[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 18, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33930-33931]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-15311]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0639; FRL--9980-77-OEI]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; Production, Import, Export, Destruction, 
Transhipment, and Exempted Uses of Ozone-Depleting Substances (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), Production, Import, Export, 
Destruction, Transhipment, and Exempted Uses of Ozone-Depleting 
Substances (EPA ICR No. 1432.34, OMB Control No. 2060-0170), to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed 
revision of the ICR, which is currently approved through October 2018. 
Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on 
January 19, 2018 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for 
an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the 
ICR is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the 
public. 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.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before August 17, 
2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HW-
OAR-2017-0639, to EPA online using www.regulations.gov or by mail to: 
EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460, and 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 
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: Katherine Sleasman, Stratospheric 
Protection Division, (6205T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 
564-7716; fax number: (202) 343-2338; 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 https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

[[Page 33931]]

    Abstract: EPA is seeking to combine multiple ICRs to establish one 
ICR for all recordkeeping and reporting related to the production, 
import, export, transformation, destruction, transhipment, and exempted 
uses of all ozone-depleting substances (ODS). As part of this 
consolidation, the ICR is also being updated to include the option of 
electronic reporting and improvements to the electronic forms under 
Title VI of the Clean Air Act (CAA). The ICRs being consolidated into 
the existing ICR for Class I ODS (ICR No. 1432.33; OMB Control No. 
2060-0170) are the ICRs for Class II ODS (HCFC Allowance System--EPA 
ICR Number 2014.08; OMB Control Number 2060-0498) and Methyl Bromide 
Critical Use Exemptions (Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Request for 
Applications from Critical use Exemption for the Phase-out of Methyl 
Bromide--EPA ICR Number 2031.09; OMB Control Number 2060-0482).
    This ICR covers the requirements under the Montreal Protocol on 
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol) and Title 
VI of the CAA that establish limits on total U.S. production, import, 
and export of class I and class II controlled ODS (or controlled 
substances). Production and import of class I controlled substances 
(chlorofluorocarbons and others) was phased out in the United States 
with exemptions for essential uses, critical uses of methyl bromide, 
quarantine and pre-shipment uses of methyl bromide, previously used 
material, and material that will be transformed or destroyed. There are 
also limits and reduction schedules leading to the eventual phaseout of 
class II controlled substances, with limited exemptions for previously 
used material, and material that will be transformed, destroyed, or 
exported to developing countries. To implement the CAA provisions and 
meet commitments under the Montreal Protocol, the ODS phaseout 
regulations establish control measures for individual companies. EPA 
monitors company compliance through the recordkeeping and reporting 
requirements established in the regulations at 40 CFR part 82, subpart 
A. As part of this ICR renewal, EPA is also removing reporting elements 
that are no longer needed, revising others to address changes to a new 
electronic ODS Tracking System, and consolidating forms.
    Forms: Class I Producer Quarterly Report, Class II Producer 
Quarterly Report, Methyl Bromide Producer Quarterly Report, Class I 
Importer Quarterly Report, Class II Importer Quarterly Report, Methyl 
bromide Importer Quarterly Report, Class I Exporter Annual Report, 
Class II Exporter Quarterly Report, Methyl Bromide Exporter Quarterly 
Report, Second-Party Destruction Annual Report, Second-Party 
Transformation Annual Report, Class I Laboratory Supplier, Methyl 
Bromide Pre-2005 Stocks Annual Report, Distributor of QPS Methyl 
Bromide Quarterly Report, Methyl Bromide Trades Report, Methyl Bromide 
Sales of Critical Use Annual Report, Class II Request for Additional 
Consumption Allowances, and Class II Trades Report.
    Respondents/affected entities: Chemical producers, importers, and 
exporters (chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons); research 
and development (laboratories); and methyl bromide producers, 
importers, exporters, distributors, and applicators.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory--Section 603(b) of 
the Clean Air Act.
    Estimated number of respondents: 2,929 (total).
    Frequency of response: Quarterly, annually, and as needed.
    Total estimated burden: 3,763 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $442,926 (per year), which includes $13,082 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 1,726 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the three ICRs 
currently approved by OMB. This decrease is a result of efficiencies 
from transitioning from paper to electronic reporting. While the one-
time burden increase is associated with the transition to electronic 
reporting, overall burden will decrease from efficiencies associated 
with electronic reporting. Additionally, EPA estimates fewer companies 
reporting on imports and exports of ODS based on 2015 reporting 
activity.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2018-15311 Filed 7-17-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P