[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 123 (Friday, June 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36806-36807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15673]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0743; FRL-9929-52-OEI]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Protection of Stratospheric 
Ozone: Critical Use Exemption From the Phaseout of Methyl Bromide 
(Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Protection of Stratospheric 
Ozone: Critical Use Exemption from the Phaseout of Methyl Bromide 
(Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No.2031.08, OMB Control No. 2060-0482) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 
This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved 
through June 30, 2015. Public comments were previously requested via 
the Federal Register (79 FR 78425) on December 30, 2014 during a 60-day 
comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public 
comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its 
estimated burden and cost to the public. 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.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before July 27, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OAR-2004-0501, 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, Mail Code 
28221T,

[[Page 36807]]

1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via email 
to [email protected]. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer 
for EPA.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeremy Arling, Stratospheric 
Protection Division, Office of Atmospheric Programs, (6205T), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 343-9055; fax number: 
(202) 343-2338; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Abstract: EPA is seeking to renew this ICR to collect methyl 
bromide Critical Use Exemption (CUE) applications from regulated 
entities on an annual basis, which requires the submission of data from 
regulated industries to the EPA and requires recordkeeping of key 
documents to ensure compliance with the Montreal Protocol on Substances 
that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Protocol) and the CAA. This information 
collection is conducted to meet U.S. obligations under Article 2H of 
the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer 
(Protocol).
    Since 2002, entities have applied to EPA for a critical use 
exemption that would allow for the continued production and import of 
methyl bromide after the phaseout in January 2005. On an annual basis, 
EPA uses the data submitted by end users to create a nomination of 
critical uses, which are submitted to the Protocol's Ozone Secretariat 
for review by advisory bodies, including the Methyl Bromide Technical 
Options Committee (MBTOC) and the Technical and Economic Assessment 
Panel (TEAP). The uses authorized internationally by the Parties to the 
Protocol are made available in the U.S. on an annual basis.
    The applications will enable EPA to: (1) Maintain consistency with 
the Protocol by supporting critical use nominations to the Parties to 
the Protocol, in accordance with paragraph 2 of Decision IX/6 of the 
Protocol; (2) Ensure that critical use exemptions comply with section 
604(d)(6); and (3) Provide EPA with necessary data to evaluate the 
technical and economic feasibility of methyl bromide alternatives in 
the circumstance of the specific use, as presented in an application 
for a critical use exemption.
    The reported data will enable EPA to: (1) Ensure that critical use 
exemptions comply with section 604(d)(6); (2) Maintain compliance with 
the Protocol requirements for annual data submission on the production 
of ozone depleting substances; and (3) Analyze technical use data to 
ensure that exemptions are used in accordance with requirements 
included in the annual allocation rulemakings.
    EPA informs respondents that they may assert claims of business 
confidentiality for any of the information they submit. Information 
claimed confidential will be treated in accordance with the procedures 
for handling information claimed as confidential under 40 CFR part 2, 
subpart b, and will be disclosed only if EPA determines that the 
information is not entitled to confidential treatment. If no claim of 
confidentiality is asserted when the information is received by EPA, it 
may be made available to the public without further notice to the 
respondents (40 CFR 2.203). Individual reporting data may be claimed as 
sensitive and will be treated as confidential information in accordance 
with procedures outlined in 40 CFR part 2.
    Respondents/affected entities: Producers, importers, distributors 
and custom applicators of methyl bromide; organizations, consortia and 
associations of methyl bromide users; and individual methyl bromide 
users.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain a benefit 
under section 604(d)(6) of the CAA.
    Estimated number of respondents: 1069 (total).
    Frequency of response: Quarterly, annually, on occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 1,595 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)
    Total estimated cost: $624,721 (per year), includes no annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 1,662 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the burden currently 
approved by OMB. The primary reason for the decrease in burden hours is 
a decrease in the number of applicants, end users and distributors of 
methyl bromide. The CUE Allocation rule for 2014/2015 removed minor 
reporting and recordkeeping requirements related to critical stock 
allowances. In addition, after December 31, 2014, when methyl bromide 
is phased out in developing countries, certain reporting requirements 
related to the production and export of methyl bromide to those 
countries are no longer applicable.

Courtney Kerwin,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2015-15673 Filed 6-25-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P