[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 48 (Friday, March 12, 1999)] [Notices] [Pages 12314-12316] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-6181] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [OPPTS-00262; FRL-6050-9] Design for the Environment (DfE); Agency Information Collection Activities
Agency
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Action
Notice and request for comment.
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Summary
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that EPA is planning to submit the following Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. Before submitting the ICR to OMB, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the information collection described in Unit I. and Unit II. of this document. The ICR is a continuing ICR entitled ``Collection of Impact Data on Technical Information: Request for Generic Clearance, Design for the Environment (DfE),'' EPA ICR No. 1768.02, OMB No. 2070-0152. 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.
Dates
Written comments must be submitted on or before May 11, 1999.
Addresses
Each comment must bear the docket control number ``OPPTS- 00262'' and administrative record number 206. All comments should be sent in triplicate to: OPPT Document Control Officer (7407), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Rm. G-099, East Tower, Washington, DC 20460. Comments and data may also be submitted electronically to: oppt.ncic@epa.gov. Follow the instructions under Unit III. of this document. No TSCA Confidential Business Information (CBI) should be submitted through e-mail.
All comments that contain information claimed as CBI must be clearly marked as such. Three sanitized copies of any comments containing information claimed as CBI must also be submitted and will be placed in the public record for this document. Persons submitting information on any portion of which they believe is entitled to treatment as CBI by EPA must assert a business confidentiality claim in accordance with 40 CFR 2.203(b) for each such portion. This claim must be made at the time that the information is submitted to EPA. If a submitter does not assert a confidentiality claim at the time of submission, EPA will consider this as a waiver of any confidentiality claim and the information may be made available to the public by EPA without further notice to the submitter.
For Further Information Contact
For general information contact: Susan B. Hazen, Director, Environmental Assistance Division (7408), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460, Telephone: 202-554-1404, TDD: 202-554- 0551, e-mail: TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov. For technical information contact: Bill Hanson, Economics, Exposure and Technology Division (7406), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460, Telephone: 202-260-1678, Fax: 202-260-0981, e-mail: hanson.bill@epa.gov.
Supplementary Information
Electronic Availability:
Internet
Electronic copies of the ICR are available from the EPA Home Page at the Federal Register - Environmental Documents entry for this document under ``Laws and Regulations'' (www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/).
www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/Fax-on-Demand
Using a faxphone call 202-401-0527 and select item 4066 for a copy of the ICR.
I. Background
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are companies or industries that are part of industry sectors that may interact with EPA in the Agency's DfE program. For each collection of information addressed in this notice, EPA would like to solicit comments to: 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected. 4. 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.
II. Information Collection
EPA is seeking comments on the following ICR as well as the Agency's intention to renew the corresponding OMB approvals. Title: Collection of Impact Data on Technical Information: Request for Generic Clearance, Design for the Environment (DfE) ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1768.02, OMB No. 2070-0152. Approval expiration date: July 31, 1999. Abstract: EPA's DfE program is a voluntary, non-regulatory approach to encourage industry to adopt technologies and use materials that result in lower levels of pollution, lessened reliance on toxic materials, higher energy efficiency and lower environmental health risks. Through DfE, EPA creates partnerships with industry, professional organizations, state, and local governments, other federal agencies and the public to develop and disseminate technical information. This is a generic ICR for a series of surveys, referred to as DfE Technical Information Impact Studies, to undertake data collection in support of EPA's DfE program. The studies will focus on various industrial sectors such as printing, printed wiring board circuitry and dry cleaning. The purpose of all DfE Technical Information Impact Studies is to evaluate the impact of DfE technical information on industry practices, use of materials, and waste generation. In each case, EPA, often in collaboration with industry associations and universities, will have developed technical information for industry on the use of product reclamation processes and other workplace practices that may lower health risks to workers and prevent pollution. The proposed studies will each involve two separate surveys of owners or operators of target industry establishments. The initial survey will establish a baseline representing pre-technical information receipt. A follow-up survey will be administered approximately 2 years later to establish longer-term impacts of the technical materials. The overall goal of this before-and-after design is to understand the impacts of DfE technical information on workplace practices and technologies that generate or prevent pollution. This generic ICR will allow EPA to conduct a series of small conceptually interrelated surveys. It will permit the DfE program the ability to collect information in a timely manner and to evaluate the effectiveness of the technical materials EPA provides to industry. EPA will be the principal user of information developed from the survey findings, but EPA expects that tens of thousands of small businesses in a variety of industry sectors will benefit from the results of the studies. Responses to the collection of information are voluntary. Respondents may claim all or part of a response 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 burden to respondents for complying with this ICR is estimated to total 15,000 hours per year with an annual cost of $420,000. These totals are based on an average burden of approximately 2.0 hours per response for an estimated 7,500 respondents making one or more responses 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.
III. Public Record and Electronic Submissions
The official record for this document, as well as the public version, has been established for this document under docket control number ``OPPTS-00262'' (including comments and data submitted electronically as described below). A public version of this record, including printed, paper versions of electronic comments, which does not include any information claimed as CBI,
is available for inspection from 12 noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The official rulemaking record is located in the TSCA Nonconfidential Information Center, Rm. NE-B607, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC. Electronic comments can be sent directly to EPA at: oppt.ncic@epa.gov
Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. Comments and data will also be accepted on disks in WordPerfect 5.1/6.1 or ASCII file format. All comments and data in electronic form addressing ICR No. 0795.10 must be identified by docket control number ``OPPTS-00262'' and administrative record number 206. Electronic comments on this document may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Information collection requests, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Dated: February 1, 1999.
Stephen L. Johnson,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances.
[FR Doc. 99-6181 Filed 3-1-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-F