Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Textile Mills Industry Data Collection (New), 79585-79586 [2024-22295]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 189 / Monday, September 30, 2024 / Notices Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA– HQ–OAR–2016–0731, to EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by email to a-and-rDocket@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. Submit written comments and recommendations to OMB for the proposed information collection within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or by using the search function. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Meluch, Office of Atmospheric Programs, Climate Change Division, (6207A), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564–4762; email address: meluch.andrew@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a proposed revision of the ICR, which is currently approved through December 31, 2024. 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. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on June 5, 2024, during a 60-day comment period (89 FR 48164). This notice allows for an additional 30 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. Abstract: This ICR revision proposes to significantly pare down the information reported to EPA’s Natural Gas STAR and Methane Challenge Programs. Specifically, it proposes to ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 ADDRESSES: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:51 Sep 27, 2024 Jkt 262001 remove all of the partnership-specific reporting elements, based on the Programs’ changes to sunset the ‘‘Partnership’’ aspects of the programs. EPA proposes to retain one key element of the ICR, the Service Provider Directory. The oil and natural gas industry is the second largest source of anthropogenic methane emissions in the U.S., according to the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990–2022. Since 1993, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Natural Gas STAR Program has encouraged oil and natural gas companies to adopt cost-saving technologies and practices that improve operational efficiency and reduce methane emissions. In 2016, EPA launched the Methane Challenge Program, which created a mechanism for oil and natural gas companies to make ambitious, voluntary commitments to reduce their methane emissions. EPA has recently taken historic steps to tackle wasteful methane emissions from the oil and gas sector beyond voluntary action. The Inflation Reduction Act directed EPA to implement a suite of actions to swiftly reduce methane emissions through the creation of the Methane Emissions Reduction Program (MERP). On December 2, 2023, EPA announced final New Source Performance Standards and Emissions Guidelines (NSPS/EG) to regulate the oil and gas industry under the Clean Air Act, resulting in ambitious requirements to reduce methane from both new and existing sources. In 2022, EPA announced the sunsetting of the Natural Gas STAR Program partnership agreements, implementation plans, and annual reporting. Based on the limited remaining potential for voluntary actions to reduce methane emissions, EPA will also be sunsetting the Methane Challenge Partnership at the end of 2024. EPA will be transitioning the Natural Gas STAR Program outreach efforts to advance ambitious, sectorwide methane reductions through technical assistance and outreach under the Methane Emissions Reduction Program. Therefore, based on these significantly reduced programmatic elements, for this revision of the program ICR, EPA proposes to remove all partnership reporting data elements and partnership-related information collection forms for both programs. This includes the removal of annual reporting forms, partnership agreements, and implementation plans. The sole programmatic element PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 79585 involving voluntary information collection that EPA plans to retain is the Service Providers Directory. This directory’s purpose is to share information about service and technology providers that can facilitate methane emission reduction activities in the oil and gas sector. These changes will result in a significant overall decrease in burden for this ICR. Form Numbers: 5900–502. Respondents/affected entities: Stakeholders seeking to join the Service Provider Directory. Respondent’s obligation to respond: Voluntary. Estimated number of respondents: 50 per year (total). Frequency of response: Respondents may fill out the Service Provider Directory form any time. Total estimated burden: 12.5 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b). Total estimated cost: $1,394 (per year), which includes $0 annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs. Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 4,846 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. This decrease is due to the removal of all previous forms associated with the Natural Gas STAR and Methane Challenge Programs, maintaining only the Service Provider Directory form. Courtney Kerwin, Director, Information Engagement Division. [FR Doc. 2024–22296 Filed 9–27–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–OW–2023–0287; FRL–12303–01– OMS] Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Textile Mills Industry Data Collection (New) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR), Textile Mills Industry Data Collection (EPA ICR Number 2798.01, OMB Control Number 2040–NEW) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\30SEN1.SGM 30SEN1 79586 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 189 / Monday, September 30, 2024 / Notices accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a request for approval of a new collection. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on November 28, 2023 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 30, 2024. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA– HQ–OW–2023–0287, to EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by email to OWDocket@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. Submit written comments and recommendations to OMB for the proposed information collection within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or by using the search function. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Schriner, Engineering and Analysis Division, mail code 4301M, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 101–566– 1076; email address: oira_submission@ omb.eop.gov. 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. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on November 28, 2023 during a 60-day comment period (88 FR 83125). This notice allows for an additional 30 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 ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:51 Sep 27, 2024 Jkt 262001 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. 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. 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. 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 control practices and technologies to PO 00000 Frm 00086 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 reduce or eliminate PFAS in discharges. Additional objectives of the questionnaire and sampling will be to confirm the current population of textile mills, estimate the volume of wastewater discharged from the industry, confirm which mills still use PFAS in their processes, and gather facility-specific information and data relevant to generation and discharge of PFAS-containing wastewater by the industry. Form Numbers: None. Respondents/affected entities: Up to 2,243 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). Estimated number of respondents: 2,243 (total). Frequency of response: One-time data collection. Total estimated burden: 22,863 hours. Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b). Total estimated cost: $1,615,788 (per year), which includes $10,576 annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs. Changes in the estimates: This is a new data collection request and is a one-time temporary increase to the Agency’s burden. Courtney Kerwin, Director, Information Engagement Division. [FR Doc. 2024–22295 Filed 9–27–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–OAR–2008–0707; FRL–12297–01– OMS] Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Data Reporting Requirements for State and Local Vehicle Emission Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Programs (Renewal) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an information collection request (ICR), ‘‘Data Reporting Requirements for State and Local Vehicle Emission Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Programs’’ (EPA ICR No.1613.08, OMB Control No. 2060– 0252) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\30SEN1.SGM 30SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 189 (Monday, September 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79585-79586]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-22295]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OW-2023-0287; FRL-12303-01-OMS]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Textile Mills Industry Data Collection (New)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an 
information collection request (ICR), Textile Mills Industry Data 
Collection (EPA ICR Number 2798.01, OMB Control Number 2040-NEW) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in

[[Page 79586]]

accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a request for 
approval of a new collection. Public comments were previously requested 
via the Federal Register on November 28, 2023 during a 60-day comment 
period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public 
comments.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 30, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID Number EPA-HQ-
OW-2023-0287, to EPA 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.
    Submit written comments and recommendations to OMB for the proposed 
information collection within 30 days of publication of this notice to 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information 
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Schriner, Engineering and 
Analysis Division, mail code 4301M, Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 101-
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.
    Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register 
on November 28, 2023 during a 60-day comment period (88 FR 83125). This 
notice allows for an additional 30 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.
    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.
    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. 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 
control practices and technologies to reduce or eliminate PFAS in 
discharges. Additional objectives of the questionnaire and sampling 
will be to confirm the current population of textile mills, estimate 
the volume of wastewater discharged from the industry, confirm which 
mills still use PFAS in their processes, and gather facility-specific 
information and data relevant to generation and discharge of PFAS-
containing wastewater by the industry.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: Up to 2,243 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).
    Estimated number of respondents: 2,243 (total).
    Frequency of response: One-time data collection.
    Total estimated burden: 22,863 hours. Burden is defined at 5 CFR 
1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $1,615,788 (per year), which includes $10,576 
annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in the estimates: This is a new data collection request and 
is a one-time temporary increase to the Agency's burden.

Courtney Kerwin,
Director, Information Engagement Division.
[FR Doc. 2024-22295 Filed 9-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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