Agency Information Collection Activities; Toxic Chemical Release Reporting; Submission of ICR No. 1363.09 to OMB

Review Requested: This is a request to renew a currently approved information collection pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. ICR Numbers: EPA ICR No. 1363.09; OMB Control No. 2070-0093. Current Expiration Date: Current OMB approval expires on April 30, 2000. Title: Toxic Chemical Release Reporting, Recordkeeping, Supplier Notification and Petitions under Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). Abstract: Section 313 of EPCRA requires owners or operators of certain facilities that manufacture, process or otherwise use any of over 600 listed toxic chemicals and chemical categories in excess of applicable threshold quantities to report annually to the Environmental Protection Agency and to the states in which such facilities are located on their environmental releases and transfers of and waste management activities for such chemicals. In addition, section 6607 of the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) requires that facilities provide information on the quantities of the toxic chemicals in waste streams and the efforts made to reduce or eliminate those quantities. Annual reporting under EPCRA section 313 of toxic chemical releases and other waste management information provides citizens with a more complete picture of the total disposition of chemicals in their communities and helps focus industries' attention on pollution prevention and source reduction opportunities. The information gathered under these authorities is stored in a database maintained at EPA and is available through the Internet. This information, commonly known as the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), is used extensively by both EPA and the public sector. Responses to the collection of information are mandatory (see 40 CFR part 372). Respondents may claim all or part of a document confidential. EPA will disclose information that is covered by a claim of confidentiality only to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with, the procedures in TSCA section 14 and 40 CFR part 2.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 52.1 hours per response for an estimated 25,159 respondents making one or more submissions of information annually. These estimates include 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. No person is required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for these regulations are displayed in 40 CFR part 9. Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are owners or operators of facilities that manufacture, process or otherwise use certain specified toxic chemicals and chemical categories, which are required under EPCRA section 313 to report annually on the environmental releases and transfers of and waste management activities for such chemicals. Estimated No. of Respondents: 27,235. Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 7,321,441 hours. Frequency of Collection: Annually. According to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12, EPA has submitted this ICR to OMB for review and approval. Any comments related to the renewal of this ICR should be submitted within 30 days of this document, as described above.

Dated: December 21, 1999. Richard T. Westlund, Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division, Office of Environmental Information. [FR Doc. 99-33626 Filed 12-27-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P