[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 144 (Friday, July 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45188-45190]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-18047]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0079: FRL9840-1]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard 
Implementation Rule, EPA ICR No. 2236.04

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 the EPA is planning 
to submit to the Office of Management and Budget a request to renew an 
existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) 2236.03--8-Hour 
Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard Implementation Rule. This 
ICR is scheduled to expire on July 31, 2013. Before submitting the ICR 
to OMB for review and approval, the EPA is soliciting comments on 
specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described 
below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 26, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2003-0079, by one of the following methods:
     www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for 
submitting comments.
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: (202) 564-9744.
     Mail: Environmental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation 
Docket, Mailcode 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, D.C 
20460. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal 
hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for 
deliveries of boxed information. Please include a total of two copies.
     Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Public Reading Room, EPA 
West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20004. 
Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of 
operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of 
boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2003-0079. The EPA's policy is that all comments received will be 
included in the public docket without change and may be made available 
online at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you 
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov 
or email. The www.regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous access'' 
system, which means the EPA will not know your identity or contact 
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you 
send an email comment directly to the EPA without going through 
www.regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically captured 
and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket 
and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic 
comment, the EPA recommends that you include your name and other 
contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or 
CD-ROM you submit. If the EPA cannot read your comment due to technical 
difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, the EPA may not 
be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use 
of special characters and any form of encryption, and be free of any 
defects or viruses. For additional information about the EPA's public 
docket, visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. H. Lynn Dail, Air Quality Policy 
Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Mail Code C539-
01, Environmental Protection Agency, T.W. Alexander Drive, Research 
Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone number: (919) 541-2363; fax number: 
919-541-0824; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

How can I access the docket and/or submit comments?

    The EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket 
ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0079, which is available for online viewing at 
www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the Air 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 and Information 
Center is 202-566-1742.
    Use www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft collection of 
information, submit or view public comments, access the index listing 
of the contents of the docket, and access those documents in the public 
docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select 
``search'' and then key in the docket ID number identified in this 
document.

What information is the EPA particularly interested in?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, the EPA specifically 
solicits comments and information to enable it to:
    (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the

[[Page 45189]]

functions of the agency, including whether the information will have 
practical utility;
    (ii) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used;
    (iii) enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    (iv) minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated 
electronic, mechanical or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., by permitting electronic 
submission of responses. In particular, the EPA is requesting comments 
from very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples 
of specific additional efforts that the EPA could make to reduce the 
paperwork burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What should I consider when I prepare my comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific 
examples.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 
that support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 
under DATES.
    7. To ensure proper receipt by the EPA, be sure to identify the 
docket ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the 
first page of your response. You may also provide the name, date and 
Federal Register citation.

What information collection activity or ICR does this apply to?

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
state and local air agencies. They are potentially affected by the 
attainment demonstration, Reasonable Further Progress (RFP) State 
Implementation Plan (SIP) submission and Reasonable Available Control 
Technology (RACT) SIP submission for their nonattainment areas. State 
and local agencies are part of the North American Industrial 
Classification System Code number 924110. There are other entities that 
may be indirectly affected, as they may comment on the draft 
submissions before they are forwarded to the EPA's regional offices. 
These include potentially regulated entities, representatives of 
special interest groups and individuals.
    Title: 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard 
Implementation Rule.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 2236.03, OMB Control No. 2060-0594.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on July 31, 
2013. 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's regulations in title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 
after appearing in the Federal Register when approved, are listed in 40 
CFR part 9. They 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: The PRA requires the information found in this ICR number 
2236.03 to assess the burden (in hours and dollars) of the 1997 8-hour 
Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) Implementation Rule 
as well as the periodic reporting and record keeping necessary to 
maintain the rule. The rule was proposed on June 2, 2003 (68 FR 32802), 
and promulgated in two Phases: Phase 1 published on April 30, 2004 (69 
FR 23951), and Phase 2 published on November 29, 2005 (70 FR 71612). 
The preamble to the proposed and final regulations addressed the 
administrative burden in general terms. The preamble to the final Phase 
2 rule stated that an ICR would be prepared (70 FR 71692). The rule 
includes requirements that involve collecting information from states 
with areas that remain designated nonattainment for the 1997 8-hour 
ozone NAAQS. The time period covered in this ICR is a 3-year period 
from August 1, 2013, through July 31, 2016. These information 
collection milestones include state submission of an attainment 
demonstration SIP, an RFP SIP submission and an RACT SIP. However, not 
all of the milestones and associated burden and administrative costs 
estimates apply to every designated nonattainment area. The burden 
estimated is for 6 of the 38 nonattainment areas that were reclassified 
to a higher classification resulting in new SIP revisions required. The 
remaining 32 nonattainment areas have either met the requirements or 
have had their requirements suspended.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1,111 
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.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
    Respondents/Affected Entities: State and local governments.
    Estimated total number of respondents: 6.
    Frequency of response: Annual.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 6,667 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $434,000. This includes an estimated 
burden cost of $0 for capital investment or maintenance and operational 
costs.

Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?

    There is neither an increase nor a decrease of hours in the total 
estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR 
currently approved by OMB.

What is the next step in the process for this ICR?

    The EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as 
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for 
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, the EPA 
will issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any 
questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the 
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.


[[Page 45190]]


    Dated: July 22, 2013.
Mary E. Henigin,
Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2013-18047 Filed 7-25-13; 8:45 am]
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