Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Under EPA's WasteWise Program; EPA ICR Number 1698.05, OMB Control Number 2050-0139

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on May 31, 2004. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before March 15, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. RCRA-2003-0066, to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to rcra-docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode 5305T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460. Follow the detailed instructions as provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Charles Heizenroth, Office of Solid Waste, 5306W, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 308-0154; fax number: (703) 308-8686; e-mail address: heizenroth.charles@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. How Can I Get Copies of the ICR Supporting Statement and Other Related Information?

EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. RCRA-2003-0066. The official public docket is the collection of materials that is available for public viewing at the OSWER Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the OSWER Docket is (202) 566-0270.

You may use EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the official public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select “search,” then key in the docket ID number identified above.

Certain types of information will not be placed in the EPA Dockets. Information claimed as CBI, and other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute, which is not included in the official public docket, will not be available for viewing in EPA's electronic public docket. EPA's policy is that copyrighted material will not be placed in EPA's electronic public docket but will be available only in printed, paper form in the official public docket. Although not all docket materials may be available electronically, you may still access any of the publicly available docket materials through the docket facility identified above.

For public commenters, it is important to note that EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that material in the version of the comment that is placed in EDOCKET. The entire printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket.

Public comments submitted on computer disks that are mailed or delivered to the docket will be transferred to EPA's electronic public docket. Public comments that are mailed or delivered to the docket will be scanned and placed on EPA's electronic public docket. Where practical, physical objects will be photographed, and the photograph will be placed in EPA's electronic public docket along with a brief description written by the docket staff.

B. How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?

You may submit comments electronically, by mail, or through hand delivery/courier. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, identify the appropriate docket identification number in the subject line on the first page of your comment. Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA within 60 days of this notice. Please ensure that your comments are submitted within the specified comment period. Comments received after the close of the comment period will be marked “late.” EPA is not required to consider these late comments in formulating a final decision.

1. Electronically. If you submit an electronic comment as prescribed below, EPA recommends that you include your name, mailing address, and an e-mail address or other contact information in the body of your comment. Also include this contact information on the outside of any disk or CD ROM you submit, and in any cover letter accompanying the disk or CD ROM. This ensures that you can be identified as the submitter of the comment and allows EPA to contact you in case EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties or needs further information on the substance of your comment. EPA's policy is that EPA will not edit your comment, and any identifying or contact information provided in the body of a comment will be included as part of the comment that is placed in the official public docket, and made available in EPA's electronic public docket. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment.

Your use of EPA's electronic public docket to submit comments to EPA electronically is EPA's preferred method for receiving comments. Go directly to EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket,, and follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Once in the system, select “search,” and then key in Docket ID No. RCRA-2003-0066. The system is an “anonymous access” system, which means EPA will not know your identity, e-mail address, or other contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment.

Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-mail) to rcra-docket@epa.gov, Attention Docket ID No. RCRA-2003-0066. In contrast to EPA's electronic public docket, EPA's e-mail system is not an “anonymous access” system. If you send an e-mail comment directly to the Docket without going through EPA's electronic public docket, EPA's e-mail system automatically captures your e-mail address. E-mail addresses that are automatically captured by EPA's e-mail system are included as part of the comment that is placed in the official public docket, and made available in EPA's electronic public docket.

You may submit comments on a disk or CD ROM that you mail to the mailing address identified in the ADDRESSES section. These electronic submissions will be accepted in WordPerfect or ASCII file format. Avoid the use of special characters and any form of encryption.

2. By Mail. Send your comments to: OSWER Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 5305T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket ID No. RCRA-2003-0066.

3. By Hand Delivery or Courier. Deliver your comments to: EPA Docket Center, EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC, Attention Docket ID No. RCRA-2003-0066. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation as identified in Unit A.

C. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your comments:

1. Explain your views as clearly as possible.

2. Describe any assumptions that you used.

3. Provide any technical information and/or data you used that support your views.

4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you arrived at your estimate.

5. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.

6. Offer alternatives.

7. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period deadline identified.

8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, identify the appropriate docket identification number in the subject line on the first page of your response. It would also be helpful if you provided the name, date, and Federal Register citation related to your comments.

D. What Information Is EPA Particularly Interested In?

Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically solicits comments and information to enable it to:

1. Evaluate whether the proposed collections of information are 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 burdens of the proposed collections of information.

3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected.

4. Minimize the burden of the collections of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated or electronic collection technologies or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are those business, institutions, and government agencies that voluntarily sign up to participate in EPA's WasteWise program.

Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Under EPA's WasteWise program.

Abstract: EPA's voluntary WasteWise program encourages businesses and other organizations to reduce solid waste through waste prevention, recycling, and the purchase or manufacture of recycled-content products. WasteWise participants include partners, which commit to implementing waste reduction activities of their choice, and endorsers which promote the WasteWise program and waste reduction to their members.

The Partner Registration Form identifies an organization and its facilities registering to participate in WasteWise, and requires the signature of a senior official that can commit the organization to the program. (This form can be submitted either electronically or in hard copy.) Within six months of registering, each partner is asked to conduct a waste assessment and submit baseline data and waste reduction goals to EPA via the Annual Assessment Form. (This form can also be submitted either electronically or in hard copy.) On an annual basis partners are asked to report, via the Annual Assessment Form, on their progress toward achieving their waste reduction goals by estimating amounts of waste prevented and recyclables collected, and describing buying or manufacturing recycled-content products. They can also provide WasteWise with information on total waste prevention revenue, total recycling revenue, total avoided purchasing costs due to waste prevention, and total avoided disposal costs due to recycling and waste prevention. Additionally, they are asked to submit new waste reduction goals.

Endorsers, which are typically trade associations or state/local governments, submit the Endorser Registration Form once during their endorser relationship with WasteWise. (This form can be submitted either electronically or in hard copy.) The Endorser Registration Form identifies the organization, the principal contact, and the activities to which the Endorser commits.

EPA's WasteWise program uses the submitted information to (1) identify and recognize outstanding waste reduction achievements by individual organizations, (2) compile aggregate results that indicate overall accomplishments of WasteWise partners, (3) identify cost-effective waste reduction strategies to share with other organizations, and (4) identify topics on which to develop assistance and information efforts.

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 are listed in 40 CFR Part 9.

Burden Statement: The respondent burden for this collection is estimated to average 1 hour per response for the Partner Registration Form, 40 hours per response for the Annual Assessment Form, and 16 hours per response for the Endorser Registration Form. This results in an estimated annual partner respondent burden of 41 hours for new partners, 40 hours for established partners, and a one-time respondent burden of 10 hours for endorsers.

The estimated number of respondents is 1,325 in Year 1; 1,425 in Year 2; and 1,525 in Year 3. Estimated total annual burden on all respondents is 52,350 hours in Year 1; 56,350 hours in Year 2; and 60,350 hours in Year 3.

Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.