Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Under EPA's WasteWise Program, 10022-10023 [2011-3995]

Agencies

• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 23, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10022-10023]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-3995]



[[Page 10022]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-RCRA-2010-0832, FRL-9269-6]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Under EPA's 
WasteWise Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to 
submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection 
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is 
scheduled to expire on June 30, 2011. 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 April 25, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
RCRA-2010-0832, by one of the following methods:
     https://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: rcra-docket@epa.gov.
     Fax: 202-566-9744.
     Mail: RCRA Docket (28221T), U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.
     Hand Delivery: 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Room 3334, 
Washington, DC 20460. Such deliveries are only accepted during the 
Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be 
made for deliveries of boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-RCRA-
2010-0832. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included 
in the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you 
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through https://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The https://www.regulations.gov Web site 
is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your 
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of 
your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without 
going through https://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you 
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name 
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any 
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA 
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid 
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public 
docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at https://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marian Robinson, Office of Resources & 
Conservation Recovery, 5306P, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 
308-8666; fax number: (703) 308-8686; e-mail address: 
robinson.marian@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

How can I access the docket and/or submit comments?

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-RCRA-2010-0832, which is available for online viewing at 
https://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the RCRA Docket in 
the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 
8 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 RCRA Docket is (202) 566-0270.
    Use https://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the 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 in this document.

What information is EPA particularly interested in?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically 
solicits comments and information to enable it to:
    (i) 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;
    (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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from 
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of 
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork 
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What should I consider when I prepare my comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific 
examples.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 
that support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 
under DATES.
    7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page 
of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal 
Register citation.

What information collection activity or ICR does this apply to?

    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
businesses, not-for-profit, and State, Local, or Tribal governments.

[[Page 10023]]

    Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Under EPA's 
WasteWise Program
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1698.08, OMB Control No. 2050-0139
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on June 30, 
2011. 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 in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal 
Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed 
either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate 
means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if 
applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA 
regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: EPA's voluntary WasteWise program encourages businesses 
and other organizations to reduce solid waste through waste prevention, 
recycling, and the purchase or manufacture of recycled-content 
products. WasteWise participants include partners, who commit to 
implementing waste reduction activities tailored to their specific 
needs, and endorsers who promote WasteWise and recruit organizations to 
join the program.
    WasteWise requires partners to register for membership in the 
program. Previously, WasteWise used paper forms that we estimate took 
40 hours for partners and 10 hours for endorsers to complete. In 2009, 
WasteWise implemented a Web-based data management and reporting system 
for the collection and reporting of data. Under the new Web-based 
system, partners and endorsers enter their data, on-line.
    The Partner Registration Form identifies an organization and its 
facilities registering to participate in WasteWise, and requires the 
signature of a senior official that can commit the organization to the 
program. (This form completed on-line and is submitted electronically.) 
Within two months of registering, each partner is required to submit 
baseline data on existing waste reduction programs to EPA via an Annual 
Assessment Form. (This is an on-line form that is completed and 
submitted electronically.) Partners are also encouraged to set waste 
reduction goals for the upcoming year. On an annual basis, partners are 
required to report, via the Annual Assessment Form, on the 
accomplishments of their waste prevention and recycling activities. 
Partners report the amount of waste prevented and recycled, amount of 
recycled-content materials purchased, and (where appropriate) the 
amount of recovered materials used in the manufacture of new products. 
They also provide WasteWise with information on total waste prevention 
revenue, total recycling revenue, total avoided purchasing costs due to 
waste prevention, and total avoided disposal costs due to recycling and 
waste prevention. Additionally, they are encouraged to submit new waste 
reduction goals.
    Endorsers, which are typically trade associations or State/local 
governments, submit an Endorser Registration Form upon registering for 
the program. (This is an on-line form that is completed and is 
submitted electronically.) The Endorser Registration Form identifies 
the organization, the principal contact, and the activities to which 
the Endorser commits. EPA plans to expand the information requested of 
Endorsers by requiring them to submit a summary of their endorser 
activities annually. All registration and reporting information will be 
submitted electronically using the existing on-line, Web-based data 
management and reporting system.
    EPA's WasteWise program uses the submitted information to (1) 
identify and recognize outstanding waste reduction achievements by 
individual organizations, (2) compile results that indicate overall 
accomplishments of WasteWise members, (3) identify cost-effective waste 
reduction strategies to share with other organizations, (4) identify 
topics on which to develop technical assistance materials and other 
information, and (5) further encourage the growth of industry-specific 
sustainable practices.
    Burden Statement: The respondent burden for this collection is 
estimated to average 4 hours per response for the Partner Registration 
Form, 48 hours per response for the Annual Assessment Form, 4 hours per 
response for the Endorser Registration Form, and 3 hours per response 
for the Endorser Annual Assessment Form. This results in an estimated 
annual partner respondent burden of 51 hours for new partners, 48 hours 
for established partners, 7 hours for new endorsers, and 3 hours for 
established endorsers. The estimated number of respondents is 1,051 in 
Year 1; 1,138 in Year 2; and 1,225 in Year 3. Estimated total annual 
burden on all respondents is 28,899 hours in Year 1; 32,572 hours in 
Year 2; and 35,773 hours in Year 3.
    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 
which have subsequently changed; 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.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here:
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 1,875.
    Frequency of response: Annual.
    Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden hours: 70,950.
    Estimated total annual costs: $0. This includes an estimated burden 
cost of $0 and an estimated cost of $0 for capital investment or 
maintenance and operational costs.

What is the next step in the process for this ICR?

    EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as 
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for 
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will 
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any 
questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the 
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: January 31, 2011.
Suzanne Rudzinski,
Director, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery.
[FR Doc. 2011-3995 Filed 2-22-11; 8:45 am]
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