[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 176 (Wednesday, September 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43008-43009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19461]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2017-0440; FRL-9966-08]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Renewal of an 
Existing 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: ``Plant-Incorporated Protectants; CBI Substantiation 
and Adverse Effects Reporting,'' and identified by EPA ICR No. 1693.09 
and OMB Control No. 2070-0142, represents the renewal of an existing 
ICR that is scheduled to expire on May 31, 2018. 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 13, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2017-0440, 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: OPP Docket, Environmental Protection Agency Docket 
Center (EPA/DC), (28221T), 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 dockets generally, is available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ryne Yarger, Field and External 
Affairs Division (7506P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number: (703) 605-1193; 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.

[[Page 43009]]

    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: Plant-Incorporated Protectants; CBI Substantiation and 
Adverse Effects Reporting.
    ICR number: EPA ICR No. 1693.09.
    OMB control number: OMB Control No. 2070-0142.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on May 31, 
2018. 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: This ICR addresses the two information collection 
requirements described in regulations pertaining to pesticidal 
substances that are produced by plants (plant-incorporated protectants) 
and which are codified in 40 CFR part 174. A plant-incorporated 
protectant (PIP) is defined as ``the pesticidal substance that is 
intended to be produced and used in a living plant and the genetic 
material necessary for the production of such a substance.'' Many, but 
not all, PIPs are exempt from registration requirements under the 
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). 
Registrants sometimes include in a submission to EPA for registration 
of PIPs information that they claim to be CBI. CBI is protected by 
FIFRA and generally cannot be released to the public. For most 
pesticide registration applications, the current CBI regulations at 40 
CFR part 2 require that claimants substantiate their CBI claims for 
their own records when the claim is made, and subsequently provide the 
substantiation to EPA only if requested. However, under 40 CFR part 
174, whenever a registrant claims that information submitted to EPA in 
support of a PIP registration application contains CBI, the registrant 
must substantiate such claims to EPA when they are made. In addition, 
40 CFR part 174 also requires manufacturers of PIPs that are otherwise 
exempted from registration requirements to report any adverse effects 
of the PIP to the Agency within 30 days of when the information is 
first obtained. Such reporting will allow the Agency to determine 
whether further action is needed to prevent unreasonable adverse 
effects to human health or the environment.
    Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 21.5 
hours per CBI substantiation and 7 hours per adverse effects reporting 
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 include producers and importers of PIPs. The NAICS codes for 
respondents under this ICR include: 325320 (Pesticide and other 
Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing), 325414 (Biological Products 
(except Diagnostic) Manufacturing), 422910 (Farm Supplies Wholesalers), 
422930 (Flower, Nursery Stock, and Florist's Suppliers), 541710 
(Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life 
Sciences), and 611310 (Colleges, Universities, and Professional 
Schools).
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 24.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 518 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $41,892. There are no non-burden hour 
paperwork costs, e.g., investment or maintenance and operational costs, 
included in this information collection.

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

    There is an increase of 86 hours in the total estimated respondent 
burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by 
OMB. This increase reflects EPA's updating of burden estimates for this 
collection based upon historical information on the number of CBI 
substantiations per year. Based upon revised estimates, the number of 
CBI substantiations per year has increased from 20 to 24, with a 
corresponding increase in the associated burden. 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 person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

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

    Dated: August 17, 2017.
Louise P. Wise,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2017-19461 Filed 9-12-17; 8:45 am]
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