[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 82 (Friday, April 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18553-18554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08975]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2017-0654; FRL-9974-00]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Renewal of an 
Existing Collection (EPA ICR No. 0155.13); 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: ``Certification of Pesticide Applicators Renewal'' 
and identified by EPA ICR No. 0155.13 and OMB Control No. 2070-0029, 
represents the renewal of an existing ICR that is scheduled to expire 
on November 30, 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 June 26, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2017-0654, 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.
    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: Certification of Pesticide Applicators Renewal.
    ICR number: EPA ICR No. 0155.13.
    OMB control number: OMB Control No. 2070-0029.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on November 
30, 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: EPA administers certification programs for pesticide 
applicators under section 11 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and 
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and EPA regulation 40 CFR part 171. FIFRA 
allows EPA to classify a pesticide as ``restricted use'' if the 
pesticide meets certain toxicity or risk criteria. This ICR addresses 
the paperwork activities performed by businesses, individuals and 
regulators to comply with training and certification requirements 
associated with applicators of restricted use pesticides (RUPs). 
Because of the potential of improperly applied RUPs to harm human 
health or the environment, pesticides under this classification may be 
purchased and applied only by

[[Page 18554]]

``certified applicators'' or by persons under the direct supervision of 
certified applicators. This ICR addresses instances in which 
registrants of certain pesticide products are required to perform 
specific paperwork activities, such as training and recordkeeping, as a 
condition of the pesticide registration (e.g., registrants of pesticide 
products that assert claims to inactivate Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) 
spores). To become a certified applicator, a person must meet certain 
standards of competency through completion of a certification program 
or test. Authorized agencies administer certified applicator programs 
within their jurisdictions, but each agency's certification plan must 
be approved by EPA before it can be implemented. In areas where no 
authorized agency has jurisdiction, EPA may administer a certification 
program directly.
    This ICR also addresses how registrants of certain pesticide 
products are expected to perform specific, special paperwork 
activities, such as training and recordkeeping, in order to comply with 
the terms and conditions of the pesticide registration (e.g., 
registrants of anthrax-related pesticide products that assert claims to 
inactivate Bacillus anthracis spores). Paperwork activities associated 
with the use of such products are conveyed specifically as a condition 
of the registration.
    Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average, per 
response type, as follows: 4,409 hours--annual reporting of authorized 
agencies on certification programs; 184 hours for completing 
certification application forms in Indian country; 73 hours for 
optional training--private applicator in Indian country; 2,412 hours 
RUP application recordkeeping--commercial applicators in the Federal 
plan; 1,371,638 hours RUP application records--commercial applicators 
under authorized agencies; 96 hours RUP sales recordkeeping--dealers in 
Indian country to prepare and maintain required annual RUP use records; 
16 hours for dealerships to report or change their dealership 
information; 50 hours for registrants of anthrax-related products to 
prepare and conduct training activities; and 37 hours for registrants 
of anthrax-related products to keep records. 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 pesticide applicators, administration of certification 
programs by States/Tribal lead agencies (authorized agencies), 
individuals or entities engaged in activities related to the 
registration of a pesticide product, and RUP dealers (only for EPA 
administered programs).
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: Per response type, 
average annual respondents are: 57 authorized agencies report on 
certification programs; 1,085 applicants complete a certification form 
under the Federal plan; 6 private applicators complete the optional 
training under the Federal plan; 778 commercial applicators keep 
records of RUP applications under the Federal plan; 442,464 commercial 
applicators keep records of RUP application under authorized agencies' 
plan; 49 dealers of RUPs keep records of RUP transactions in Indian 
country; 16 dealerships report or change their dealership information; 
two registrants of anthrax-related products prepare and conduct 
training activities; and two registrants of anthrax-related products 
keep records.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
Varies.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 1,378,914.92 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $53,026,275.92. This includes an 
estimated burden cost of $53,026,275.92 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 an increase of 58,660.92 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, addition of a recently-implemented optional, voluntary 
offering, and a change in the number of entities whose certification 
programs are directly overseen by EPA. The burden changes are the 
result of both adjustments and program changes.

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: April 17, 2018.
Charlotte Bertrand,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical 
Safety and Pollution Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2018-08975 Filed 4-26-18; 8:45 am]
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