[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 87 (Friday, May 7, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24614-24615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09685]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0489; FRL 10023-59-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Air 
Emissions Reporting Requirements (Renewal); EPA ICR No. 2170.08, OMB 
Control No. 2060-0580

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Air Emissions 
Reporting Requirements (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 2170.08, OMB Control 
No. 2060-0580) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review 
and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before 
doing so, 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, 
2021. 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 July 6, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2004-0489, 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.
    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: Marc Houyoux, Air Quality Assessment 
Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, (C339-02), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 109 TW Alexander Drive, RTP, NC 27711; 
telephone number: (919) 541-3649; 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 http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, 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. 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, 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: The EPA promulgated the Air Emissions Reporting 
Requirements (AERR) (40 CFR part 51, subpart A) to coordinate emissions 
inventory reporting requirements with existing requirements of the 
Clean Air Act and 1990 Amendments. Under this reporting, 54 state and 
territorial air quality agencies, including the District of Columbia, 
as well as an estimated 31 local and tribal air quality agencies, must 
submit emissions data every 3 years for all point, non-point, on-road 
mobile, and non-road mobile sources of volatile organic compounds, 
oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter 
less than or equal to 10 micrometers in diameter, particulate matter 
less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers in diameter, ammonia, and lead.
    In addition, the air quality agencies must submit annually emission 
data for point sources with the potential to emit at greater than 
specified levels of those pollutants. Fewer agencies are required to 
report during these interim years

[[Page 24615]]

because of higher emissions thresholds, with an estimated 54 states/
territories and 26 local and tribal agencies required to report. On 
average across each 3-year period, 54 states/territories and 5 local 
and tribal agencies are required to report.
    The EPA needs the data collected from the emission reporting to 
compile and make available a national inventory of air pollutant 
emissions. A comprehensive inventory updated at regular intervals is 
essential to allow the EPA to fulfill its mandate to monitor and plan 
for the attainment and maintenance of the national ambient air quality 
standards established for criteria pollutants.
    The number and frequency of data collection and submittal is 
expected to remain the same for 2022-2024.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are generally state, territorial and local government air 
quality managements programs. Tribal governments are not affected 
unless they have sought and obtained treatment as state status under 
the Tribal Authority Rule and on that basis, are authorized to 
implement and enforce the AERR rule. For the most recent triennial 
inventory, 9 tribal agencies reported to the NEI.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: This information is collected 
under 23 U.S.C. 101; 42 U.S.C 7401-7671q, and the authority of the 
AERR. This information is mandatory and, as specified, cannot be 
treated as confidential by the EPA.
    Estimated number of respondents: 80 (total).
    Frequency of response: Annual.
    Total estimated burden: 48,415 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $4,227,476 (per year), includes $89,600 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: There is no change in hours in the total 
estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by 
OMB.

    Dated: April 30, 2021.
Richard Wayland,
Director, Air Quality Assessment Division, Office of Air Quality 
Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2021-09685 Filed 5-6-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P