Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Hazardous Waste Specific Unit Requirements, and Special Waste Processes and Types

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit the information collection request (ICR), Hazardous Waste Specific Unit Requirements, and Special Waste Processes and Types (EPA ICR No. 1572.11, OMB Control No. 2050-0050), 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 extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through April 30, 2016. 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 14, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-RCRA-2015-0808, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by email to rcra-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:

Norma Abdul-Malik, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (5303P), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 703-308-8753; fax number: 703-308-8617; email address: abdul-malik.norma@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Supporting documents which explain in detail the information 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 http://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: This ICR provides a discussion of all of the information collection requirements associated with specific unit standards applicable to owners and operators of facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous wastes as defined by 40 CFR part 261. It includes a detailed description of the data items and respondent activities associated with each requirement and with each hazardous waste management unit at a facility. The specific units and processes included in this ICR are: Tank systems, Surface impoundments, Waste piles, Land treatment, Landfills, Incinerators, Thermal treatment, Chemical, physical, and biological treatment, Miscellaneous (subpart X), Drip pads, Process vents, Equipment leaks, Containment buildings, and Recovery/recycling.

With each information collection covered in this ICR, the EPA is aiding the goal of complying with its statutory mandate under RCRA to develop standards for hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities, to protect human health and the environment. Without the information collection, the agency cannot assure that the facilities are designed and operated properly.

Form Numbers: None.

Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are private sector and State, Local, or Tribal governments.

Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (40 CFR 261, 264, 265, and 266).

Estimated number of respondents: 5,450.

Frequency of response: On occasion.

Total estimated burden: 637,012 hours. Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)

Total estimated cost: $43,154,219, which includes $39,436,019 annualized labor costs and $3,718,200 annualized capital or O&M costs.

Changes in Estimates: The burden hours are likely to stay substantially the same.