[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 146 (Tuesday, August 3, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41840-41842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16493]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2021-0316; FRL-8734-01-OCSPP]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Renewal of an 
Existing Collection and Request for Comment; Agricultural Worker 
Protection Standard Training, Notification and Recordkeeping

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this 
document announces the availability of and solicits public comment on 
an Information Collection Request (ICR) that EPA is planning to submit 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The ICR, entitled: 
``Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Training, Notification, and 
Recordkeeping'' and identified by EPA ICR No. 2491.05 and OMB Control 
No. 2070-0190, represents the renewal of an existing ICR that is 
scheduled to expire on April 30, 2022. Before submitting the ICR to OMB 
for review and approval under the PRA, EPA is soliciting comments on 
specific aspects of the 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 October 4, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2021-0316, online through the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at 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. 
Additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along 
with more information about dockets generally, is available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Please note that due to the public health concerns related to 
COVID-19, the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) and Reading Room is closed to 
visitors with limited exceptions. The staff continues to provide remote 
customer service via email, phone, and webform. For the latest status 
information on EPA/DC and

[[Page 41841]]

docket access, visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carolyn Siu, Mission Support Division 
(7101), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(703) 34-0159; 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: Agricultural Worker Protection Standard Training, 
Notification, and Recordkeeping.
    ICR number: EPA ICR No. 2491.05.
    OMB control number: OMB Control No. 2070-0190.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on April 30, 
2022. 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) estimates the 
recordkeeping and third-party response burden of paperwork activities 
that covers the information collection requirements contained in the 
Worker Protection Standard (WPS) regulations at 40 CFR part 170. The 
requirements in 40 CFR part 170 were established to protect 
agricultural workers and pesticide handlers from the hazards of 
pesticides used in the production of agricultural plants on 
agricultural establishments. The paperwork activities include 
respondent activities associated with training and notification of 
pesticide-related information for workers who enter pesticide-treated 
areas after pesticide application to perform crop-related tasks, as 
well as for handlers who mix, load, and apply pesticides. Agricultural 
employers and commercial pesticide handling establishments (CPHEs) are 
responsible for providing required training, notifications and 
information to their employees to ensure worker and handler safety.
    In 2015 (80 FR 67495, November 2, 2015 (FRL-9931-81), EPA revised 
the requirements associated with training for workers and handlers, 
improved posting of pesticide-treated areas, required additional 
information for workers before they enter a pesticide-treated area 
while a restricted entry interval (REI) is in effect, access to more 
general and application-specific information about pesticides used on 
the establishment, and revised recordkeeping of training to improve 
enforceability and compliance.
    Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 6 
minutes per response. 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: Respondents affected by the 
collection activities under this ICR are agricultural employers on 
agricultural establishments, including employers in farms as well as in 
nursery, forestry, and greenhouse establishments.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory under 40 CFR 170.
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: Approximately 
985,000 agricultural establishments and approximately 1,995,000 
agricultural workers/handlers.
    Frequency of response: Annually or on occasion, depending on the 
activity.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
Varies.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 10,449,889 hours.
    Estimated total annual costs: $ 486,621,459. This includes an 
estimated burden cost of $ 0 for capital investment or maintenance and 
operational costs.

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

    There is no change in the number of hours requested and those 
identified in the ICR currently approved by OMB. There is an estimated 
increase of 3,220 respondents, which is the result of a correction to 
the Agency's previously reported bottom-line annual estimates. Although 
the full burden analysis for the currently approved ICR properly 
accounted for burden imposed on these respondents, these respondents 
were inadvertently omitted from the total number of respondents 
reported to OMB. This change is an adjustment.
    In addition, this ICR reflects a change in format. OMB has 
requested that EPA move towards using the 18-question format for ICR 
Supporting Statements used by other federal agencies and departments 
and is based on the submission instructions established by OMB in 1995, 
replacing the alternate format developed by EPA and OMB prior to 1995. 
The Agency does not believe that this change in format resulted in 
substantive changes to the information collection activities or related 
estimated burden and costs.

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.


[[Page 41842]]


    Dated: July 27, 2021.
Michal Freedhoff,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2021-16493 Filed 8-2-21; 8:45 am]
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