81 FR 62883 - Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Confidentiality Rules

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 177 (September 13, 2016)

The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Confidentiality Rules (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 1665.13, OMB Control No. 2020-0003) 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 February 28, 2017. 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 81, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 13, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62883-62884]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21988]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OEI-2013-0565; FRL-9951-37-OEI]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Confidentiality Rules

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Confidentiality Rules 
(Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 1665.13, OMB Control No. 2020-0003) 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 
February 28, 2017. 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 November 14, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OEI-
2013-0565, 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Gottesman, National Freedom of 
Information Act Officer, FOIA, Libraries and Accessibility Division, 
Office of Environmental Information, 2822T, Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone 
number: 202-566-2162; [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: In the course of administering environmental protection 
statutes, EPA collects data from ``businesses'' in many sectors of the 
U.S. economy. In many cases, ``businesses'' mark the data it submits to 
EPA as confidential business information (CBI). In addition, businesses 
submit information to EPA without the Agency requesting the 
information. EPA established the procedures described in 40 CFR part 2, 
subparts A and B, to protect the confidentiality of information as well 
as the rights of the public to obtain access to information under the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). In accordance with these 
regulations, when EPA finds it necessary to make a final 
confidentiality

[[Page 62884]]

determination (e.g., in response to a FOIA request or in the course of 
rulemaking or litigation, a resubstantiation of a prior claim, or an 
advance confidentiality determination), it shall notify the affected 
business and provide an opportunity to submit a substantiation of 
confidentiality claims. This ICR relates to information EPA needs to 
collect to assist in determining whether previously submitted 
information is entitled to confidential treatment.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are businesses and other for-profit companies.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain or retain a 
benefit, 5 U.S.C. Section 522 Freedom of Information Act.
    Estimated number of respondents: 228 (total).
    Frequency of response: 1 response per respondent annually.
    Total estimated burden: 1,533 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $139,514 (per year), includes $0 annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: There is no change in the total estimated 
respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB.
    As part of the ICR renewal process, EPA is obtaining usage for the 
past 12 months of each of the letters covered by this ICR to obtain up-
to-date estimates.

Larry F. Gottesman,
Agency FOIA Officer, Office of Environmental Information, Office of 
Enterprise Information Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016-21988 Filed 9-12-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P