[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 182 (Thursday, September 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52903-52904]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20561]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-SFUND-2013-0549; FRL-8932-01-OLEM]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request: 
Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Notification of Episodic Releases of Oil and Hazardous 
Substances (Renewal) EPA ICR Number 1049.15, OMB Control Number 2050-
0046

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), Notification of Episodic Releases 
of Oil and Hazardous Substances (Renewal) (EPA ICR Number 1049.15, OMB 
Control Number 2050-0046) 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 in SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is 
currently approved through May 31, 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 22, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
SFUND-2013-0549, to: (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our 
preferred method) or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, 
Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via email to 
[email protected]. Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for 
EPA.
    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: Wendy Hoffman, Office of Emergency 
Management, Mail Code 5104A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 
564-8794; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that EPA will be collecting are available in the public 
docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at http://www.regulations.gov. Out of an abundance of caution for members of the 
public and our staff, the EPA Docket Center and Reading Room is closed 
to the public, 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. For further 
information about the EPA's public docket, Docket Center services and 
the current status, please visit us online at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

[[Page 52904]]

The telephone number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744.
    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: Section 103(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended, 
requires the person in charge of a facility or vessel to immediately 
notify the National Response Center (NRC) of a hazardous substance 
release into the environment if the amount of the release equals or 
exceeds the substance's reportable quantity (RQ) limit. The RQs for the 
hazardous substance can be found in Table 302.4 of 40 CFR 302.4. 
Section 311 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) as amended, requires the 
person in charge of a vessel to immediately notify the NRC of an oil 
spill into U.S. navigable waters if the spill causes a sheen, violates 
applicable water quality standards, or causes a sludge or emulsion to 
be deposited beneath the surface of the water or upon adjoining 
shorelines. The reporting of a hazardous substance release that is at 
or above the substance's RQ allows the federal government to determine 
whether a federal response action is required to control or mitigate 
any potential adverse effects to public health or welfare or the 
environment. Likewise, the reporting of oil spills allows the federal 
government to determine whether cleaning up the oil spill is required 
to mitigate or prevent damage to public health or welfare or the 
environment. The hazardous substance and oil release information 
collected under CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311 also is 
available to EPA program offices and other federal agencies that use 
the information to evaluate the potential need for additional 
regulations, new permitting requirements for specific substances or 
sources, or improved emergency response planning.
    Release notification information is stored in EPA's WebEOC, a web-
based crisis management system which supports response management for 
significant incidents and daily operations in the Regional Response 
Centers and EPA's Headquarters Emergency Operations Center. State and 
local government authorities and the regulated community use release 
information for purposes of local emergency response planning. The 
general public has access to release information through the Freedom of 
Information Act. The public may request release information for 
purposes of maintaining an awareness of what types of releases are 
occurring in different localities and what actions, if any, are being 
taken to protect public health and welfare and the environment.
    The burden estimates, numbers and types of respondents, wage rates 
and unit and total costs for this ICR renewal will be revised and 
updated if needed during the 60-day comment period while the ICR 
Supporting statement is undergoing review at OMB.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Facilities and vessels that may have 
releases of any hazardous substances or oil at or above its RQ.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory under CERCLA section 
103 (a).
    Estimated number of respondents: 18,447.
    Frequency of response: As releases occur from a facility or a 
vessel.
    Total estimated burden: 18,816 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $1,046,314 (per year), which includes no 
capital or operation and maintenance costs associated with this ICR.
    Changes in Estimates: Any change in burden or cost resulting from 
the 60-day OMB review period will be described and explained in this 
section when the updated ICR Supporting Statement is completed.

    Dated: September 16, 2021.
Donna Salyer,
Director, Office of Emergency Management.
[FR Doc. 2021-20561 Filed 9-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P