Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Milestones Plan for the Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Point Source Category

Title: Milestones Plan for the Bleached Papergrade Kraft and Soda Subcategory of the Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Point Source Category (EPA ICR No. 1877.01). This is a new collection. Abstract: On April 15, 1998, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated the Final Cluster Rules for portions of the Pulp, Paper and Paperboard Point Source Category (40 CFR part 43). See 63 FR 18504. The

rules included the Voluntary Advanced Technology Incentives Program (VATIP) for the bleached papergrade kraft and soda subcategory, 40 CFR 430.24(b) and 430.25(c). On the same day, EPA proposed the Milestones Plan provisions as amendments to 40 CFR 430.24 requiring owners or operators of bleached papergrade kraft and soda mills enrolled in the VATIP to submit information to describe how they intend to achieve the VATIP Best Available Technology Economically Achievable (BAT) limits. See 63 FR 18796 (April 15, 1998). EPA has structured the Plan to provide maximum flexibility to the regulated community and to minimize administrative burdens on National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit authorities that regulate bleached papergrade kraft and soda mills. EPA does not expect that the majority of the information requested for the Milestones Plan to be confidential business information (CBI). However, EPA received comments on the proposed Milestones Plan regulation (63 FR 18796, April 15, 1998) indicating that a mill may wish to claim some information as CBI. Such claims would then be handled pursuant to 40 CFR part 2 when EPA is the permitting authority and applicable state rules and regulations governing CBI when states are the permitting authorities (see section 3(f) of the Supporting Statement for more information). 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 EPA's regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15. Burden Statement: The initial, one-time industry reporting and recordkeeping burden to prepare the Milestones Plan is estimated to average approximately 120 hours per respondent. This is a one-time burden. State NPDES permitting authorities burden to review the Milestones Plan is estimated at 16 hours per respondent as an initial burden with an average recurring incremental review burden of 6 hours per respondent. Agency burden to review the Milestones Plans is estimated at 20 hours per respondent as an initial burden with an average recurring incremental review burden of 4 hours per respondent. 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 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 previously applicable instructions and requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to the collection of information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of information and transmit or otherwise disclose the information. Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are those operations that chemically pulp wood fiber using kraft or soda methods to produce bleached papergrade pulp, paperboard, coarse paper, tissue paper, fine paper, and/or paperboard, and State permitting authorities. Estimated Number of Respondents: 29. Frequency of Response: One-time response for industry and State NPDES permitting authorities. Annual recurring burden for State permitting authorities. Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 1,302 hours. Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $0. Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please refer to EPA ICR No. 1877.01 in any correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OP Regulatory Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460; and Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503.

Dated: October 21, 1998. Richard T. Westlund, Acting Director, Regulatory Information Division. [FR Doc. 98-28725 Filed 10-26-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P