[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 31, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48692-48693]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18762]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0557; FRL-8884-01-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Part 70 
State Operating Permit Program (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), ``Part 70 State Operating Permit 
Program (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 1587.15, OMB Control No. 2060-0243) to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, the 
EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collection. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which 
is currently approved through 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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 1, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2021-0557, online using https://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 Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460.
    The EPA is temporarily suspending its Docket Center and Reading 
Room for

[[Page 48693]]

public visitors, with limited exceptions, to reduce the risk of 
transmitting COVID-19. Our Docket Center staff will continue to provide 
remote customer service via email, phone, and webform. The EPA 
encourages the public to submit comments via https://www.regulations.gov/ as there may be a delay in processing mail and 
faxes. Hand deliveries or couriers will be received by scheduled 
appointment only. For further information and updates on EPA Docket 
Center services, please visit us online at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    The EPA continues to carefully and continuously monitor information 
from the Center of Disease Control, local area health departments, and 
our federal partners so that the Agency can respond rapidly as 
conditions change regarding COVID-19.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Corey Sugerik, Air Quality Policy 
Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, C504-05, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC; telephone 
number: (919) 541-3223; fax number: (919) 541-5509; 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 https://www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is (202) 566-1744. 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 or other information whose disclosure 
is restricted by statute. For additional information about EPA's public 
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: Title V of 
the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) requires states to develop and implement 
a program for issuing operating permits to all sources that fall under 
any Act definition of ``major'' and certain other non-major sources 
that are subject to federal air quality regulations. The Act further 
requires the EPA to develop regulations that establish the minimum 
requirements for those state operating permits programs and to oversee 
implementation of the state programs. The EPA regulations setting forth 
requirements for the state operating permit program are found at 40 CFR 
part 70. The part 70 program is designed to be implemented primarily by 
state, local and tribal permitting authorities in all areas where they 
have jurisdiction.
    In order to receive an operating permit for a major or other source 
subject to the permitting program, the applicant must conduct the 
necessary research, perform the appropriate analyses and prepare the 
permit application with documentation to demonstrate that its facility 
meets all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. Specific 
activities and requirements are listed and described in the Supporting 
Statement for the 40 CFR part 70 ICR.
    Under 40 CFR part 70, state, local and tribal permitting 
authorities review permit applications, provide for public review of 
proposed permits, issue permits based on consideration of all technical 
factors and public input and review information submittals required of 
sources during the term of the permit. Also, under 40 CFR part 70, the 
EPA reviews certain actions of the permitting authorities and provides 
oversight of the programs to ensure that they are being adequately 
implemented and enforced. Consequently, information prepared and 
submitted by sources is essential for sources to receive permits, and 
for federal, state, local and tribal permitting authorities to 
adequately review the permit applications and thereby properly 
administer and manage the program.
    Information that is collected is handled according to the EPA's 
policies set forth in title 40, chapter 1, part 2, subpart B--
Confidentiality of Business Information (see 40 CFR part 2). See also 
section 114(c) of the Act.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Industrial plants (sources); state, 
local and tribal permitting authorities.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: mandatory (see 40 CFR part 70).
    Estimated number of respondents: 14,201 sources and 117 state, 
local and tribal permitting authorities.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 4,756,110 hours (per year). Burden is 
defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $325,175,507 (per year). There are no 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: There is an increase of 17,185 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This increase is due to updated estimates of the 
number of sources and permits subject to the part 70 program, rather 
than any change in federal mandates.

    Dated: August 26, 2021.
Scott Mathias,
Director, Air Quality Policy Division, OAQPS.
[FR Doc. 2021-18762 Filed 8-30-21; 8:45 am]
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