[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 131 (Tuesday, July 11, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44125-44126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-14651]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OLEM-2018-0367; FRL-10984-01-OLEM]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Underground Storage Tanks: Technical and Financial Requirements, and 
State Program Approval Procedures (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Underground Storage Tanks: 
Technical and Financial Requirements, and State Program Approval 
Procedures (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 1360.18, OMB Control No. 2050-0068) 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, EPA 
is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension 
of the ICR, which is currently approved through April 30, 2024. 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 September 11, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OLEM-
2018-0367 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

[[Page 44126]]

information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
    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 https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth McDermott, Office of 
Underground Storage Tanks, Mail Code 5401T, Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: (202) 564-0646; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA 
(44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), 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: Subtitle I of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 
(RCRA), as amended, requires that EPA develop standards for Underground 
Storage Tank (UST) systems, as may be necessary, to protect human 
health and the environment, and procedures for approving state programs 
in lieu of the Federal program. EPA promulgated technical and financial 
requirements for owners and operators of USTs at 40 CFR part 280, and 
state program approval procedures at 40 CFR part 281. This ICR is a 
comprehensive presentation of all information collection requirements 
contained at 40 CFR parts 280 and 281.
    The data collected for new and existing UST system operations and 
financial requirements are used by owners and operators and/or EPA or 
the implementing agency to monitor results of testing, inspections, and 
operation of UST systems, as well as to demonstrate compliance with 
regulations. EPA believes strongly that if the minimum requirements 
specified under the regulations are not met, neither the facilities nor 
EPA can ensure that UST systems are being managed in a manner 
protective of human health and the environment.
    EPA uses state program applications to determine whether to approve 
a state program. Before granting approval, EPA must determine that 
programs will be no less stringent than the Federal program and contain 
adequate enforcement mechanisms.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Facilities that own and operate 
underground storage tanks (USTs), states that implement the UST 
programs, and tribes.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (40 CFR part 280).
    Estimated number of respondents: 196,483.
    Frequency of response: Once, on occasion, annual.
    Total estimated burden: 8,332,870 hours (per year). Burden is 
defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $689,740,286 (per year), includes 
$406,057,091 annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: There is a decrease of 389,322 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden hours compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. There is a total decrease in burden hours because the 
overall number of underground storage tanks decreased while the 
requirements for each tank owner remained the same. In addition, during 
the last ICR EPA approved thirty states for state program approval but 
only expects to approve 12 during this ICR.

Mark Barolo,
Director, Office of Underground Storage Tanks.
[FR Doc. 2023-14651 Filed 7-10-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P