83_FR_42661 83 FR 42498 - Clean Water Act; Contractor Access to Confidential Business Information

83 FR 42498 - Clean Water Act; Contractor Access to Confidential Business Information

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 163 (August 22, 2018)

Page Range42498-42499
FR Document2018-18116

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to transfer confidential business information (CBI), collected from numerous industries, to ICF International (ICF) and its subcontractors and consultants, under an EPA contract newly awarded to ICF. Transfer of this information is necessary for ICF to assist the Office of Water in the preparation of economic analyses and environmental assessment activities conducted in support of Clean Water Act regulations and programs, such as effluent guidelines and associated planning and review activities, and water quality standards. Much of the information being transferred was or will be collected under the authority of section 308 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) to support effluent guidelines development in particular. Interested persons may submit comments on this intended transfer of information to the address noted below.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 163 (Wednesday, August 22, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 163 (Wednesday, August 22, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42498-42499]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18116]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9982-69-OW]


Clean Water Act; Contractor Access to Confidential Business 
Information

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of intended transfer of confidential business 
information to contractor and its subcontractors and consultants.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to transfer 
confidential business information (CBI), collected from numerous 
industries, to ICF International (ICF) and its subcontractors and 
consultants, under an EPA contract newly awarded to ICF. Transfer of 
this information is necessary for ICF to assist the Office of Water in 
the preparation of economic analyses and environmental assessment 
activities conducted in support of Clean Water Act regulations and 
programs, such as effluent guidelines and associated planning and 
review activities, and water quality standards. Much of the information 
being transferred was or will be collected under the authority of 
section 308 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) to support effluent guidelines 
development in particular. Interested persons may submit comments on 
this intended transfer of information to the address noted below.

DATES: Comments on the transfer of data are due August 27, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to M. Ahmar Siddiqui, Document Control 
Officer, Engineering and Analysis Division (4303T), U.S. EPA, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: M. Ahmar Siddiqui, Document Control 
Officer, at (202) 566-1044, or via email at siddiqui.ahmar@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has transferred CBI to its contractors 
and subcontractors as part of the effluent guidelines program under 40 
CFR 2.302(h). EPA determined that this transfer was necessary to enable 
the contractors, subcontractors, and consultants to perform their work 
in supporting EPA in planning, developing, and reviewing effluent 
guidelines and standards for certain industries.
    Pursuant to 40 CFR 2.302(h)(2), EPA is giving notice that it has 
entered into a new contract with ICF, contract number 68HE0C18D0001, 
located in Fairfax, Virginia. The purpose of this contract is to secure 
economic and environmental assessment support for EPA in its 
development, review, implementation, and defense of water-related 
initiatives for a variety of industries or states. To obtain assistance 
in responding to this contract, ICF has entered into contracts with the 
following subcontractors and consultants: The Cadmus Group, LLC 
(located in Waltham, Massachusetts), CognistX (located in Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania), Great Lakes Environmental Center, Inc. (located in 
Traverse City, Michigan), Horizon Systems Corporation (located in White 
Stone, Virginia), Innovate! Inc. (located in Alexandria, Virginia), 
LimnoTech Inc. (located in Ann Arbor, Michigan), Resources for the 
Future (located in Washington, DC), RTI International (located in 
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina), Wayne Gray (located in 
Worcester, Massachusetts), Robert Johnston (located in Millville, 
Massachusetts), Klaus Moeltner (located in Blacksburg, Virginia), Kerry 
Smith (located in Cave Creek, Arizona), and Raghavan Srinivasan 
(located in College Station, Texas).
    All EPA contractor, subcontractor, and consultant personnel are 
bound by the requirements and sanctions contained in their contracts 
with EPA and in EPA's CBI regulations found at 40 CFR part 2, subpart 
B. ICF will adhere to an EPA-approved security plan which describes 
procedures to protect CBI. ICF will apply the procedures in this plan 
to CBI previously gathered by EPA and to CBI that may be gathered in 
the future. The security plan specifies that contractor personnel are 
required to sign non-disclosure agreements and are briefed

[[Page 42499]]

on appropriate security procedures before they are permitted access to 
CBI. No person is automatically granted access to CBI: A need to know 
must exist.
    The information that will be transferred to ICF consists of 
information previously collected by EPA to support the development and 
review of effluent limitations guidelines and standards under the CWA. 
In particular, information, including CBI, collected for the planning, 
development, and review of effluent limitations guidelines and 
standards for the following industries may be transferred to ICF under 
the new contract: Airport deicing; aquaculture; centralized waste 
treatment; coal bed methane; concentrated animal feeding operations; 
coal mining; construction and development; drinking water treatment; 
industrial container and drum cleaning; industrial laundries; 
industrial waste combustors; iron and steel manufacturing; landfills; 
meat and poultry products; metal finishing; metal products and 
machinery; nonferrous metals manufacturing; oil and gas extraction 
(including coalbed methane); ore mining and dressing; organic 
chemicals, plastics, and synthetic fibers; pesticide chemicals; 
petroleum refining; pharmaceutical manufacturing; pulp, paper, and 
paperboard manufacturing; shale gas extraction; steam electric power 
generation; textile mills; timber products processing; tobacco; 
transportation equipment cleaning; and other industrial categories that 
EPA has reviewed as part of its CWA required annual review activities.
    EPA also intends to transfer to ICF all information listed in this 
notice, of the type described above (including CBI) that may be 
collected in the future under the authority of section 308 of the CWA 
or voluntarily submitted (e.g., in comments in response to a Federal 
Register notice), as is necessary to enable ICF to carry out the work 
required by its contract to support EPA's effluent guidelines planning 
and review process and the development of effluent limitations 
guidelines and standards.

    Dated: August 10, 2018.
Deborah G. Nagle,
Acting Director, Office of Science and Technology, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 2018-18116 Filed 8-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P



                                              42498                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 22, 2018 / Notices

                                              1980’s, this independent review                         the EPA’s Technology Transfer Network                 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC
                                              function has been performed by CASAC.                   website at https://www.epa.gov/naaqs/                 20460.
                                                 Presently, the EPA is reviewing the                  nitrogen-dioxide-no2-and-sulfur-                      FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: M.
                                              secondary NAAQS for oxides of                           dioxide-so2-secondary-standards-                      Ahmar Siddiqui, Document Control
                                              nitrogen, oxides of sulfur, and PM.1 PM                 planning-documents-current.                           Officer, at (202) 566–1044, or via email
                                              was added to this review after the draft                  The REA Planning Document will be                   at siddiqui.ahmar@epa.gov.
                                              Integrated Review Plan (80 FR 69220,                    discussed at a public meeting for review              SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has
                                              November 9, 2015) was released to the                   by CASAC and the public. A separate                   transferred CBI to its contractors and
                                              public and reviewed by CASAC in                         Federal Register notice provides details              subcontractors as part of the effluent
                                              recognition of linkages between these                   about this meeting and the process for                guidelines program under 40 CFR
                                              pollutants (oxides of nitrogen, oxides of               participation (83 FR 31755, July 9,                   2.302(h). EPA determined that this
                                              sulfur, and PM) with respect to                         2018). The EPA will also consider                     transfer was necessary to enable the
                                              deposition and atmospheric chemistry,                   public comments on the REA Planning                   contractors, subcontractors, and
                                              as well as from an environmental effects                Document that are submitted to the                    consultants to perform their work in
                                              perspective. Additional welfare effects                 docket, as described above.                           supporting EPA in planning,
                                              associated with PM, such as visibility,
                                                                                                        Dated: August 2, 2018.                              developing, and reviewing effluent
                                              climate and materials effects, and the
                                                                                                      Panagiotis Tsirigotis,                                guidelines and standards for certain
                                              health effects of PM (including
                                                                                                      Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and          industries.
                                              particulate transformation products of
                                                                                                      Standards.                                               Pursuant to 40 CFR 2.302(h)(2), EPA
                                              oxides of nitrogen and oxides of sulfur)
                                                                                                      [FR Doc. 2018–17041 Filed 8–21–18; 8:45 am]           is giving notice that it has entered into
                                              are considered as part of the review of
                                                                                                                                                            a new contract with ICF, contract
                                              the NAAQS for PM (81 FR 87933,                          BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
                                                                                                                                                            number 68HE0C18D0001, located in
                                              December 6, 2016). The health effects of
                                                                                                                                                            Fairfax, Virginia. The purpose of this
                                              oxides of nitrogen were considered in a
                                              separate assessment that was completed                  ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION                              contract is to secure economic and
                                              recently as part of the review of the                   AGENCY                                                environmental assessment support for
                                              primary (health-based) NAAQS for                                                                              EPA in its development, review,
                                              oxides of nitrogen (83 FR 17226, April                  [FRL–9982–69–OW]                                      implementation, and defense of water-
                                              18, 2018). Similarly, the health effects of                                                                   related initiatives for a variety of
                                              oxides of sulfur are currently being                    Clean Water Act; Contractor Access to                 industries or states. To obtain assistance
                                              considered in a separate assessment as                  Confidential Business Information                     in responding to this contract, ICF has
                                              part of the review of the primary                                                                             entered into contracts with the
                                                                                                      AGENCY:  Environmental Protection                     following subcontractors and
                                              NAAQS for oxides of sulfur (83 FR                       Agency (EPA).
                                              26752, June 8, 2018).                                                                                         consultants: The Cadmus Group, LLC
                                                                                                      ACTION: Notice of intended transfer of                (located in Waltham, Massachusetts),
                                                 The EPA’s overall plan for this review
                                                                                                      confidential business information to                  CognistX (located in Pittsburgh,
                                              is presented in the Integrated Review
                                                                                                      contractor and its subcontractors and                 Pennsylvania), Great Lakes
                                              Plan for the Secondary NAAQS for
                                                                                                      consultants.                                          Environmental Center, Inc. (located in
                                              Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur
                                              and Particulate Matter.2 The REA                                                                              Traverse City, Michigan), Horizon
                                                                                                      SUMMARY:   The Environmental Protection               Systems Corporation (located in White
                                              Planning Document considers the                         Agency (EPA) intends to transfer
                                              degree to which important uncertainties                                                                       Stone, Virginia), Innovate! Inc. (located
                                                                                                      confidential business information (CBI),              in Alexandria, Virginia), LimnoTech
                                              identified in quantitative analyses from                collected from numerous industries, to
                                              previous reviews have been addressed                                                                          Inc. (located in Ann Arbor, Michigan),
                                                                                                      ICF International (ICF) and its                       Resources for the Future (located in
                                              by newly available scientific evidence,                 subcontractors and consultants, under
                                              tools, or information, including those in                                                                     Washington, DC), RTI International
                                                                                                      an EPA contract newly awarded to ICF.                 (located in Research Triangle Park,
                                              the second external review draft of the                 Transfer of this information is necessary
                                              Integrated Science Assessment for                                                                             North Carolina), Wayne Gray (located in
                                                                                                      for ICF to assist the Office of Water in              Worcester, Massachusetts), Robert
                                              Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur                    the preparation of economic analyses
                                              and Particulate Matter-Ecological                                                                             Johnston (located in Millville,
                                                                                                      and environmental assessment activities               Massachusetts), Klaus Moeltner (located
                                              Criteria (83 FR 29786, June 26, 2018).                  conducted in support of Clean Water
                                              Based on these considerations, the                                                                            in Blacksburg, Virginia), Kerry Smith
                                                                                                      Act regulations and programs, such as                 (located in Cave Creek, Arizona), and
                                              document reaches preliminary                            effluent guidelines and associated
                                              conclusions on the extent to which                                                                            Raghavan Srinivasan (located in College
                                                                                                      planning and review activities, and                   Station, Texas).
                                              updated quantitative analyses of                        water quality standards. Much of the
                                              exposures or public welfare risks are                                                                            All EPA contractor, subcontractor,
                                                                                                      information being transferred was or                  and consultant personnel are bound by
                                              warranted in the current review. For                    will be collected under the authority of
                                              updated analyses that are supported,                                                                          the requirements and sanctions
                                                                                                      section 308 of the Clean Water Act                    contained in their contracts with EPA
                                              this planning document presents                         (CWA) to support effluent guidelines
                                              anticipated approaches to conducting                                                                          and in EPA’s CBI regulations found at
                                                                                                      development in particular. Interested                 40 CFR part 2, subpart B. ICF will
                                              such analyses. This document will be                    persons may submit comments on this
                                              available on or about August 6, 2018, on                                                                      adhere to an EPA-approved security
                                                                                                      intended transfer of information to the               plan which describes procedures to
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1




                                                                                                      address noted below.                                  protect CBI. ICF will apply the
                                                 1 The EPA’s call for information for the NO /SO
                                                                                            X    X
                                              secondary review was issued on August 29, 2013          DATES: Comments on the transfer of data               procedures in this plan to CBI
                                              (78 FR 53452), and the call for information on the      are due August 27, 2018.                              previously gathered by EPA and to CBI
                                              PM review (both secondary and primary) was              ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to                    that may be gathered in the future. The
                                              issued on December 3, 2014 (79 FR 71764).
                                                 2 Available at https://www.epa.gov/naaqs/            M. Ahmar Siddiqui, Document Control                   security plan specifies that contractor
                                              nitrogen-dioxide-no2-and-sulfur-dioxide-so2-            Officer, Engineering and Analysis                     personnel are required to sign non-
                                              secondary-standards-planning-documents-current.         Division (4303T), U.S. EPA, 1200                      disclosure agreements and are briefed


                                         VerDate Sep<11>2014   16:34 Aug 21, 2018   Jkt 244001   PO 00000   Frm 00040   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\22AUN1.SGM   22AUN1


                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 22, 2018 / Notices                                                 42499

                                              on appropriate security procedures                      under the Shipping Act of 1984.                         Filing Party: Wayne Rohde; Cozen
                                              before they are permitted access to CBI.                Interested parties may submit comments                O’Connor.
                                              No person is automatically granted                      on the agreements to the Secretary by                   Synopsis: The agreement authorizes
                                              access to CBI: A need to know must                      email at Secretary@fmc.gov, or by mail,               King Ocean to charter space to Seaboard
                                              exist.                                                  Federal Maritime Commission,                          in the trade between Port Everglades, FL
                                                 The information that will be                         Washington, DC 20573, within twelve                   on the one hand and Costa Rica and
                                              transferred to ICF consists of                          days of the date this notice appears in               Panama on the other hand. The parties
                                              information previously collected by                     the Federal Register. Copies of the                   request expedited review.
                                              EPA to support the development and                      agreements are available through the                    Proposed Effective Date: 9/24/2018.
                                              review of effluent limitations guidelines               Commission’s website (www.fmc.gov) or                   Location: https://www2.fmc.gov/
                                              and standards under the CWA. In                         by contacting the Office of Agreements                FMC.Agreements.Web/Public/
                                              particular, information, including CBI,                 at (202)–523–5793 or tradeanalysis@                   AgreementHistory/15264.
                                              collected for the planning, development,                fmc.gov.                                                Dated: August 17, 2018.
                                              and review of effluent limitations                         Agreement No.: 201259–001.                         Rachel Dickon,
                                              guidelines and standards for the                           Agreement Name: Ocean Network                      Secretary.
                                              following industries may be transferred                 Express Pte. Ltd. (ONE)/Kyowa                         [FR Doc. 2018–18108 Filed 8–21–18; 8:45 am]
                                              to ICF under the new contract: Airport                  Shipping Co., Ltd. Slot Charter
                                              deicing; aquaculture; centralized waste                                                                       BILLING CODE 6731–AA–P
                                                                                                      Agreement.
                                              treatment; coal bed methane;                               Parties: Kyowa Shipping Co., Ltd. and
                                              concentrated animal feeding operations;                 Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd.
                                              coal mining; construction and                                                                                 GENERAL SERVICES
                                                                                                         Filing Party: Carrol Hand; Ocean
                                              development; drinking water treatment;                                                                        ADMINISTRATION
                                                                                                      Network Express.
                                              industrial container and drum cleaning;                    Synopsis: The amendment removes                    [OMB Control No. 3090–0262; Docket No.
                                              industrial laundries; industrial waste                  the Agreement’s expiration date.                      2018–0001; Sequence No. 9]
                                              combustors; iron and steel                                 Proposed Effective Date: 9/29/2018.
                                              manufacturing; landfills; meat and                         Location: https://www2.fmc.gov/                    Submission for OMB Review; General
                                              poultry products; metal finishing; metal                FMC.Agreements.Web/Public/                            Services Administration Acquisition
                                              products and machinery; nonferrous                      AgreementHistory/13190.                               Regulation; Identification of Products
                                              metals manufacturing; oil and gas                                                                             With Environmental Attributes
                                                                                                         Agreement No.: 201260–001.
                                              extraction (including coalbed methane);
                                                                                                         Agreement Name: Ocean Network                      AGENCY:  Office of Acquisition Policy,
                                              ore mining and dressing; organic
                                                                                                      Express Pte. Ltd. (ONE)/NYK Bulk &                    General Services Administration (GSA).
                                              chemicals, plastics, and synthetic fibers;
                                                                                                      Projects Carriers Ltd. Slot Charter                   ACTION: Notice of request for comments
                                              pesticide chemicals; petroleum refining;
                                                                                                      Agreement.                                            regarding an extension of a previously
                                              pharmaceutical manufacturing; pulp,
                                                                                                         Parties: NYK Bulk & Project Carriers               existing OMB clearance.
                                              paper, and paperboard manufacturing;
                                                                                                      Ltd. and Ocean Network Express Pte.
                                              shale gas extraction; steam electric                                                                          SUMMARY:    Under the provisions of the
                                                                                                      Ltd.
                                              power generation; textile mills; timber                                                                       Paperwork Reduction Act the
                                                                                                         Filing Party: Carrol Hand; Ocean
                                              products processing; tobacco;                                                                                 Regulatory Secretariat Division will be
                                                                                                      Network Express.
                                              transportation equipment cleaning; and
                                                                                                         Synopsis: The amendment removes                    submitting to the Office of Management
                                              other industrial categories that EPA has
                                                                                                      the Agreement’s expiration date.                      and Budget (OMB) a request to review
                                              reviewed as part of its CWA required
                                                                                                         Proposed Effective Date: 9/29/2018.                and approve an extension of a
                                              annual review activities.
                                                 EPA also intends to transfer to ICF all                 Location: https://www2.fmc.gov/                    previously approved information
                                              information listed in this notice, of the               FMC.Agreements.Web/Public/                            collection requirement regarding
                                              type described above (including CBI)                    AgreementHistory/13191.                               identification of products with
                                              that may be collected in the future                        Agreement No.: 201265.                             environmental attributes.
                                              under the authority of section 308 of the                  Agreement Name: Crowley/Seaboard                   DATES: Submit comments on or before:
                                              CWA or voluntarily submitted (e.g., in                  Costa Rica & Panama Space Charter                     September 21, 2018.
                                              comments in response to a Federal                       Agreement.                                            ADDRESSES: Submit comments regarding
                                              Register notice), as is necessary to                       Parties: Crowley Latin America                     this burden estimate or any other aspect
                                              enable ICF to carry out the work                        Services, LLC and Seaboard Marine Ltd.                of this collection of information,
                                              required by its contract to support EPA’s                  Filing Party: Wayne Rohde; Cozen                   including suggestions for reducing this
                                              effluent guidelines planning and review                 O’Connor.                                             burden to: Office of Information and
                                              process and the development of effluent                    Synopsis: The agreement authorizes                 Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention:
                                              limitations guidelines and standards.                   Crowley to charter space to Seaboard in               Desk Officer for GSA, Room 10236,
                                                                                                      the trade between Port Everglades, FL                 NEOB, Washington, DC 20503.
                                                Dated: August 10, 2018.
                                                                                                      on the one hand and Costa Rica and                    Additionally submit a copy to GSA by
                                              Deborah G. Nagle,
                                                                                                      Panama on the other hand. The parties                 any of the following methods:
                                              Acting Director, Office of Science and                  request expedited review.                                • Regulations.gov: http://
                                              Technology, Office of Water.
                                                                                                         Proposed Effective Date: 9/24/2018.                www.regulations.gov. Submit comments
                                              [FR Doc. 2018–18116 Filed 8–21–18; 8:45 am]                Location: https://www2.fmc.gov/                    via the Federal eRulemaking portal by
                                              BILLING CODE 6560–50–P                                  FMC.Agreements.Web/Public/                            inputting ‘‘Information Collection 3090–
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1




                                                                                                      AgreementHistory/15263.                               0262, Identification of Products with
                                                                                                         Agreement No.: 201266.                             Environmental Attributes’’, under the
                                              FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION                                Agreement Name: King Ocean/                        heading ‘‘Enter Keyword or ID’’ and
                                                                                                      Seaboard Costa Rica & Panama Space                    selecting ‘‘Search’’. Select the link
                                              Notice of Agreements Filed
                                                                                                      Charter Agreement.                                    ‘‘Submit a Comment’’ that corresponds
                                                The Commission hereby gives notice                       Parties: King Ocean Services Limited,              with ‘‘Information Collection 3090–
                                              of the filing of the following agreements               Inc. and Seaboard Marine Ltd.                         0262, Identification of Products with


                                         VerDate Sep<11>2014   16:34 Aug 21, 2018   Jkt 244001   PO 00000   Frm 00041   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\22AUN1.SGM   22AUN1



Document Created: 2018-08-22 00:39:08
Document Modified: 2018-08-22 00:39:08
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of intended transfer of confidential business information to contractor and its subcontractors and consultants.
DatesComments on the transfer of data are due August 27, 2018.
ContactM. Ahmar Siddiqui, Document Control Officer, at (202) 566-1044, or via email at [email protected]
FR Citation83 FR 42498 

2024 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR