80 FR 68534 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Information Collection Request for the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 214 (November 5, 2015)

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this document announces that Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is scheduled to expire on May 31, 2016. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, the EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 214 (Thursday, November 5, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68534-68536]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-28275]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2012-0333; FRL-9936-53-OAR]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Information Collection Request for the Greenhouse Gas 
Reporting Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of information collection request renewal.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this document 
announces that Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit a 
request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request 
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is 
scheduled to expire on May 31, 2016. Before submitting the ICR to OMB 
for review and approval, the EPA is soliciting comments on specific 
aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 4, 2016.
    Public Hearing. The EPA does not plan to conduct a public hearing 
unless requested. To request a hearing, please contact the person 
listed in the following FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section by 
November 12, 2015. If requested, the hearing will be conducted on 
November 20, 2015, in the Washington, DC area. The EPA will provide 
further information about the hearing on the Greenhouse Gas Reporting 
Program Web site, http://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/index.html if a 
hearing is requested.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2012-0333 by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     Email: [email protected]. Include Docket ID No. EPA-
HQ-OAR-2014-0831 or RIN No. 2060-AS37 in the subject line of the 
message.
     Fax: (202) 566-9744.
     Mail: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center 
(EPA/DC), Mailcode 28221T, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2012-
0333, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460. In addition, 
please mail a copy of your comments on the information collection 
provisions to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB), Attn: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th 
Street NW., Washington, DC 20503.

[[Page 68535]]

     Hand/Courier Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Room 3334, EPA 
WJC West Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20004. 
Such deliveries are accepted only during the normal hours of operation 
of the Docket Center, and special arrangements should be made for 
deliveries of boxed information.
    For additional information on submitting comments, see the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carole Cook, Climate Change Division, 
Office of Atmospheric Programs (MC-6207A), Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: (202) 343-9263; fax number: (202) 343-2342; email address: 
[email protected]. For technical information, please go to the 
Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program Web site, http://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/index.html. To submit a question, select Help Center, 
followed by ``Contact Us.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Additional Information on Submitting Comments: To expedite review 
of your comments by agency staff, you are encouraged to send a separate 
copy of your comments, in addition to the copy you submit to the 
official docket, to Carole Cook, U.S. EPA, Office of Atmospheric 
Programs, Climate Change Division, Mail Code 6207A, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 343-9263, email 
address: [email protected].
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. 2012-0333 
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment 
Request; Information Collection Request for the Greenhouse Gas 
Reporting Program; EPA ICR. The EPA's policy is that all comments 
received will be included in the public docket without change and may 
be made available online at http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided, unless the comment includes information 
claimed to be confidential business information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
    Should you choose to submit information that you claim to be CBI, 
clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be 
CBI. For information that you claim to be CBI in a disk or CD-ROM that 
you mail to the EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM as CBI and 
then identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the specific 
information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version 
of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy of the 
comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI must be 
submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information marked as CBI 
will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 
40 CFR part 2. Send or deliver information identified as CBI to only 
the mail or hand/courier delivery address listed above, attention: 
Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2012-0333. If you have any questions about CBI 
or the procedures for claiming CBI, please consult the person 
identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise 
protected through http://www.regulations.gov or email. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous access'' system, which 
means the EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless 
you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an email 
comment directly to the EPA without going through http://www.regulations.gov your email address will be automatically captured 
and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket 
and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic 
comment, the EPA recommends that you include your name and other 
contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or 
CD-ROM you submit. If the EPA cannot read your comment due to technical 
difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, the EPA may not 
be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use 
of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any 
defects or viruses.
    Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 
information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such 
as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. 
Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically 
in http://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Air Docket, EPA/
DC, WJC West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC. This Docket Facility is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone 
number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone 
number for the Air Docket is (202) 566-1742.
    Worldwide Web (WWW). In addition to being available in the docket, 
an electronic copy of this proposal will also be available through the 
WWW. Following the Administrator's signature, a copy of this action 
will be posted on the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program Web site 
at http://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/index.html.
    How can I access the docket and/or submit comments? The EPA has 
established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2012-0333, which is available for online viewing at http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the EPA Air and Radiation 
Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 
Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room 
is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding 
legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-
1744, and the telephone number for the EPA Air and Radiation Docket is 
(202) 566-1742.
    Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those 
documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once 
in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number 
identified in this document.
    What information is EPA particularly interested in? Pursuant to 
section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, the EPA specifically solicits 
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. In particular, the EPA is requesting comments 
from very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples 
of specific additional efforts that the EPA could make to reduce the

[[Page 68536]]

paperwork burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.
    What should I consider when I prepare my comments for the EPA? You 
may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific 
examples.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 
that support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 
under DATES.
    7. To ensure proper receipt by the EPA, be sure to identify the 
docket ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the 
first page of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and 
Federal Register citation.
    What information collection activity or ICR does this apply to? 
[Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2012-0333.]
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
suppliers of certain products that will emit GHG when released, 
combusted, or oxidized, motor vehicle and engine manufacturers, 
including aircraft engine manufacturers; facilities in certain 
industrial categories that emit greenhouse gases; and facilities that 
emit 25,000 metric tons or more of carbon dioxide equivalent 
(CO2 e) per year.
    Title: Information Collection Request for the Greenhouse Gas 
Reporting Program.
    ICR number: EPA ICR No. 2300.17
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on May 31, 
2016. 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. The OMB control numbers for the 
EPA's regulations in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the 
Federal Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are 
displayed either by publication in the Federal Register or by other 
appropriate means, such as on the related collection instrument or 
form, if applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA 
regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: In response to the FY2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act 
(H.R. 2764; Pub. L. 110-161) and under authority of the Clean Air Act, 
the EPA finalized the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule (GHG 
Reporting Rule) (74 FR 56260; October 30, 2009). The GHG Reporting 
Rule, which became effective on December 29, 2009, establishes 
reporting requirements for certain large facilities and suppliers. It 
does not require control of greenhouse gases. Instead, it requires that 
sources emitting above certain threshold levels of (CO2 e) 
monitor and report emissions.
    Subsequent rules have promulgated requirements for additional 
facilities, suppliers, and mobile sources; provided clarification and 
corrections to existing requirements; finalized confidentiality 
business information (CBI) determinations, amended recordkeeping 
requirements, and implemented an alternative verification approach. 
Collectively, the GHG Reporting Rule and its associated rulemakings are 
referred to as the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP).
    The purpose for this ICR is to renew and revise the GHG Reporting 
Rule ICR to update and consolidate the burdens and costs imposed by all 
of the current ICRs under the GHGRP.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.24 
hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or 
disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This 
includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, 
install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of 
collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and 
maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; 
adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable 
instructions and requirements which have subsequently changed; train 
personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; search 
data sources; complete and review the collection of information; and 
transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the EPA's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
    1. Estimated total number of potential respondents: 9,899.
    2. Frequency of response: Annual, quarterly.
    3. Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 
72.
    4. Estimated total annual burden hours: 903,871 hours. This 
includes estimated total respondent hours of 878,911 hours and 
estimated total EPA hours of 24,960 hours.
    5. Estimated total annual costs: $113,837,441. This includes an 
estimated cost of $38,477,161 for capital investment as well as 
maintenance and operational costs, an estimated respondent burden cost 
of $63,360,249, and an estimated EPA cost of $12,000,030.
    Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval? There is 
a decrease of 102,121 hours in the total estimated respondent burden 
compared with that identified in the last ICR renewal. This change in 
burden reflects an adjustment in the number of respondents from 
projected to actual, an adjustment of labor rates and capital costs to 
reflect 2013 dollars, a re-evaluation of the activities and costs 
associated with Subparts W and RR, and the addition of new segments and 
new reporters under Subpart W.
    What is the next step in the process for this ICR? 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 
pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, the EPA will issue another 
Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce 
the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit 
additional comments to OMB. If you have any questions about this ICR or 
the approval process, please contact the technical person listed under 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: October 28, 2015.
Paul M. Gunning,
Director, Climate Change Division, Office of Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 2015-28275 Filed 11-4-15; 8:45 am]
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