[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 5 (Friday, January 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 962-963]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-00111]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2004-0016; FRL-9383-01-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Part 71 
Federal 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 71 Federal Operating 
Permit

[[Page 963]]

Program (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 1713.13, OMB Control No. 2060-0336) 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 November 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 March 8, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2004-0016, 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.
    Out of an abundance of caution for members of the public and our 
staff, the EPA Docket Center and Reading Room are open to the public by 
appointment only to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19. Docket 
Center staff will continue to provide remote customer service via 
email, phone, and webform. The telephone number for the Public Reading 
Room is (202) 566-1744 and the telephone number for the Office of Air 
and Radiation Docket and Information Center is (202) 566-1742. For 
further information on EPA Docket Center services and the current 
status, please visit us online at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mayesha Choudhury, Air Quality Policy 
Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, C511-E, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC; telephone 
number: (919) 541-5297; 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 https://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 (Act) requires the EPA to 
operate a federal operating permits program in areas not subject to an 
approved state program. The EPA regulations setting forth the 
requirements for the federal (EPA) operating permit program are at 40 
CFR part 71. The part 71 program is designed to be implemented 
primarily by the EPA in all areas where state and local agencies do not 
have jurisdiction, such as Indian country and offshore, beyond states' 
seaward boundaries. The EPA may also delegate authority to implement 
the part 71 program on its behalf to a state, local or tribal agency, 
if the agency requests delegation and makes certain showings regarding 
its authority and ability to implement the program. One such delegate 
agency for the part 71 program exists at present.
    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 part 71 ICR.
    Under part 71, the permitting authority (the EPA or a delegate 
agency) reviews permit applications, provides for public review of 
proposed permits, issues permits based on consideration of all 
technical factors and public input, and reviews information submittals 
required of sources during the term of the permit. Under part 71, the 
EPA reviews certain actions and performs oversight of any delegate 
agency, consistent with the terms of a delegation agreement. 
Consequently, information prepared and submitted by sources is 
essential for sources to receive permits, and for federal and tribal 
permitting agencies to adequately review the permit applications and 
issue the permits, oversee implementation of the permits, and properly 
administer and manage the program.
    Information that is collected is handled according to 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: The forms are 5900-01, 5900-02, 5900-03, 5900-04, 
5900-05, 5900-06, 5900-79, 5900-80, 5900-81, 5900-82, 5900-83, 5900-84, 
5900-85 and 5900-86.
    Respondents/affected entities: Industrial plants (sources) and 
tribal permitting authorities.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (see 40 CFR part 71).
    Estimated number of respondents: 96 (total); 95 industry sources 
and one tribal delegate permitting authority (the EPA serves as a 
permitting authority but is not a respondent).
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 24,024 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $1,819,238 (per year). There are no 
annualized capital or operation and maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: There is an increase of 317 hours per year 
for the 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 71 program, rather 
than any change in federal mandates.

Scott Mathias,
Director, Air Quality Policy Division, Office of Air Quality Planning 
and Standards (OAQPS).
[FR Doc. 2022-00111 Filed 1-6-22; 8:45 am]
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