[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 162 (Thursday, August 20, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51427-51428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18206]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2020-0403; FRL-10013-93-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for 
Radon Emissions From Operating Mill Tailings (40 CFR Part 61, Subpart 
W) (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``National Emission Standards for 
Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Radon Emissions from Operating 
Mill Tailings (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 2464.03, OMB Control No. 2060-
0706) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing 
so, the EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the 
proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed 
extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through December 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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 19, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2020-0403, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
    The 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: Jonathan P. Walsh, Radiation 
Protection Division, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air, Mail Code 
6608T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 343-9238; fax number: 
(202) 343-2304; 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 the EPA's docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, the EPA is soliciting 
comments and information to enable it to: (i) 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; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of 
the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (iv) 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. The 
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. At that time, the EPA will issue another Federal 
Register notice to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: On January 17, 2017, the EPA issued final revisions to 
the NESHAP for Radon Emissions from Operating Mill Tailings, codified 
at 40 CFR part 61, subpart W. These revisions were promulgated as part 
of a review of pre-1990 NESHAPs pursuant to Clean

[[Page 51428]]

Air Act Section 112(q)(1). Included in the final revisions was a 
requirement that owners and operators of uranium recovery facilities 
maintain specific records pertaining to the design, construction and 
operation of the uranium tailings impoundments, both conventional and 
non-conventional, and heap leach piles. These records are to be 
retained at the facility and contain information regarding the approved 
design of the impoundments and/or heap leach pile, including but not 
limited to, all tests performed that prove the liner is compatible with 
the material(s) being placed on the liner. For non-conventional 
impoundments this requirement also includes written and digital 
photographic records showing compliance with the requirement to 
maintain liquid in the impoundment such that any solid materials in the 
impoundment are not visible above the liquid level. Apart from the 
required design documents (per 40 CFR part 61, subpart A), records 
regarding the inspections to determine the liquid retention requirement 
for non-conventional ponds were new requirements for collection of 
information that is not covered under an already existing ICR for 
radionuclide NESHAPS, EPA Number 1100.16, OMB Number 2060-0191.
    Information collected is used by the Agency to ensure that public 
health continues to be protected from the hazards of airborne 
radionuclides by compliance with these standards. Compliance is 
demonstrated through inspection. All facilities are required to 
maintain their records for the operational lifetime of the facility. In 
some cases, they report results to the EPA.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: The North American Industry 
Classification System (NAICS) codes of facilities associated with the 
activity of the respondents are: Uranium-Radium-Vanadium Ore Mining--
212291.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (CAA, Sec. 112; 40 
CFR part 61).
    Estimated number of respondents: 9 (total).
    Frequency of response: Reporting (submission of digital 
photographs) at least monthly; more frequent or one-time collection of 
records, depending on activity.
    Total estimated burden: 1,806 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)
    Total estimated cost: $137,856 (per year), includes $2,400 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: There is a decrease of 5,347 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This decrease is attributable to a reduction in the 
number of estimated respondents. The initial ICR identified a larger 
universe of respondents that could potentially be subject to the newly 
defined requirements, many of which were (and remain) in the process of 
licensing and development. It is estimated that no additional 
facilities will become subject to these requirements in the next few 
years.

    Dated: August 14, 2020.
Richard White,
Associate Director, Radiation Protection Division.
[FR Doc. 2020-18206 Filed 8-19-20; 8:45 am]
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