[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 5, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84321-84322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26623]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-R08-OPPT-2020-0013; FRL-11574-01-R8]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Information 
Collection Request; Comment Request; Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) Pollution Prevention (P2) Awards Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit an information collection request (ICR) entitled ``Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) Pollution Prevention (P2) Awards Program'' (EPA 
ICR Number: 2614.02, OMB Control Number: 2008-0004) 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 below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is 
currently approved through August 31, 2024.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 5, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-R08-
OPPT-2020-0013, online using https://www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), or by email to [email protected]. 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: Melissa Payan, EPA R8 Land, Chemical 
and Redevelopment Division, Pollution Prevention Program, (8LCR-CES), 
Environmental Protection Agency R8, 1595 Wynkoop St., Denver, CO 80202 
telephone number: 303-312-6511; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a proposed extension of the ICR, 
which is currently approved through August 31, 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.
    This document allows 60 days for public comments. Supporting 
documents, which explain in detail the

[[Page 84322]]

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 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.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paper Reduction Act (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 forms of information technology. 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 
document to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: EPA's Pollution Prevention (P2) Program is a voluntary 
program that encourages businesses/facilities to adopt P2 projects that 
reduces both financial costs (waste management and cleanup) and 
environmental costs (health problems and environmental damage). In 
passing the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) in 1990, Congress found that 
``(T)here are significant opportunities for industry to reduce or 
prevent pollution at the source through cost-effective changes in 
production, operation, and raw materials use. Such changes offer 
industry substantial savings in reduced raw material, pollution 
control, and liability costs as well as help protect the environment 
and reduce risks to worker health and safety.'' 42 U.S.C. 13101(a)(2). 
Furthermore, the PPA states the Administrator shall ``establish an 
annual award program to recognize a company or companies which operate 
outstanding or innovative source reduction programs'' (PPA section 
6604) 42 U.S.C. 13103(b)(13). The EPA P2 Awards Program is an annual, 
voluntary, and non-monetary awards program that will recognize 
companies that demonstrate leadership in innovative P2 practices and 
encourage other entities to consider P2 approaches. This ICR may be 
applicable to HQ, as well as any of the 10 Regional Offices that choose 
to participate and implement a P2 Awards Program.
    Form numbers: EPA P2 Award Program Application--5800-005.
    Respondents/affected entities: Intended Respondents include various 
types of businesses, companies, organizations, both for-profit and non-
profit, from all North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 
codes. However, businesses need to be from a state in an EPA Region 
implementing this awards program.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Respondents are not obligated 
to respond. This is done on a voluntary basis.
    Estimated number of respondents: Approximately 7 per region 
(total).
    Frequency of response: Annually on a voluntary basis.
    Total estimated burden: Average of 10 hours per respondent (per 
year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    Total estimated cost: $776.95 per respondent (per year), includes 
$0 annualized capital or operation and maintenance costs.
    Changes in the estimates: There is a decrease of 9.5 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This decrease is due to adjustments to the estimates 
and receiving input from respondents over the past three years. The 
original consultations were with state recognition programs, which are 
more rigorous than the regional P2 award program. Regions who are 
currently implementing Regional P2 Programs, consulted with applicants 
who provided an average estimate of 10.9 hours to respond to questions 
in the application. Based off these consultations we are decreasing the 
respondent burden by 9.5 hours.

Kimberly Pardue Welch,
Branch Manager, Chemical, Safety Environmental Stewardship Branch, EPA 
Region 8.
[FR Doc. 2023-26623 Filed 12-4-23; 8:45 am]
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