[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 200 (Friday, October 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62526-62527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26406]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-SFUND-2010-0763; FRL-9935-84-OSWER]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Hazardous Chemical Reporting: The Emergency and Hazardous Chemical 
Inventory Forms (Tier I and Tier II)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Hazardous Chemical 
Reporting: The Emergency and Hazardous Chemical Inventory Forms (Tier I 
and Tier II)'' (EPA ICR No. 2436.03, OMB Control No. 2050-0206) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, EPA is 
soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension 
of the ICR, which is currently approved through March 31, 2016. An 
Agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to 
respond to a collection of information unless it

[[Page 62527]]

displays a currently valid OMB control number.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 15, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
SFUND-2010-0763 referencing the Docket ID numbers provided for each 
item in the text, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), by email to or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.
    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: Sicy Jacob, Office of Emergency 
Management, Mail Code 5104A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 
564-8019; fax number: (202) 564-2620; 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.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
comments and information to enable it to: (i) 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; (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., permitting electronic submission of responses. 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. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice 
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: Sections 311 and 312 of the Emergency Planning and 
Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) apply to the owner or operator of 
any facility that is required to prepare or have available a Material 
Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for a hazardous chemical under the 
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and its implementing 
regulations. Under section 311 of EPCRA, these facilities are required 
to submit MSDS to the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), the 
Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), and the local fire 
department for each hazardous chemical stored on-site in a quantity 
greater than the reporting threshold. Alternatively, a list of subject 
chemicals, grouped by hazard type, may be submitted. Section 312 of 
EPCRA requires owners and operators of facilities subject to section 
311 to annually report the inventories of those chemicals reported 
under section 311. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is 
required to publish two emergency and hazardous chemical inventory 
forms, known as ``Tier I'' and ``Tier II,'' for use by these 
facilities. These forms were first published in October 1987 and 
amended in July 1990. On July 13, 2012, EPA further revised these forms 
to add some new data elements that would be useful for local emergency 
planners and responders. This is the renewal of the information 
collection request which was previously approved by OMB in ICR No. 
2436.02. In ICR 2436.02, EPA estimated that after the initial reporting 
of the new data elements, which was reporting year 2013, that it would 
only take 0.25 hours per facility to review the new data elements and 
revise if necessary. Most of the new data elements were added to page 
one of the Tier II form, which include contact information for facility 
emergency coordinator; Tier II information; whether facility is manned 
or unmanned; if the facility is subject to EPCRA Section 302 or CAA 
Section 112(r) (Risk Management Program) etc. EPA do not expect these 
data to change annually. However, we estimated that minimal burden may 
be incurred for reviewing these data annually and revising the 
information as necessary.
    Form Numbers: 8700-30, Emergency and Hazardous Chemical Inventory 
Form.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Facilities that are required to 
prepare or have available a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for any 
hazardous chemicals present at the facility above the reporting 
thresholds specified in the regulations at 40 CFR part 370. These 
facilities are required to submit a hazardous chemical inventory form, 
to the SERC, LEPC and the local fire department with jurisdiction over 
the facility, by March 1 annually.
    Respondent's Obligation to Respond: Mandatory under Section 312 of 
EPCRA.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Approximately 390,000 facility 
respondents (120,000 manufacturers and 270,000 non-manufacturers) and 
3,052 SERCs and LEPCs (total).
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Total Estimated Burden: 97,500 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)
    Total Estimated Cost: $5,675,675 per year. There are no annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs expected during this ICR 
period.
    Changes in Estimates: There is a decrease of 195,000 hours in the 
total estimated facility respondent burden compared with the ICR 
currently approved by OMB. This decrease is due to facility incurring 
minor burden for reviewing and updating previously reported data mainly 
on page one of the Tier II inventory form.

    Dated: September 16, 2015.
Reggie Cheatham,
Director, Office of Emergency Management.
[FR Doc. 2015-26406 Filed 10-15-15; 8:45 am]
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