[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 2, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53151-53152]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21372]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2015-0273; FRL-9931-70]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this 
document announces that EPA is planning to submit an Information 
Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 
The ICR, entitled: ``TSCA Section 5(a)(2) Significant New Use Rules for 
Existing Chemicals'' and identified by EPA ICR No. 1188.12 and OMB 
Control No. 2070-0038, represents the renewal of an existing ICR that 
is scheduled to expire on July 31, 2016. Before submitting the ICR to 
OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific 
aspects of the proposed information collection that is summarized in 
this document. The ICR and accompanying material are available in the 
docket for public review and comment.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 2, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2015-0273, by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit 
electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted 
by statute.
     Mail: Document Control Office (7407M), Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
     Hand Delivery: To make special arrangements for hand 
delivery or delivery of boxed information, please follow the 
instructions at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html.
    Additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along 
with more information about

[[Page 53152]]

dockets generally, is available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information contact: 
Jeffrey Taylor, Chemical Control Division (7405-M), Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(202) 564-8828; email address: [email protected].
    For general information contact: The TSCA-Hotline, ABVI-Goodwill, 
422 South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620; telephone number: (202) 
554-1404; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. What information is EPA particularly interested in?

    Pursuant to PRA section 3506(c)(2)(A) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), 
EPA specifically solicits comments and information to enable it to:
    1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility.
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimates of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used.
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected.
    4. 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., permitting electronic 
submission of responses. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from 
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of 
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork 
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

II. What information collection activity or ICR does this action apply 
to?

    Title: TSCA Section 5(a)(2) Significant New Use Rules for Existing 
Chemicals.
    ICR number: EPA ICR No. 1188.12.
    OMB control number: OMB Control No. 2070-0038.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on July 31, 
2016. 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 Code of Federal Regulations (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 
for certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: Section 5 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) 
provides EPA with a regulatory mechanism to monitor and, if necessary, 
control significant new uses of chemical substances. Section 5 
authorizes EPA to determine by rule (i.e., a significant new use rule 
or SNUR), after considering all relevant factors, that a use of a 
chemical substance represents a significant new use. If EPA determines 
that a use of a chemical substance is a significant new use, section 5 
requires persons to submit a significant new use notice (SNUN) to EPA 
at least 90 days before they manufacture, import, or process the 
substance for that use.
    EPA uses the information obtained through this collection to 
evaluate the health and environmental effects of the significant new 
use. EPA may take regulatory actions under TSCA section 5, 6 or 7 to 
control the activities for which it has received a SNUR notice. These 
actions include orders to limit or prohibit the manufacture, 
importation, processing, distribution in commerce, use or disposal of 
chemical substances. If EPA does not take action, section 5 also 
requires EPA to publish a Federal Register notice explaining the 
reasons for not taking action. This information collection addresses 
the reporting and recordkeeping requirements inherent in TSCA section 5 
significant new use rules.
    Responses to the collection of information are mandatory (see 40 
CFR part 721). Respondents may claim all or part of a notice 
confidential. EPA will disclose information that is covered by a claim 
of confidentiality only to the extent permitted by, and in accordance 
with, the procedures in TSCA section 14 and 40 CFR part 2.
    Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 16.3 
hours per response. Burden is defined in 5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    The ICR, which is available in the docket along with other related 
materials, provides a detailed explanation of the collection activities 
and the burden estimate that is only briefly summarized here:
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this ICR are companies that manufacture, process, import, or distribute 
in commerce chemical substances or mixtures.
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 6.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
1.1.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 1,025 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $100,595. This includes an estimated 
burden cost of $ 100,595 and an estimated cost of $ 0 for capital 
investment or maintenance and operational costs.

III. Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?

    There is a net increase of 289 hours in the total estimated 
respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This increase reflects EPA's updating the number of 
affected sites (from 4.24 to 6.06 per year), the average number of 
SNUNs submitted annually (from 7 SNUNs to 10 SNUNS per year), 
recalculating the average number of chemicals per SNUR (7 chemicals to 
8 chemicals), and correcting rounding errors in the burden estimate for 
completing a SNUN, (92.2 hours to 91.68 hours), and rule 
familiarization (0.83 hours to 0.82 hours). Details about these changes 
are found in the Supporting Statement. This change is an adjustment.

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

    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. EPA will issue another 
Federal Register document 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.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

    Dated: August 6, 2015.
James Jones,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2015-21372 Filed 9-1-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P