Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Air Pollution Regulations for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Activities, 2421-2422 [2020-00489]

Agencies

• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2421-2422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00489]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2011-0742; FRL-10004-18-OAR]


Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Air Pollution 
Regulations for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Activities

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), ``Air Pollution Regulations for 
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Activities'' (EPA ICR No. 1601.10, OMB 
Control No. 2060-0249), to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
(PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, the EPA is soliciting 
public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information 
collection as described below. This is a proposed renewal of the ICR, 
which is currently approved through September 30, 2020. 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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 16, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2011-0724, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben Garwood, Air Quality Policy 
Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, C504-03, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709; 
telephone number: (919) 541-1358; fax number: (919) 541-4028; email 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Supporting documents which explain in detail the information that 
the EPA will be collecting are available in the public docket for this 
ICR. The docket can be viewed online at www.regulations.gov or in 
person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone number for the Docket Center is 
(202) 566-1744. For additional information about EPA's public docket, 
visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, the EPA is soliciting 
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. The 
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. At that time, the EPA will issue another Federal 
Register notice to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: Section 328 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) gives the EPA 
responsibility for regulating air pollution from OCS sources located 
offshore of the states along the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts (except 
the North Slope Borough of Alaska), and along the eastern Gulf of 
Mexico coast (off the coast of Florida). In general, these OCS sources 
must obtain OCS permits complying with the EPA's preconstruction permit 
program (usually Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) 
requirements) and title V operating permit program, and then maintain 
ongoing compliance with their permit conditions. Industry respondents 
include owners or

[[Page 2422]]

operators of existing and new or modified OCS sources. These 
respondents must prepare permit applications and, after receiving their 
permits, conduct testing, monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting as 
required by their permits. The recordkeeping and reporting requirements 
are necessary so that the EPA can determine whether these sources are 
meeting all the requirements that apply to them. The EPA has delegated 
the authority to implement and enforce the OCS regulations for sources 
located off the coast of California to four local air pollution control 
agencies, and for sources located off a portion of the Atlantic Coast 
to three state agencies. These agency respondents must review sources' 
permit applications and reports, issue permits, observe performance 
tests and conduct inspections to ensure that the sources are meeting 
all the requirements that apply to them. Section 176(c) of the CAA (42 
U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) requires that all federal actions conform with the 
State Implementation Plans to attain and maintain the National Ambient 
Air Quality Standards.
    Depending on the type of action, the federal entities must collect 
information themselves, hire consultants to collect the information or 
require applicants/sponsors of the federal action to provide the 
information.
    The type and quantity of information required will depend on the 
circumstances surrounding the action. First, the entity must make an 
applicability determination. If the source is located within 25 miles 
of the state's seaward boundary as established in the regulations, the 
requirements are the same as those that would be applicable if the 
source were located in the corresponding onshore area. Sources locating 
beyond 25 nautical miles from the state seaward boundary are subject to 
federal air quality requirements which could include the EPA's PSD 
preconstruction permit program, Part 71 Title V operating permit 
program, New Source Performance Standards and some standards for 
Hazardous Air Pollutants promulgated under section 112 of the CAA. 
State and local air pollution control agencies are usually requested to 
provide information concerning regulation of offshore sources and are 
provided opportunities to comment on the proposed determinations. The 
public is also provided an opportunity to comment on the proposed 
determinations.
    Form numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are those that must apply for and obtain an OCS permit 
pursuant the OCS permit program. In addition, state and local agencies 
that have been delegated authority to implement and enforce the OCS 
permit program, which must review permit applications and issue 
permits, are affected entities.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory [see 40 CFR part 55].
    Estimated number of respondents: 29 industrial facilities and 7 
state and local permitting agencies.
    Frequency of response: On occasion, as necessary.
    Total estimated burden: 20,223 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $1,876,567 (per year). This includes $21,496 
annually in Operation and Maintenance costs.
    Changes in estimates: There is a decrease of 6,707 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR most recently 
approved by OMB. This decrease is primarily due to a decrease in the 
projected number of OCS sources subject to the program.

    Dated: January 9, 2020.
Scott Mathias,
Acting Director, Air Quality Policy Division.
[FR Doc. 2020-00489 Filed 1-14-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P