Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Recordkeeping and Periodic Reporting of the Production, Import, Export, Recycling, Destruction, Transhipment, and Feedstock Use of Ozone-Depleting Substances, EPA ICR Number 1432.25, OMB Control Number 2060-0170, 34470-34472 [05-11716]

Agencies

• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34470-34472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-11716]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OAR-2002-0073, FRL-7923-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Recordkeeping and Periodic Reporting of the 
Production, Import, Export, Recycling, Destruction, Transhipment, and 
Feedstock Use of Ozone-Depleting Substances, EPA ICR Number 1432.25, 
OMB Control Number 2060-0170

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

[[Page 34471]]


ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a 
renewal continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an existing 
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on August 31, 
2005. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is 
soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information 
collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 15, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OAR-2002-
0073, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to 
a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Air Docket, Mail Code 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kirsten M. Cappel, Office of 
Atmospheric Programs, Stratospheric Protection Division, Mail Code 
6205J, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone (202) 343-9556, facsimile (202) 343-
2338, e-mail: cappel.kirsten@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has established a public docket for this 
ICR under Docket ID number OAR-2002-0073, which is available for public 
viewing at the EPA Air Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA 
West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA 
Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number 
for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for 
the EPA Air Docket is (202) 566-1742. An electronic version of the 
public docket is available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at https://
www.epa.gov/edocket. Use EDOCKET to obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the public docket, and to access those 
documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once 
in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number 
identified above.
    Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA within 
60 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments, whether 
submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public 
viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the 
comment contains copyrighted material, confidential business 
information (CBI), or other information whose public disclosure is 
restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment containing 
copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that material in 
the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The entire 
printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be available 
in the public docket. Although identified as an item in the official 
docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise 
restricted by statute, is not included in the official public docket, 
and will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET. For further 
information about the electronic docket, see EPA's Federal Register 
notice describing the electronic docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002), 
or go to https://www.epa.gov./edocket.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those that produce, import, export, destroy, transform as a feedstock, 
distribute, or apply controlled ozone depleting substances (ODS).
    Title: Recordkeeping and Periodic Reporting of the Production, 
Import, Export, Recycling, Destruction, Transhipment, and Feedstock Use 
of Ozone-Depleting Substances, EPA ICR Number 1432.25; OMB Control 
Number 2060-0170.
    Abstract: The international treaty The Montreal Protocol on 
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Protocol) and Title VI of the 
Clean Air Act (CAA) established limits on total U.S. production, 
import, and export of class I and class II controlled ODS. Under its 
Protocol commitments, the United States is obliged to cease production 
and import of class I controlled substances with exemptions for 
essential uses, critical uses, previously used material, and material 
that will transformed, destroyed, or exported to developing countries. 
The Protocol also establishes limits and reduction schedules leading to 
the eventual phaseout of class II controlled substances with similar 
exemptions beyond the phaseout. Additionally, the CAA has its own 
limits on production and consumption of controlled substances that EPA 
must adhere to and enforce.
    To ensure the United States's compliance with the limits and 
restrictions established by the Protocol and the CAA, the ODS phaseout 
regulations establish control measures for individual companies. The 
limits and restrictions for individual United States companies are 
monitored by EPA through the recordkeeping and reporting requirements 
established in the regulations stated in 40 CFR part 82, subpart A. To 
submit required information, regulated entities can download reporting 
forms from EPA's stratospheric ozone Web site (https://www.epa.gov/
ozone/record.index.html), complete them, and then send them to EPA via 
U.S. Mail or fax. Upon receipt of the reports, the data is entered and 
subsequently stored in the Stratospheric Protection Tracking System 
(Tracking System). The Tracking System is a secure database that 
maintains all of the data that is submitted to EPA and allows the 
Agency to: (1) Maintain control over total production and consumption 
of controlled substances to satisfy conditions of the CAA and fulfill 
the United States's obligations under the Protocol; (2) monitor 
compliance with limits and restrictions on production, imports, 
exports, and specific exemptions to the phaseout for individual U.S. 
companies; and (3) enforce against illegal imports and violations 
related to the control of class I and class II substances. 
Additionally, reporting on the exemptions permits an entity to retain 
the benefit of being able to produce or import a controlled class I ODS 
beyond the date of complete phaseout.
    EPA is developing an electronic reporting system through the 
Agency's Central Data Exchange (CDX) that will allow regulated entities 
to download, complete, and submit reports electronically. Electronic 
reporting is expected to make the reporting process more effective and 
efficient for reporting companies and EPA. When electronic reporting 
becomes available, EPA will change its guidance document and its ICR to 
indicate a reduction in burden hours.
    Pursuant to regulations 40 CFR part 2, part B, reporting businesses 
are entitled to assert a business confidentiality claim covering any 
part of the submitted business information as defined in 40 CFR 
2.201(c).
    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.
    EPA would like to solicit comments to:
    (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the

[[Page 34472]]

functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have 
practical utility;
    (ii) 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;
    (iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    (iv) 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.
    Burden Statement: EPA requests comments on the following estimated 
burden hours and costs adapted from ICR number 1432.22. EPA may revise 
the calculations based on recently submitted class I and class II data 
to more accurately reflect implementation of the ODS phaseout. 
Recordkeeping and reporting requirements for class I ODS may have 
decreased over time as the phaseout of controlled ODS has matured.
    The accelerated phaseout rule for ODS requires respondents to 
submit reports to the Agency and maintain records. The estimated total 
number of respondents is 253 and the frequency of responses is 
quarterly and/or annually. The total burden hours is estimated to be 
about 5,553. Operating and maintenance (O&M) costs include file 
storage, photocopying, and storage, and postage. They also include the 
general upkeep of start-up capital equipment, as well as any purchase 
of services such as contractor or auditing services. O&M costs are 
estimated at $3,032 for the accelerated phaseout rule for ODS. The 
burden hours and costs are as follows: (a) Respondent's annual burden 
hours, $6,876; (b) Respondent's annual labor costs, $536,328; (c) 
Respondent's capital/start-up costs (ICR renewal notice), $0; (d) 
Respondent's O&M costs, $3,032; (e) Agency's annual burden hours, 
$2,159; (f) Agency's annual labor costs, $102,125.
    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.

    Dated: June 5, 2005.
Drusilla Hufford,
Director, Stratospheric Protection Division, Office of Air and 
Radiation.
[FR Doc. 05-11716 Filed 6-13-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P