Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Renewal of an Existing Collection (EPA ICR No. 2330.03 and OMB Control No. 2070-0179; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The ICR, entitled: “Pesticide Registration Fees Program” and identified by EPA ICR No. 2330.03 and OMB Control No. 2070-0179, represents the renewal of an existing ICR that is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2017. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection that is summarized in this document. The ICR and accompanying material are available in the docket for public review and comment.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before November 25, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2016-0463, by one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://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.
• Mail: OPP Docket, Environmental Protection Agency Docket Center (EPA/DC), (28221T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.
• Hand Delivery: To make special arrangements for hand delivery or delivery of boxed information, please follow the instructions at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cameo Smoot, Field and Affairs Division, (7506P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 305-5454; email address: smoot.cameo@epa.gov.

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 ICR does this action apply to?

Title: Pesticide Registration Fees Program.

ICR number: EPA ICR No. 2330.03.

OMB control number: OMB Control No. 2070-0179.

ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on June 30, 2017. 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 listed in 40 CFR part 9, 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.

Abstract: This ICR covers the paperwork burden hours and costs associated with the information collection activities under the pesticide registration fee programs implemented through the Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency. Pesticide registrants are required by statute to pay an annual registration maintenance fee for all products registered under Section 3 and Section 24(c) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). In addition, the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA) amended FIFRA in 2004 to create a registration service fee system for applications for specific pesticide registration, amended registration, and associated tolerance actions (Section 33). This ICR specifically covers the activities related to the collection of the annual registration maintenance fees, the registration service fees and the burden associated with the submission of requests for fees to be waived.

Burden statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1,681 hours for the Pesticide Registration Maintenance Fee program and 6,840 hours for the Pesticide Registration Service Fee Waiver program. Burden is defined in 5 CFR 1320.3(b).

The ICR, which is available in the docket along with other related materials, provides a detailed explanation of the collection activities and the burden estimate that is only briefly summarized here:

Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this ICR are identified by the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes: 32532—Pesticide and other agricultural chemical manufacturing; 32518—Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing; 32519—Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing; and 9641—Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities.

Estimated total number of potential respondents: 1,471.

Frequency of response: Annually and on occasion.

Estimated total average number of responses for each respondent: 1.

Estimated total annual burden hours: Ranges from 1,681 to 6,840 hours depending on the program.

Estimated total annual costs for both programs: $631,791.

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

For the Pesticide Registration Maintenance Fee program there is decrease of 312 hours (from 1993 to 1681) hours in the total annual estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by OMB. The reason for the decrease was a reduction in the number responses from 1,744 to 1,471. The total estimated annual respondent burden for the pesticide registration service fee waivers information collection has increased from 5,914 hours in the existing ICR to 6,840 hours for this renewal, due to the increase of respondent's usage of the newer waiver provisions allowed under PRIA. These changes are adjustments.

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

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 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 ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Authority:44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.