Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Textile Mills Industry Data Collection, 83125-83127 [2023-26139]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 227 / Tuesday, November 28, 2023 / Notices comments. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Additional instructions on commenting and visiting the docket, along with more information about dockets generally, is available at https://www.epa.gov/dockets. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Overstreet, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (BPPD) (7511M), main telephone number: (202) 566–2425, email address: BPPDFRNotices@epa.gov; or Charles Smith, Registration Division (RD) (7505T), main telephone number: (202) 566–2427, email address: RDFRNotices@epa.gov. The mailing address for each contact person is Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460–0001. As part of the mailing address, include the contact person’s name, division, and mail code. The division to contact is listed at the end of each application summary. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. General Information lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 A. Does this action apply to me? You may be potentially affected by this action if you are an agricultural producer, food manufacturer, or pesticide manufacturer. The following list of North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a guide to help readers determine whether this document applies to them. Potentially affected entities may include: • Crop production (NAICS code 111). • Animal production (NAICS code 112). • Food manufacturing (NAICS code 311). B. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA? 1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through regulations.gov or email. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or CD–ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD–ROM as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD–ROM the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information so marked VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:19 Nov 27, 2023 Jkt 262001 will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. 2. Tips for preparing your comments. When preparing and submitting your comments, see the commenting tips at https://www.epa.gov/dockets/ commenting-epa-dockets. II. Registration Applications EPA has received applications to register pesticide products containing active ingredients not included in any currently registered pesticide products. Pursuant to the provisions of FIFRA section 3(c)(4) (7 U.S.C. 136a(c)(4)), EPA is hereby providing notice of receipt and opportunity to comment on these applications. Notice of receipt of these applications does not imply a decision by the Agency on these applications. For actions being evaluated under EPA’s public participation process for registration actions, there will be an additional opportunity for public comment on the proposed decisions. Please see EPA’s public participation website for additional information on this process (https://www.epa.gov/ pesticide-registration/publicparticipation-process-registrationactions). New Active Ingredients File Symbols: 70506–AGN and 70506– AGR. Docket ID number: EPA–HQ– OPP–2023–0459. Applicant: UPL NA, Inc., 630 Freedom Business Center, Suite 402, King of Prussia, PA 19406. Product names: UPL Glufosinate-Pammonium Technical and KFD–581–01 Herbicide Product. Active ingredient: Herbicide—L-Glufosinate Ammonium at 92.46% (UPL Glufosinate-P-ammonium Technical) and 23.86% (KFD–581–01 Herbicide Product). Proposed uses: Almond, hulls; beet, sugar, molasses; beet, sugar, roots; bushberry subgroup 13B; canola, meal; canola, seed; cattle, fat; cattle, meat; cattle, meat byproducts; corn, field forage; corn, field, grain; corn, field, stover; corn, sweet, forage; corn, sweet, kernels plus cob with husks removed; corn, sweet, stover; cotton, gin byproducts; cotton, undelinted seed; egg; citrus fruit, crop group 10–10; pome fruit, crop group 11–10; stone fruit, crop group 12–12; goat, fat; goat, meat; goat, meat byproducts; grain aspirated fractions; grape; hog, fat; hog, meat; hog, meat byproducts; horse, fat; horse, meat; horse, meat byproducts; milk; tree nut, crop group 14–12; olive; potato; potato, chips; potato granules/flakes; poultry, fat; poultry, meat; poultry, meat byproducts; sheep, fat; sheep, meat; sheep, meat byproducts; soybean; soybean, hulls. Contact: RD. PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 83125 File Symbols: 7969–UOI, 7969–UOO, and 7969–LNN. Docket ID number: EPA–HQ–OPP–2020–0250. Applicant: BASF Corporation Agricultural Solutions, 26 Davis Drive; P.O. Box 13528, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Product names: L-Glufosinateammonium Technical Product, LGlufosinate-ammonium ManufacturingUse Product and BASF L-Glufosinateammonium 211. Active ingredient: Herbicide—L-Glufosinate-ammonium at 89.6% L-Glufosinate-ammonium Technical Product); 50% (L-Glufosinateammonium Manufacturing-Use Product); and 18.7% (BASF LGlufosinate-ammonium 211). Proposed uses: Canola; corn, field; corn, sweet; cotton; and soybean. Contact: RD. File Symbol: 92643–R. Docket ID number: EPA–HQ–OPP–2023–0542. Applicant: Verily Life Sciences, LLC. 269 East Grand Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080. Product name: DAB Males. Active ingredient: Wolbachia pipientis wAlbB strain contained in live adult Aedes aegypti males. Proposed use: Microbial Insecticide. Contact: BPPD. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq. Dated: November 13, 2023. Delores Barber, Director, Information Technology and Resources Management Division, Office of Program Support. [FR Doc. 2023–26182 Filed 11–27–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–OW–2023–0287; FRL–11530–01– OW] Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Textile Mills Industry Data Collection Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), ‘‘U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Textile Mills Industry Data Collection’’ (EPA ICR No. 2798.01, OMB Control No. 2040–NEW) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a request for approval of a new collection. This notice allows for 60 days for public comments. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\28NON1.SGM 28NON1 83126 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 227 / Tuesday, November 28, 2023 / Notices Comments must be submitted on or before January 29, 2024. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– OW–2023–0287, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by email to OW-Docket@ epa.gov, 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 (CBI), or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Paul Shriner, Engineering and Analysis Division, Office of Science and Technology, (4303T), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202–566–1076; email address: Shriner.Paul@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a request for approval of a new collection. 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. This notice allows 60 days for public comments. 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 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq), 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 lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 DATES: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:19 Nov 27, 2023 Jkt 262001 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. 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, 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: Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), the EPA develops effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) to limit pollutants discharged from industrial point source categories. The EPA initially promulgated the Textiles Mills ELGs in 1974 (39 FR 24736, July 5, 1974) and amended the regulations in 1977 (42 FR 26979, May 26, 1977) and 1982 (47 FR 38810, September 2, 1982). Textiles mills receive and prepare fibers, transforming these materials into yarn, thread or webbing. Other mills convert yarns and webbing into fabric or related products and finish these materials. Many textile mills produce a final consumer product such as thread, yarn, fabric, hosiery, sheets, towels, and carpet. The current regulation covers wastewater discharges from textile mills which perform one or more of the following operations and discharge process wastewater directly to surface waters or indirectly to surface waters through publicly owned treatment works (POTWs): wool scouring, wool finishing, yarn and unfinished fabric manufacturing, woven fabric finishing, knit fabric finishing, carpet finishing, and nonwoven textile products of wool, cotton, synthetics, or blends of such fabrics. In the Preliminary Study of the Textiles Industry (July 1996), the EPA presented an industry profile of establishments engaged in the manufacture of textile products. Approximately 35 to 50 percent were engaged in wet processing (dyeing, finishing, printing and coating), and at least 90 percent of these facilities discharge their process wastewater to POTWs. When compared with 1980 data, the industry in 1993 averaged 22 percent less water per pound of fiber processed as a result of water conservation programs implemented by textile facilities. In the Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15 (86 FR 51155, September 2021), based on information and data the EPA collected for the Preliminary Multi-Industry Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Study, the EPA determined that PFAS PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 have been and continue to be used by textile and carpet manufacturers, a subset of facilities regulated under the Textile Mills ELGs. The EPA’s review of PFAS use and discharge by the textile mills point source category is largely based on publicly available information and literature. Based on a small number of sample results, EPA determined that PFAS, including legacy long-chain PFAS, are present in wastewater discharges from some textile mills to POTWs. Most textile mills are not monitoring for PFAS, nor are they required to do so. Therefore, the EPA expects that textile mills may be discharging PFAS to POTWs or surface waters even when the textile mill no longer uses PFAS in their process. As announced in the Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15 (88 FR 6258, January 31, 2023), the EPA is continuing to evaluate the available data on types and concentrations of PFAS in wastewater discharged from textile mills. As indicated above there is limited publicly available data on textile mills, including potential use and discharge of PFAS, fluoropolymers, and fluorotelomers. The EPA has also reviewed information on textile mills from Environmental Compliance History Online (ECHO), the Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS), as well as data collected from several state environmental agencies. However, very few of these data sources include PFAS monitoring data. None of these data sources define a complete population of textile mills in the United States, nor do they provide detailed information on specific facility operations including any recent phase out of PFAS usage. Therefore, a questionnaire for the textile mills industry is necessary for the EPA to determine if the current regulations remain appropriate and, if warranted, to develop and propose new regulations. If new regulations are deemed to be warranted, the questionnaire is essential for the EPA to complete the detailed technical analysis necessary for the rulemaking. The EPA has identified and compiled mailing addresses for approximately 2,200 textile manufacturing facilities in the United States. A subsequent wastewater sampling program will require a subset of approximately 20 textile manufacturing facilities that completed the questionnaire to also collect wastewater samples and submit them to an EPA-contracted laboratory. Wastewater sampling data are critical for characterizing the wastewater generated and discharged by textile manufacturing facilities, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of pollution E:\FR\FM\28NON1.SGM 28NON1 lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 227 / Tuesday, November 28, 2023 / Notices control practices and technologies to reduce or eliminate PFAS in discharges. The EPA will use these characterization data to estimate current pollutant mass loads and achievable load reductions for available technologies for the industry and to determine if the ELGs warrant revision. Additional objectives of the questionnaire and sampling will be to confirm the current population of textile mills, confirm which mills still use PFAS in their processes, as well as gather facility-specific information and data relevant to generation and discharge of PFAS-containing wastewater by the industry. Confidential Business Information (CBI) may be collected. In accordance with 40 CFR part 2, subpart B, section 2.203, the survey informs respondents of their right to claim information as confidential. Each survey provides instructions for claiming confidentiality and informs respondents of the terms and rules governing the protection of CBI under the Clean Water Act and 40 CFR 2.203(b). Survey respondents are requested to mark any claimed confidential responses as CBI. EPA and its contractors will follow EAD’s existing procedures to protect data labeled as CBI. Form Numbers: None. Respondents/affected entities: Up to 2,200 textile mills in the U.S. will receive the questionnaire and no more than 20 facilities will be asked to conduct specific wastewater sampling. Respondent’s obligation to respond: Mandatory (Clean Water Act Section 308) (citing authority). Estimated number of respondents: Up to 2,200 (total). Frequency of response: One-time data collection. Total estimated respondent burden: 30,008 hours. Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b). Total estimated respondent cost: $1,339,982 one-time cost. Changes in Estimates: This is a new data collection request and is a one-time temporary increase to the agency’s burden. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Deborah Nagle, Director, Office of Science and Technology, Office of Water. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: [FR Doc. 2023–26139 Filed 11–27–23; 8:45 am] 17:19 Nov 27, 2023 Pesticide Experimental Use Permit; Receipt of Application; Comment Request (October 2023) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: This notice announces EPA’s receipt of an application 524–EUP–RRI. from Bayer U.S. Crop Science LLC requesting an experimental use permit (EUP) for the MON 95275, Stack Combinations with MON 94804 and Registered Insect-Protected Corn Traits and Controls. The Agency has determined that the permit may be of regional and national significance. Therefore, because of the potential significance, EPA is seeking comments on this application. DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 28, 2023. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA–HQ–OPP–2023–0071, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Additional instructions on commenting and visiting the docket, along with more information about dockets generally, is available at https://www.epa.gov/dockets. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne Overstreet, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (BPPD) (7511M), main telephone number: (202) 566–2425, email address: BPPDFRNotices@epa.gov. The mailing address for each contact person is Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460–0001. As part of the mailing address, include the contact person’s name, division, and mail code. The division to contact is listed at the end of each application summary. SUMMARY: I. General Information A. Does this action apply to me? This action is directed to the public in general. Although this action may be of particular interest to those persons who conduct or sponsor research on pesticides, the Agency has not BILLING CODE 6560–50–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 [EPA–HQ–OPP–2023–0071; FRL–11556–01– OCSPP] Jkt 262001 PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 83127 attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by this action. B. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA? 1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through regulations.gov or email. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or CD–ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD–ROM as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD–ROM the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. 2. Tips for preparing your comments. When preparing and submitting your comments, see the commenting tips at https://www.epa.gov/dockets/ commenting-epa-dockets. 3. Environmental justice. EPA seeks to achieve environmental justice, the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of any group, including minority and/or low-income populations, in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. To help address potential environmental justice issues, the Agency seeks information on any groups or segments of the population who, as a result of their location, cultural practices, or other factors, may have atypical or disproportionately high and adverse human health impacts or environmental effects from exposure to the pesticide(s) discussed in this document, compared to the general population. II. What action is the Agency taking? Under section 5 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. 136c, EPA can allow manufacturers to field test pesticides under development. Manufacturers are required to obtain an EUP before testing new pesticides or new uses of pesticides if they conduct experimental field tests on 10 acres or more of land or one acre or more of water. Pursuant to 40 CFR 172.11(a), the Agency has determined that the following EUP application may be of regional and national significance, and therefore is seeking public comment on the EUP application: E:\FR\FM\28NON1.SGM 28NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83125-83127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26139]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2023-0287; FRL-11530-01-OW]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Textile 
Mills Industry Data Collection

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit an information collection request (ICR), ``U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency Textile Mills Industry Data Collection'' (EPA ICR No. 
2798.01, OMB Control No. 2040-NEW) to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments 
on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described 
below. This is a request for approval of a new collection. This notice 
allows for 60 days for public comments.

[[Page 83126]]


DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 29, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2023-0287, 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 (CBI), or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Paul Shriner, Engineering and 
Analysis Division, Office of Science and Technology, (4303T), 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, 
DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-1076; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a request for approval of a new 
collection. 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.
    This notice allows 60 days for public comments. 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 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et 
seq), 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. 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, 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: Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), the EPA develops 
effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) to limit pollutants discharged 
from industrial point source categories. The EPA initially promulgated 
the Textiles Mills ELGs in 1974 (39 FR 24736, July 5, 1974) and amended 
the regulations in 1977 (42 FR 26979, May 26, 1977) and 1982 (47 FR 
38810, September 2, 1982). Textiles mills receive and prepare fibers, 
transforming these materials into yarn, thread or webbing. Other mills 
convert yarns and webbing into fabric or related products and finish 
these materials. Many textile mills produce a final consumer product 
such as thread, yarn, fabric, hosiery, sheets, towels, and carpet. The 
current regulation covers wastewater discharges from textile mills 
which perform one or more of the following operations and discharge 
process wastewater directly to surface waters or indirectly to surface 
waters through publicly owned treatment works (POTWs): wool scouring, 
wool finishing, yarn and unfinished fabric manufacturing, woven fabric 
finishing, knit fabric finishing, carpet finishing, and nonwoven 
textile products of wool, cotton, synthetics, or blends of such 
fabrics.
    In the Preliminary Study of the Textiles Industry (July 1996), the 
EPA presented an industry profile of establishments engaged in the 
manufacture of textile products. Approximately 35 to 50 percent were 
engaged in wet processing (dyeing, finishing, printing and coating), 
and at least 90 percent of these facilities discharge their process 
wastewater to POTWs. When compared with 1980 data, the industry in 1993 
averaged 22 percent less water per pound of fiber processed as a result 
of water conservation programs implemented by textile facilities.
    In the Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15 (86 FR 
51155, September 2021), based on information and data the EPA collected 
for the Preliminary Multi-Industry Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances 
(PFAS) Study, the EPA determined that PFAS have been and continue to be 
used by textile and carpet manufacturers, a subset of facilities 
regulated under the Textile Mills ELGs. The EPA's review of PFAS use 
and discharge by the textile mills point source category is largely 
based on publicly available information and literature. Based on a 
small number of sample results, EPA determined that PFAS, including 
legacy long-chain PFAS, are present in wastewater discharges from some 
textile mills to POTWs. Most textile mills are not monitoring for PFAS, 
nor are they required to do so. Therefore, the EPA expects that textile 
mills may be discharging PFAS to POTWs or surface waters even when the 
textile mill no longer uses PFAS in their process.
    As announced in the Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15 (88 FR 
6258, January 31, 2023), the EPA is continuing to evaluate the 
available data on types and concentrations of PFAS in wastewater 
discharged from textile mills. As indicated above there is limited 
publicly available data on textile mills, including potential use and 
discharge of PFAS, fluoropolymers, and fluorotelomers. The EPA has also 
reviewed information on textile mills from Environmental Compliance 
History Online (ECHO), the Integrated Compliance Information System 
(ICIS), as well as data collected from several state environmental 
agencies. However, very few of these data sources include PFAS 
monitoring data. None of these data sources define a complete 
population of textile mills in the United States, nor do they provide 
detailed information on specific facility operations including any 
recent phase out of PFAS usage.
    Therefore, a questionnaire for the textile mills industry is 
necessary for the EPA to determine if the current regulations remain 
appropriate and, if warranted, to develop and propose new regulations. 
If new regulations are deemed to be warranted, the questionnaire is 
essential for the EPA to complete the detailed technical analysis 
necessary for the rulemaking. The EPA has identified and compiled 
mailing addresses for approximately 2,200 textile manufacturing 
facilities in the United States. A subsequent wastewater sampling 
program will require a subset of approximately 20 textile manufacturing 
facilities that completed the questionnaire to also collect wastewater 
samples and submit them to an EPA-contracted laboratory. Wastewater 
sampling data are critical for characterizing the wastewater generated 
and discharged by textile manufacturing facilities, as well as 
evaluating the effectiveness of pollution

[[Page 83127]]

control practices and technologies to reduce or eliminate PFAS in 
discharges. The EPA will use these characterization data to estimate 
current pollutant mass loads and achievable load reductions for 
available technologies for the industry and to determine if the ELGs 
warrant revision. Additional objectives of the questionnaire and 
sampling will be to confirm the current population of textile mills, 
confirm which mills still use PFAS in their processes, as well as 
gather facility-specific information and data relevant to generation 
and discharge of PFAS-containing wastewater by the industry.
    Confidential Business Information (CBI) may be collected. In 
accordance with 40 CFR part 2, subpart B, section 2.203, the survey 
informs respondents of their right to claim information as 
confidential. Each survey provides instructions for claiming 
confidentiality and informs respondents of the terms and rules 
governing the protection of CBI under the Clean Water Act and 40 CFR 
2.203(b). Survey respondents are requested to mark any claimed 
confidential responses as CBI. EPA and its contractors will follow 
EAD's existing procedures to protect data labeled as CBI.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Up to 2,200 textile mills in the 
U.S. will receive the questionnaire and no more than 20 facilities will 
be asked to conduct specific wastewater sampling.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (Clean Water Act 
Section 308) (citing authority).
    Estimated number of respondents: Up to 2,200 (total).
    Frequency of response: One-time data collection.
    Total estimated respondent burden: 30,008 hours. Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated respondent cost: $1,339,982 one-time cost.
    Changes in Estimates: This is a new data collection request and is 
a one-time temporary increase to the agency's burden.

    Deborah Nagle,
Director, Office of Science and Technology, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 2023-26139 Filed 11-27-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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