,
Director, Information Exchange and Services Division.
[FR Doc. 2012-13541 Filed 6-4-12; 8:45 am]
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