80 FR 12372 - Improving EPA Regulations
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 45 (March 9, 2015)
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 45 (March 9, 2015)
| Page Range | 12372-12373 | |
| FR Document | 2015-05303 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 45 (Monday, March 9, 2015)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 12372-12373] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-05303] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Chapter 1 [EPA-HQ-OA-2011-0156; FRL-9923-87-OA] Improving EPA Regulations AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice; request for comment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is requesting public input on the agency's periodic retrospective review of its regulations. Executive Order 13563, ``Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review,'' and Executive Order 13610, ``Identifying and Reducing Regulatory Burdens,'' call on all federal agencies to conduct a retrospective analysis of rules that may be outmoded, ineffective, insufficient, or excessively burdensome and to modify, streamline, expand, or repeal them in accordance with what has been learned. The EPA is particularly seeking public input on how the agency can promote regulatory modernization through business-process streamlining, facilitated by improved technology. DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 8, 2015. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OA- 2011-0156, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or withdrawn. EPA may publish any comment received to its public docket. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. If you need to include CBI as part of your comment, please visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html for instructions. Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. For additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment policy, and general guidance on making effective comments, please visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on this document, please contact Nathaniel Jutras, Office of Policy, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Mail Code 1803A, Washington, DC 20460, Phone: (202) 564-0301; Fax: (202) 564-8601; [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is committed to a regulatory strategy that effectively achieves the Agency's mission of protecting the environment and the health, welfare, and safety of Americans while also supporting economic growth, job creation, competitiveness, and innovation. Recognizing the importance of reducing unnecessary red tape-- especially for America's small businesses--with Executive Orders 13563 and 13610 President Obama launched a historic review of existing rules to eliminate, streamline or update those that no longer make sense in their current form. This effort is on track to produce completed actions that will reduce nearly $20 billion in regulatory costs in the near term. As part of this review, in August 2011 the agency issued its Final Plan for Periodic Retrospective Reviews of Existing Regulations (http://www.epa.gov/regdarrt/). This Plan was developed after extensive public outreach that sought input on an agency plan for retrospective review, as well as on possible reforms to modify, streamline, expand or repeal existing regulations. That outreach included 20 public meetings, town halls, and Webinars with over 600 participants. Since 2011, the EPA has maintained an open comment docket for public feedback on the existing Plan for Periodic Retrospective Review of Existing Regulations and the subsequent progress reports. To date, we have completed 21 of our original 35 retrospective reviews. We added five new reviews in July 2014. The EPA views this review process as an ongoing exercise and is seeking further public input to ensure our regulations continue to maximize net social benefit. The focus of this new request for input is on how the agency can promote regulatory modernization through business-process streamlining facilitated by improved technology. We specifically solicit comments on the following questions: [ssquf] Which regulations, including economically significant rules, could be transitioned from paper to electronic reporting? [ssquf] How can the EPA reduce duplicative reporting requirements in existing regulations that may overlap other federal requirements? [ssquf] How can the EPA streamline or consolidate reporting requirements to reduce burden? [ssquf] Which regulations could benefit from the use of existing shared services (such as the Substance Registry System) or new shared services? [ssquf] Should the EPA create a joint registry of regulated facilities with states and tribes to streamline electronic reporting to multiple programs and maximize burden reduction? [ssquf] Which regulations could be improved through the use of advance monitoring techniques or the development of mobile applications to facilitate environmental protection? [ssquf] Which regulations could be amended to reduce the frequency of reporting while maintaining effective programs? [ssquf] Is the same information being collected in multiple places, either across different regulations, or across different levels of government (Federal, State, Tribal, and local)? We request that commenters be as specific as possible, include any supporting data or other information, and provide a citation when referencing a specific regulation. In addition, in drafting comments, bear in mind that [[Page 12373]] the EPA must uphold both its legal obligations under governing statutes and its mission to protect human health and the environment; and that the EPA's retrospective review will be tailored to reflect its resources, rulemaking schedule, and workload. Additionally, the EPA published a notice on January 26, 2015 seeking comment on the development of an online portal to serve as a consolidated entry point for providing information, tools and streamlined interactions with the EPA by the public and regulated entities (80 FR 3962). Commenters may wish to review this notice and consider how such a portal could be used while considering regulations that the EPA should include in its review. The EPA is accepting comments until April 8, 2015. Although the agency will not respond to individual comments, the EPA values and will give careful consideration to all input that it receives. Please see http://www.epa.gov/regdarrt/retrospective/history.html for additional information and updates. Dated: February 26, 2015. Joel Beauvais, Associate Administrator, Office of Policy. [FR Doc. 2015-05303 Filed 3-6-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
![12372 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 45 / Monday, March 9, 2015 / Proposed Rules
our specific plans and actions for this how the agency can promote regulatory www.epa.gov/regdarrt/). This Plan was
program. modernization through business-process developed after extensive public
Accessible Format: Individuals with streamlining, facilitated by improved outreach that sought input on an agency
disabilities can obtain this document in technology. plan for retrospective review, as well as
an accessible format (e.g., braille, large DATES: Comments must be received on on possible reforms to modify,
print, audiotape, or compact disc) on or before April 8, 2015. streamline, expand or repeal existing
request to the contact person listed regulations. That outreach included 20
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION public meetings, town halls, and
CONTACT.
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– Webinars with over 600 participants.
Electronic Access to This Document: OA–2011–0156, to the Federal Since 2011, the EPA has maintained an
The official version of this document is eRulemaking Portal: http:// open comment docket for public
the document published in the Federal www.regulations.gov. Follow the online feedback on the existing Plan for
Register. Free Internet access to the instructions for submitting comments. Periodic Retrospective Review of
official edition of the Federal Register Once submitted, comments cannot be Existing Regulations and the subsequent
and the Code of Federal Regulations is edited or withdrawn. EPA may publish progress reports. To date, we have
available via the Federal Digital System any comment received to its public completed 21 of our original 35
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you docket. Do not submit electronically any retrospective reviews. We added five
can view this document, as well as all information you consider to be new reviews in July 2014.
other documents of this Department Confidential Business Information (CBI) The EPA views this review process as
published in the Federal Register, in or other information whose disclosure is an ongoing exercise and is seeking
text or Adobe Portable Document restricted by statute. If you need to further public input to ensure our
Format (PDF). To use PDF you must include CBI as part of your comment, regulations continue to maximize net
have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is please visit http://www.epa.gov/ social benefit. The focus of this new
available free at the site. dockets/comments.html for instructions. request for input is on how the agency
You may also access documents of the Multimedia submissions (audio, video, can promote regulatory modernization
Department published in the Federal etc.) must be accompanied by a written through business-process streamlining
Register by using the article search comment. The written comment is facilitated by improved technology. We
feature at: www.federalregister.gov. considered the official comment and specifically solicit comments on the
Specifically, through the advanced should include discussion of all points following questions:
search feature at this site, you can limit you wish to make. For additional D Which regulations, including
your search to documents published by submission methods, the full EPA economically significant rules, could be
the Department. public comment policy, and general transitioned from paper to electronic
guidance on making effective reporting?
Dated: March 3, 2015. comments, please visit http:// D How can the EPA reduce duplicative
Sue Swenson, www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html. reporting requirements in existing
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For regulations that may overlap other
Education and Rehabilitative Services. further information on this document, federal requirements?
[FR Doc. 2015–05280 Filed 3–6–15; 8:45 am] please contact Nathaniel Jutras, Office of D How can the EPA streamline or
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P Policy, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., consolidate reporting requirements to
Mail Code 1803A, Washington, DC reduce burden?
20460, Phone: (202) 564–0301; Fax: D Which regulations could benefit
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (202) 564–8601; Jutras.Nathaniel@ from the use of existing shared services
AGENCY epa.gov. (such as the Substance Registry System)
or new shared services?
40 CFR Chapter 1 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The D Should the EPA create a joint
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registry of regulated facilities with states
[EPA–HQ–OA–2011–0156; FRL–9923–87– is committed to a regulatory strategy
OA] and tribes to streamline electronic
that effectively achieves the Agency’s reporting to multiple programs and
mission of protecting the environment maximize burden reduction?
Improving EPA Regulations
and the health, welfare, and safety of D Which regulations could be
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Americans while also supporting improved through the use of advance
Agency (EPA). economic growth, job creation, monitoring techniques or the
ACTION: Notice; request for comment. competitiveness, and innovation. development of mobile applications to
Recognizing the importance of facilitate environmental protection?
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection reducing unnecessary red tape— D Which regulations could be
Agency (EPA) is requesting public input especially for America’s small amended to reduce the frequency of
on the agency’s periodic retrospective businesses—with Executive Orders reporting while maintaining effective
review of its regulations. Executive 13563 and 13610 President Obama programs?
Order 13563, ‘‘Improving Regulation launched a historic review of existing D Is the same information being
and Regulatory Review,’’ and Executive rules to eliminate, streamline or update collected in multiple places, either
Order 13610, ‘‘Identifying and Reducing those that no longer make sense in their across different regulations, or across
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Regulatory Burdens,’’ call on all federal current form. This effort is on track to different levels of government (Federal,
agencies to conduct a retrospective produce completed actions that will State, Tribal, and local)?
analysis of rules that may be outmoded, reduce nearly $20 billion in regulatory We request that commenters be as
ineffective, insufficient, or excessively costs in the near term. specific as possible, include any
burdensome and to modify, streamline, As part of this review, in August 2011 supporting data or other information,
expand, or repeal them in accordance the agency issued its Final Plan for and provide a citation when referencing
with what has been learned. The EPA is Periodic Retrospective Reviews of a specific regulation. In addition, in
particularly seeking public input on Existing Regulations (http:// drafting comments, bear in mind that
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![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 45 / Monday, March 9, 2015 / Proposed Rules 12373
the EPA must uphold both its legal (SO2) NAAQS. In the Final Rules captured and included as part of the
obligations under governing statutes and section of this Federal Register, EPA is comment that is placed in the public
its mission to protect human health and approving the State’s SIP submittal as a docket and made available on the
the environment; and that the EPA’s direct final rule without prior proposal Internet. If you submit an electronic
retrospective review will be tailored to because the Agency views this as a comment, EPA recommends that you
reflect its resources, rulemaking noncontroversial submittal and include your name and other contact
schedule, and workload. anticipates no adverse comments. A information in the body of your
Additionally, the EPA published a detailed rationale for the approval is set comment and with any disk or CD–ROM
notice on January 26, 2015 seeking forth in the direct final rule. If no you submit. If EPA cannot read your
comment on the development of an adverse comments are received in comment due to technical difficulties
online portal to serve as a consolidated response to this action, no further
entry point for providing information, and cannot contact you for clarification,
activity is contemplated. If EPA receives EPA may not be able to consider your
tools and streamlined interactions with adverse comments, the direct final rule
the EPA by the public and regulated comment. Electronic files should avoid
will be withdrawn and all public
entities (80 FR 3962). Commenters may the use of special characters, any form
comments received will be addressed in
wish to review this notice and consider a subsequent final rule based on this of encryption, and be free of any defects
how such a portal could be used while proposed rule. EPA will not institute a or viruses.
considering regulations that the EPA second comment period. Any parties Docket: All documents in the
should include in its review. interested in commenting on this action electronic docket are listed in the
The EPA is accepting comments until should do so at this time. www.regulations.gov index. Although
April 8, 2015. Although the agency will listed in the index, some information is
DATES: Comments must be received in
not respond to individual comments, not publicly available, i.e., CBI or other
writing by April 8, 2015.
the EPA values and will give careful
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, information whose disclosure is
consideration to all input that it
identified by Docket ID Number EPA– restricted by statute. Certain other
receives. Please see http://www.epa.gov/
regdarrt/retrospective/history.html for R03–OAR–2014–0903 by one of the material, such as copyrighted material,
additional information and updates. following methods: is not placed on the Internet and will be
A. www.regulations.gov. Follow the publicly available only in hard copy
Dated: February 26, 2015.
on-line instructions for submitting form. Publicly available docket
Joel Beauvais, comments. materials are available either
Associate Administrator, Office of Policy. B. Email: powers.marilyn@epa.gov. electronically in www.regulations.gov or
[FR Doc. 2015–05303 Filed 3–6–15; 8:45 am] C. Mail: EPA–R03–OAR–2014–0903, in hard copy during normal business
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P Marilyn Powers, Acting Associate hours at the Air Protection Division,
Director, Office of Air Program U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Planning, Air Protection Division, Region III, 1650 Arch Street,
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Mailcode 3AP30, U.S. Environmental
AGENCY Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103.
Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Copies of the State submittal are
Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania available at the West Virginia
40 CFR Part 52 19103.
Department of Environmental
[EPA–R03–OAR–2014–0903; FRL–9924–03– D. Hand Delivery: At the previously
Region 3] listed EPA Region III address. Such Protection, Division of Air Quality, 601
deliveries are only accepted during the 57th Street SE., Charleston, WV 25304.
Approval and Promulgation of Air Docket’s normal hours of operation, and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Quality Implementation Plans; West special arrangements should be made Ellen Schmitt, (215) 814–5787, or by
Virginia; State Boards Requirements; for deliveries of boxed information. email at schmitt.ellen@epa.gov.
Infrastructure Requirements for the Instructions: Direct your comments to
2008 Ozone, 2010 Nitrogen Dioxide, Docket ID No. EPA–R03–OAR–2014– SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For
and 2010 Sulfur Dioxide National 0903. EPA’s policy is that all comments further information, please see the
Ambient Air Quality Standards received will be included in the public information provided in the direct final
AGENCY: Environmental Protection docket without change, and may be action, with the same title, that is
Agency. made available online at located in the ‘‘Rules and Regulations’’
ACTION: Proposed rule. www.regulations.gov, including any section of this Federal Register
personal information provided, unless publication. Please note that if EPA
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection the comment includes information receives adverse comment on an
Agency (EPA) proposes to approve the claimed to be Confidential Business amendment, paragraph, or section of
State Implementation Plan (SIP) Information (CBI) or other information this rule and if that provision may be
revision submitted by the State of West whose disclosure is restricted by statute. severed from the remainder of the rule,
Virginia for the purpose of addressing Do not submit information that you EPA may adopt as final those provisions
the State Boards requirements for all consider to be CBI or otherwise of the rule that are not the subject of an
criteria pollutants of the National protected through www.regulations.gov adverse comment.
Ambient Air Quality Standards or email. The www.regulations.gov Web
Dated: February 12, 2015.
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
(NAAQS). EPA is also proposing to site is an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system,
approve a related infrastructure element which means EPA will not know your William C. Early,
from the West Virginia February 21, identity or contact information unless Acting Regional Administrator, Region III.
2012 SIP submittal for the 2008 ozone you provide it in the body of your [FR Doc. 2015–05223 Filed 3–6–15; 8:45 am]
(O3) NAAQS, the December 13, 2012 SIP comment. If you send an email BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
submittal for the 2010 nitrogen dioxide comment directly to EPA without going
(NO2) NAAQS, and the July 1, 2013 SIP through www.regulations.gov, your
submittal for the 2010 sulfur dioxide email address will be automatically
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Document Created: 2015-12-18 12:05:34
Document Modified: 2015-12-18 12:05:34
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Proposed Rules | |
| Action | Notice; request for comment. | |
| Dates | Comments must be received on or before April 8, 2015. | |
| Contact | For further information on this document, please contact Nathaniel Jutras, Office of Policy, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Mail Code 1803A, Washington, DC 20460, Phone: (202) 564-0301; Fax: (202) 564-8601; [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 12372 |
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