[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 79 (Monday, April 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24091-24092]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09519]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2014-0838; FRL-9932-80-OEI]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Assessment of 
Environmental Performance Standards and Ecolabels for Federal 
Procurement; Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: EPA has submitted the following information collection request 
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA): 
``Assessment of Environmental Performance Standards and Ecolabels for 
Federal Procurement'' and identified by EPA ICR No. 2516.01 and OMB 
Control No. 2070-NEW. The ICR is available in the docket along with 
other related materials, including details of the pilot assessment 
criteria for assessing volunteer standards and ecolabels, and the 
assessment tool for conducting the assessments. The ICR provides a 
detailed explanation of the collection activities and the burden 
estimate that is only briefly summarized in this document. EPA has 
addressed the comments received in response to the previously provided 
public review opportunity issued in the Federal Register on March 19, 
2015 (80 FR 14372). With this submission, EPA is providing an 
additional 30 days for public review. In addition, EPA is seeking 
volunteer standards development organizations and ecolabel programs 
applicable to paints/coatings, flooring, and/or furniture to be 
assessed against the pilot criteria for potential EPA recommendation to 
federal purchasers per Executive Order 13693.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 25, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2014-0838, to both EPA and OMB as follows:
     To EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method) or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460.
     To 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 
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. Do not submit electronically any 
information you consider to be CBI or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute.
    To volunteer a standard or ecolabel to be assessed, please email 
the pilot effort's independent assessment entity under contract with 
EPA, Industrial Economics, Inc. at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alison Kinn Bennett, Chemistry, 
Economics, and Sustainable Strategies Division (7409M), Office of 
Pollution

[[Page 24092]]

Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(202) 564-8859; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Docket: Supporting documents, including the ICR that explains in 
detail the information collection activities and the related burden and 
cost estimates that are summarized in this document, are available in 
the docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at http://www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, West William 
Jefferson Clinton Bldg., Rm. 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.
    ICR status: This ICR is for a new information collection activity. 
Under PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., 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 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: EPA is engaging in this collection pursuant to the 
authority in the Pollution Prevention Act (42 U.S.C. 13103(b)(11)), 
which requires EPA to ``[i]dentify opportunities to use Federal 
procurement to encourage source reduction,'' and section 12(d) of the 
National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) (15 U.S.C. 272 
note), which requires Federal agencies to ``use technical standards 
that are developed or adopted by voluntary consensus standards bodies, 
using such technical standards as a means to carry out policy 
objectives or activities.'' Federal agencies need this assessment per 
the draft guidelines to determine which, among sometimes dozens of 
private sector standards within a single purchase category, are 
appropriate and effective in meeting Federal procurement goals and 
mandates.
    Federal agencies must comply with multiple sustainability-related 
purchasing mandates. While Federal purchasing policy is clear for the 
several standards and eco-labels that are listed in statute, 
regulation, or Executive Order, the lack of independently assessed 
information about and Federal guidance on using other product 
environmental performance standards and eco-labels often results in an 
inconsistent approach by Federal purchasers and confusion and 
uncertainty for vendors and manufacturers.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this ICR are standards development organizations, eco-labeling 
programs, and environmental certification entities.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Responses to the collection of 
information are voluntary. Respondents may claim all or part of a 
response 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.
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 20.
    Frequency of response: Once during the 2016 pilot and a to-be-
determined frequency depending upon learnings from the pilot.
    Estimated total burden: 340 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 
5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    Estimated total costs: $ 24,711 (per year), includes no annualized 
capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.
    Changes in the estimates: This is a request for a new approval from 
OMB.

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

Courtney Kerwin,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2016-09519 Filed 4-22-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P