[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 202 (Friday, October 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58651-58652]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23020]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2020-0617; FRL-9167-01-OMS]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; TSCA Mercury Inventory Reporting (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), TSCA Mercury Inventory Reporting 
(EPA ICR No. 2567.04, OMB Control No. 2070-0207) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, 
which is currently approved through October 31, 2021. Public comments 
were previously requested via the Federal Register on March 24, 2021 
during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 
days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given 
below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. 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: Additional comments must be submitted on or before November 22, 
2021.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to EPA, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-
HQ-OPPT-2020-0617, 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. 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.
    Submit written comments and recommendations to OMB for the proposed 
information collection within 30 days of publication of this notice to 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information 
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Groeneveld, Existing Chemicals 
Risk Management Division (7407M), Office of Pollution Prevention and 
Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 566-1188; 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.
    Abstract: As directed in the June 2016 Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical 
Safety for the 21st Century Act amendments to the Toxic Substances 
Control Act (TSCA), 15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq., EPA is required to assist 
in the preparation and publication in the Federal Register of an 
``inventory of mercury supply, use, and trade in the United States.'' 
15 U.S.C. 2607(b)(10)(B) and (D). Based on the inventory of information 
collected through this ICR, the Agency is directed to ``identify any 
manufacturing processes or products that intentionally add mercury'' 
and ``recommend actions, including proposed revisions of Federal law or 
regulations, to achieve further reductions in mercury use.'' 15 U.S.C. 
2607(b)(10)(C).
    The primary purpose of this ICR is to support the development of 
that inventory. In turn, the inventory will help the Agency identify 
uses of mercury and recommend means to achieve further reductions of 
such uses in commerce. In addition, the Agency seeks to obtain the 
information necessary to achieve its goal to further reduce the use of 
mercury in products and certain manufacturing processes in order to 
prevent future releases to the environment, as well as assist the 
United States in reporting implementation under the Minamata 
Convention. EPA seeks to enhance its current information on how much 
mercury is used, in which products and manufacturing processes, and 
whether certain products are manufactured domestically, imported, or 
exported.
    Reporting is required from any person who manufactures (including 
imports) mercury or mercury-added products, as well as any person who 
otherwise intentionally uses mercury in a

[[Page 58652]]

manufacturing process under TSCA Section 8(b). 15 U.S.C. 
2607(b)(10)(D)(i). The Agency promulgated reporting under 40 CFR part 
713. In order to avoid duplication, EPA coordinated the reporting with 
the Interstate Mercury Education and Reduction Clearinghouse (IMERC). 
15 U.S.C. 2607(b)(10)(D)(ii).
    Regulated entities may claim some of the information given to EPA 
as CBI. Reporting requirements will contain information for respondents 
on how to make a claim to EPA that all or part of their submitted 
information is CBI. EPA handles claims of confidentiality pursuant to 
established CBI procedures, as found in TSCA section 14, 40 CFR part 2, 
and the Agency's TSCA CBI Manual. CBI is also protected under the 
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 525).
    Form Number: 9600-024.
    Respondents/affected entities: Persons who manufacture (including 
import) mercury, mercury-added products, and persons who otherwise 
intentionally use mercury in a manufacturing process.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory, 40 CFR part 713.
    Estimated number of respondents: 756 (total).
    Frequency of response: Every three years.
    Total estimated burden: 17,348 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    Total estimated cost: $1,384,999 million (per year), includes no 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance.
    Changes in the estimates: There is a decrease of 6,841 hours per 
year in the estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This change reflects a decrease in rule 
familiarization burden, a decrease in form completion burden due to 
mercury export prohibitions, and changes in the number of estimated 
respondents. This change is an adjustment.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2021-23020 Filed 10-21-21; 8:45 am]
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