[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 102 (Thursday, May 26, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 32019]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11351]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2017-0319; FRL-9891-01-OMS]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; Asbestos-Containing Materials in Schools and 
Asbestos Model Accreditation Plans (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), Asbestos-Containing Materials in 
Schools and Asbestos Model Accreditation Plans (EPA ICR Number 1365.12, 
OMB Control Number 2070-0091), 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 May 31, 2022. Public comments were 
previously requested via the Federal Register on September 1, 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 may be submitted on or before June 27, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to EPA, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-
HQ-OPPT-2017-0319, 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: Katherine Sleasman, Regulatory Support 
Branch (7101M), Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 566-1204; 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: This ICR addresses reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements found in the Asbestos-Containing Materials in Schools Rule 
promulgated under section 203 of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response 
Act (AHERA, 15 U.S.C. 2641-2656); and the Asbestos Model Accreditation 
Plan (MAP) Rule under AHERA section 206. As set forth in 40 CFR part 
763, subpart E the local education agency (LEA) is required to conduct 
inspections, develop management plans, and design or conduct response 
actions. Records must be maintained by all LEAs on inspections and 
response action activity, and current management plans must be provided 
upon request to EPA and state reviewers for examination. In addition, 
40 CFR part 763, subpart E, describes a model accreditation plan (MAP) 
for states. The MAP provides accreditation criteria for persons who 
inspect for asbestos, develop management plans, and design or conduct 
response actions. States are required to adopt an accreditation plan at 
least as stringent as the EPA model plan. The accreditation 
requirements apply to persons who work in public and commercial 
buildings as well as schools. Accreditation of laboratories that 
analyze asbestos bulk samples and asbestos air samples is also required 
by AHERA.
    This ICR estimates the paperwork burden for LEAs to inspect for 
asbestos and update management plans to protect all school building 
occupants from exposure to asbestos. This collection also estimates the 
paperwork burden for the accreditation of persons who inspect for 
asbestos, develop management plans, and design or conduct response 
actions and the paperwork burden associated with state accreditation 
programs.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Elementary and secondary school 
districts in North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) 
code 61111, all states (NAICS code 92311), MAP training providers 
(NAICS code 61143), and the State Asbestos Accreditation Programs 
(NAICS code 92312).
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory, per AHERA and 40 CFR 
part 763.
    Estimated number of respondents: 137,621 (total).
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 2,600,679 hours (per year). Burden is 
defined at 5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    Total estimated cost: $106,858,607 (per year), which includes no in 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase of 45,766 hours in 
the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. While the number schools with friable ACMs is steadily 
declining, the associated burden reductions are counteracted by the 
larger increase in in schools with no or non-friable ACM (which 
includes newly constructed schools that are certified through an 
exclusionary statement not to have specified asbestos-containing 
building materials in construction). This change is an adjustment.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Regulatory Support Division.
[FR Doc. 2022-11351 Filed 5-25-22; 8:45 am]
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