Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Renewal of Existing ICR Collections and Request for Comment; Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Existing Chemical Risk Evaluation and Management; Generic ICRs for Interviews, Focus Groups and Surveys, 42467-42469 [2024-10576]

Agencies

• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42467-42469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10576]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2018-0611 and EPA-HQ-OPPT-2018-0612; FRL-11954-01-OCSPP]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Renewal of 
Existing ICR Collections and Request for Comment; Toxic Substances 
Control Act (TSCA) Existing Chemical Risk Evaluation and Management; 
Generic ICRs for Interviews, Focus Groups and Surveys

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this 
document announces the availability of and solicits public comment on 
the following two Information Collection Requests (ICRs) that EPA is 
planning to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): (A) 
``TSCA Existing Chemical Risk Evaluation and Management; Generic ICR 
for Interview and Focus Groups'' identified by EPA ICR No. 2584.02 and 
OMB Control No. 2070-0219, and (B) ``TSCA Existing Chemical Risk 
Evaluation and Management; Generic ICR for Surveys'' identified by EPA 
ICR No. 2585.02 and OMB Control No. 2070-0218. Both ICRs represent the 
renewal of ICRs that are currently approved through February 28, 2025. 
Before submitting the ICRs to OMB for review and approval under the 
PRA, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the information 
collection summarized in this document. The ICRs and accompanying 
material are available in the docket for public review and comment.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 15, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments through https://www.regulations.gov 
using the docket identification (ID) number provided in Unit II. for 
the ICR that you are commenting on. 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

[[Page 42468]]

instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along with more 
information about dockets generally, is available at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katherine Sleasman, Mission Support 
Division (MC7602M), Office of Program Support, Office of Chemical 
Safety and Pollution Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: 
(202) 566-1204-; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. What information is EPA particularly interested in?

    Pursuant to PRA section 3506(c)(2)(A) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), 
EPA specifically solicits comments and information to enable it 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 estimates 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. 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.

II. What information collection activity or ICRs does this action apply 
to?

    The following two ICRs are currently approved through February 28, 
2025. Under the PRA, 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 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), after appearing in the Federal Register when approved, 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 for certain EPA 
regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), 15 U.S.C. 2601 et 
seq., EPA must prioritize existing chemical substances for risk 
evaluation; conduct risk evaluations to determine whether chemical 
substances present unreasonable risk; and take appropriate regulatory 
action to manage the determined unreasonable risks. In accordance with 
TSCA section 26, EPA must make TSCA section 6 risk evaluation and 
management decisions consistent with the best available science and 
based on the weight of the scientific evidence. To carry out its 
statutory obligations, EPA needs sufficient information about chemicals 
undergoing risk evaluation and risk management, including information 
related to the chemicals' conditions of use, hazards, exposures, 
potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations, health and 
environmental effects, benefits, reasonably ascertainable economic 
consequences, alternatives, and other information. When available 
information is insufficient to inform the TSCA section 6 decisions, the 
collection of such information is necessary to ensure that necessary 
information is available in a timely manner for consideration by EPA, 
the Peer Reviewers, and the public. The purpose of these ICRs is to 
help EPA obtain information to inform the TSCA risk evaluations and 
risk management of existing chemicals under TSCA section 6. For more 
information about assessing and managing chemicals under TSCA go to 
https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca.
    The ICRs in the docket provide a detailed explanation of the 
collection activities and estimates that are only summarized in this 
document.

A. Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OPPT-2018-0611

    Title: TSCA Existing Chemical Risk Evaluation and Management; 
Generic ICR for Interview and Focus Groups.
    EPA ICR No.: 2584.02.
    OMB Control No.: 2070-0219.
    Abstract: Under this generic ICR, EPA may conduct interviews and 
focus groups of chemical users, processors, distributors, manufacturers 
(including importers), and recyclers, chemical waste handlers, 
consumers of chemical-containing products, employees who may be exposed 
to the chemical evaluated, state and local regulators, non-governmental 
organizations, industry experts, and knowledgeable members of the 
public (including potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations) 
related to information collection for TSCA chemical risk evaluation and 
risk management. These information collection efforts are intended to 
supplement other reasonably available information on chemicals in 
commerce and will provide support for the Agency's activities regarding 
existing chemicals under TSCA section 6.
    Data collected under this generic clearance may be used in several 
ways during the risk evaluation and risk management processes, 
including establishing generic scenarios, developing models of various 
conditions of use of chemicals evaluated under TSCA or their 
alternatives, pretesting survey questions, and providing important 
context for publicly available information already available to EPA. By 
learning more about the conditions of use, hazards, exposures, 
potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations, health and 
environmental effects, benefits, reasonably ascertainable economic 
consequences, alternatives, and other information for chemicals being 
evaluated or regulated, EPA would be able to more precisely and 
effectively carry out its risk evaluation and risk management 
obligations under TSCA.
    Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.5 
hours per response for an interview and 2 hours per focus group. Burden 
is defined in 5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    Respondents: Entities potentially affected by this ICR include 
chemical manufacturers (including importers), chemical users (including 
government agencies), processors, distributors, product manufacturers, 
recyclers, chemical waste handlers, consumers, employees, and others 
with important information about the chemical being evaluated or 
considered for risk management under TSCA.
    Respondent obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Forms: None.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Total estimated number of potential respondents: 850.
    Total estimated average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Total estimated annual burden hours: 950 hours.
    Total estimated annual respondent costs: $ 27,743, which includes $ 
0 for capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.

[[Page 42469]]

B. Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OPPT-2018-0612

    Title: TSCA Existing Chemical Risk Evaluation and Management; 
Generic ICR for Surveys.
    EPA ICR No.: 2585.02.
    OMB Control No.: 2070-0218.
    Abstract: EPA will use this generic ICR to survey chemical users, 
processors, distributors, manufacturers (including importers), and 
recyclers, chemical waste handlers, consumers of chemical-containing 
products, employees exposed to the chemical evaluated (including 
unions), state and local regulators, non-governmental organizations, 
industry experts, and knowledgeable members of the public (including 
potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations) who may have 
relevant information and are not covered by current information 
collection requests. The Agency will use the information collected to 
inform the development of any future regulatory efforts and to 
integrate consistent, meaningful, and transparent information into risk 
evaluation and risk management actions. This information is critical 
for adequately identifying conditions of use, conducting hazard and 
exposure assessments, characterizing risks, ascertaining benefits of 
and substitutes for each substance, estimating the economic 
consequences of regulation, and developing appropriate regulatory 
actions. Surveys are important information-gathering tools that will 
allow EPA to collect information that is necessary to inform the risk 
evaluation and management efforts and support unreasonable risk 
determinations from existing chemicals under TSCA.
    Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 9.2 
hours. Burden is defined in 5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    Respondents: Include chemical manufacturers (including importers), 
chemical users (including government agencies), processors, 
distributors, product manufacturers, recyclers, chemical waste 
handlers, consumers, employees, and others with important information 
about the chemical being evaluated or considered for risk evaluation 
and management under TSCA.
    Respondent obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Forms: None.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Total estimated number of potential respondents: 2,400.
    Total estimated average number of responses for each respondent: 1.
    Total estimated annual burden hours: 7,360 hours.
    Total estimated annual respondent costs: $ 653,362, which includes 
$ 0 for capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.

III. Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?

    There are no changes in burden or number of respondents when 
compared with that identified in the ICRs currently approved by OMB. 
However, there is an increase of $ 28 and $ 1,911 in the total 
estimated respondent costs due to undated wage rates. These changes 
qualify as adjustments.

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

    EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICRs as 
appropriate. The final ICR packages will then be submitted to OMB for 
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. EPA will issue another 
Federal Register document pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to 
announce the submission of the ICRs to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any questions about 
these ICRs or the approval process, please contact the person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

    Dated: May 8, 2024.
Michal Freedhoff,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2024-10576 Filed 5-14-24; 8:45 am]
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