80 FR 79891 - Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Distribution of Offsite Consequence Analysis Information Under Section 112(r)(7)(H) of the Clean Air Act (CAA)

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 246 (December 23, 2015)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Distribution of Offsite Consequence Analysis Information under Section 112(r)(7)(H) of the Clean Air Act (CAA),'' (EPA ICR No. 1981.06, OMB Control No. 2050- 0172) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 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 June 30, 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.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 246 (Wednesday, December 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79891-79892]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32220]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0073, FRL_9940-48-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Distribution of Offsite Consequence Analysis Information Under Section 
112(r)(7)(H) of the Clean Air Act (CAA)

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), ``Distribution of 
Offsite Consequence Analysis Information under Section 112(r)(7)(H) of 
the Clean Air Act (CAA),'' (EPA ICR No. 1981.06, OMB Control No. 2050-
0172) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.). 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 June 30, 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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 22, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2003-0073, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to [email protected] 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.

[[Page 79892]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sicy Jacob, Office of Emergency 
Management, Mail Code 5104A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 
564-8019; fax number: (202) 564-2620; 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.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 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 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: This ICR is the renewal of the ICR developed for the 
final rule, Accidental Release Prevention Requirements; Risk Management 
Programs Under the Clean Air Act Section 112(r)(7); Distribution of 
Off-Site Consequence Analysis Information. CAA section 112(r)(7) 
required EPA to promulgate reasonable regulations and appropriate 
guidance to provide for the prevention and detection of accidental 
releases and for responses to such releases. The regulations include 
requirements for submittal of a risk management plan (RMP) to EPA. The 
RMP includes information on offsite consequence analyses (OCA) as well 
as other elements of the risk management program.
    On August 5, 1999, the President signed the Chemical Safety 
Information, Site Security, and Fuels Regulatory Relief Act 
(CSISSFRRA). The Act required the President to promulgate regulations 
on the distribution of OCA information (CAA section 112(r)(7)(H)(ii)). 
The President delegated to EPA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) the 
responsibility to promulgate regulations to govern the dissemination of 
OCA information to the public. The final rule was published on August 
4, 2000 (65 FR 48108). The regulations imposed minimal requirements on 
the public, state and local agencies that request OCA data from EPA. 
The state and local agencies who decide to obtain OCA information must 
send a written request on their official letterhead to EPA certifying 
that they are covered persons under Public Law 106-40, and that they 
will use the information for official use only. EPA will then provide 
OCA data to those agencies as requested. The rule authorizes and 
encourages state and local agencies to set up reading rooms. The local 
reading rooms would provide read-only access to OCA information for all 
the sources in the LEPC's jurisdiction and for any source where the 
vulnerable zone extends into the LEPC's jurisdiction.
    Members of the public requesting to view OCA information at federal 
reading rooms would be required to sign in and self-certify. If asking 
for OCA information from federal reading rooms for the facilities in 
the area where they live or work, they would be required to provide 
proof that they live or work in that area. Members of the public are 
required to give their names, telephone number, and the names of the 
facilities for which OCA information is being requested, when they 
contact the central office to schedule an appointment to view OCA 
information.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are States, local agencies, and members of the public.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 3,915 (total).
    Frequency of response: One.
    Total estimated burden: 10,530 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $327,768 per year.
    Changes in Estimates: The burden and costs stated above are from 
the current approved ICR, 1981.05. EPA may adjust these estimates based 
on public comments received or other information gained by the Agency 
prior to submitting the ICR renewal package to OMB. EPA estimates a 
total of 715 hours (annually) for state and local agencies requesting 
OCA data from EPA and providing read-only access to the public. For the 
public to display photo identification, sign a sign-in sheet, certify 
that the individual has not received access to OCA information for more 
than 10 stationary sources for that calendar month, and to request 
information from the vulnerable zone indicator system (VZIS), EPA 
estimates a total of 800 hours annually. The total burden for the 
members of the public, state and local agencies is 1,515 hours and 
$48,854 annually (4,545 hours and $146,562 for three years). The labor 
and wage rates would also be adjusted based on the current rates 
available.

    Dated: December 16, 2015.
Reggie Cheatham,
Director, Office of Emergency Management.
[FR Doc. 2015-32220 Filed 12-22-15; 8:45 am]
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