[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4982-4984]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01345]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0572; FRL-10003-00]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Renewal of an 
Existing Collection (EPA ICR No. 2517.03 and OMB Control No. 2070-
0194); 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: ``Chemical-Specific Rules under the Toxic Substances 
Control Act Section 8(a); Certain Nanoscale Materials'' and identified 
by EPA ICR No. 2517.03 and OMB Control No. 2070-0194, represents the 
renewal of an

[[Page 4983]]

existing ICR that is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2020. 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 March 30, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0572, 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: Document Control Office (7407M), Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, 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: 
    For technical information contact: Jim Alwood, Chemical Control 
Division, Mail Code: 7405M, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-8974; email address: 
[email protected].
    For general information contact: The TSCA-Hotline, ABVI-Goodwill, 
422 South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14620; telephone number: (202) 
554-1404; 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: Chemical-Specific Rules under the Toxic Substances Control 
Act Section 8(a); Certain Nanoscale Materials.
    ICR number: EPA ICR No. 2517.03.
    OMB control number: OMB Control No. 2070-0194.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on 8/31/2020. 
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 information collection request (ICR) covers 
reporting and recordkeeping requirements for persons who manufacture or 
process chemical substances as nanoscale materials and is related to a 
final rule issued under the authority of section 8(a) of the Toxic 
Substances Control Act (TSCA). Although approved as an ICR addendum to 
revise an existing approved ICR to incorporate reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements in the TSCA section 8(a) rule for Certain 
Nanoscale Materials (identified under RIN 2070-AJ54), it was not 
incorporated into the existing ICR after its approval. As a result, EPA 
is seeking to renew the approval of the addendum and will work to 
consolidate the ICRs during the next approval time period.
    TSCA section 8(a) authorizes EPA to promulgate rules that require 
persons who manufacture or process chemical substances and mixtures, or 
who propose to manufacture or process chemical substances and mixtures, 
to maintain such records and submit such reports to EPA as may be 
reasonably required. Information that may be collected under TSCA 
section 8(a) includes, but is not limited to, chemical names, 
categories of use, production volume, byproducts of chemical 
production, existing information on health and environmental effects, 
exposure information, and disposal information. This information is 
collected by the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) and 
may be used by other EPA offices and/or Federal agencies to ensure 
knowledge of specific practices that may affect human health and the 
environment.
    Under TSCA section 8(a), EPA is establishing reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements for certain chemical substances as nanoscale 
materials. The rule requires that persons who manufacture or process 
these nanoscale materials notify EPA of certain information which 
includes production volume, methods of manufacture and processing, 
exposure and release information, and available health and safety 
information. The reporting of these activities will provide EPA with an 
opportunity to evaluate the information and consider appropriate action 
under TSCA to reduce any risk to human health or the environment. The 
information will also inform EPA's assessments of new chemical 
nanoscale materials submitted to EPA under TSCA section 5.
    EPA's OPPT, other EPA Offices and/or other Federal agencies will 
generally be the primary groups for which information will be 
collected. However, to the extent that reported information is not 
considered to be confidential business information (CBI), environmental 
groups, environmental justice advocates, state and local government 
entities and other members of the public will have access to this 
information for their own use.
    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 nanomaterial manufacturers and nanomaterial processors.

[[Page 4984]]

    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 285 per year.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
0.78 per year.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 40,089 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $3,067,546. This includes an 
estimated burden cost of $3,067,546 and an estimated cost of $0 for 
capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.
    Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 
approximately 121 hours per response. Burden is defined in 5 CFR 
1320.3(b).

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

    There is decrease of 26,861 hours in the total estimated respondent 
burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by 
OMB. This decrease reflects EPA's expectation of decreased submissions. 
In the previous ICR period, the rule required an initial one-time 
reporting on current nanomaterials, while the reporting covered in this 
period only requires the reporting of new nanomaterials. Furthermore, 
burden estimates assume that the same manufacturers will report each 
year and, therefore, will have already undertaken rule familiarization 
in the previous ICR period. Wage rates were also updated to reflect 
2018 dollars. This change is an adjustment in estimates.

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 technical person listed under 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

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

    Dated: January 17, 2020.
Alexandra Dapolito Dunn,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2020-01345 Filed 1-27-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P