Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; RCRA Expanded Public Participation

Title: RCRA Expanded Public Participation (OMB Control No. 2050- 0149; EPA ICR No. 1688.03.) This is a request for extension of a currently approved collection. Abstract: EPA has a statutory obligation, under section 7004, to provide for, encourage, and assist public participation in the development, revision, implementation, and enforcement of any regulation, guideline, information, or program under the Act. The regulations implementing these requirements are codified at 40 CFR parts 124 and 270. EPA promulgated requirements for providing additional opportunities for the public to be involved in the RCRA permitting process under 40 CFR part 124, sections 124.31 through 124.33 and in part 270, sections 270.62 and 270.66. The part 124 requirements apply to all types of hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities, unless exempted under a specific section; the part 270 requirements apply only to hazardous waste combustors planning trial burns. These requirements are important components in: (1) Meeting its statutory mandate to promote public participation in the development, revision, and implementation of any regulation under RCRA; and (2) achieving EPA's goal of enhancing public involvement. EPA believes that these regulations encourage people to become involved in the permitting process and increase understanding of hazardous waste facilities. 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. The Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on 09/04/98 (63 FR 47277); no comments were received. Burden Statement: The annual reporting burden associated with activities related to both the pre-application meeting, estimated to

average 89.1 hours, and to the information repository, estimated to average 7.6 hours. The annual recordkeeping burden associated with activities related to both the pre-application meeting, estimated to average 0.5 hours (to retain documentation), and to the information repository, estimated to average 26.5 hours. 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; 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. Respondents/Affected Entities: Owners and operators of facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste. Estimated Number of Respondents: 395. Frequency of Response: 790. Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 7253 hours. Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $9,204.00. 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. 1688.03 and OMB Control No. 2050-0149 in any correspondence. Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OP Regulatory Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460 (or E-Mail Farmer.Sandy@epamail.epa.gov); 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 11, 1998. Richard Westlund, Acting Director, Regulatory Information Division. [FR Doc. 98-30967 Filed 11-18-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P