Agency information collection activities: Submission for OMB review; comment request,

[Federal Register: June 8, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 109)]

[Notices]

[Page 31213-31214]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr08jn98-61]

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6108-5]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Secondary Lead Smelters MACT

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that the following Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: MACT, Subpart X--Secondary Lead Smelters (OMB # 2060-0296, expiration 6/30/98). The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden and cost; where appropriate, it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 8, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the ICR, call Sandy Farmer at EPA, by phone at (202) 260-2740, by E-Mail at Farmer.Sandy@epamail.epa.gov or download off the Internet at http:// www.epa.gov/icr/icr.htm, and refer to EPA ICR No. 1686.03.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: MACT Subpart X--Secondary Lead Smelters (OMB Control No. 2060-0296; EPA ICR No. 1686.03) expiring 6/ 30/98. This is a request for extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: The EPA is required under section 112(d) of the 1990 Clean Air Act, to regulate emissions of 189 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Secondary lead smelters have been identified by the EPA as significant emitters of several chemicals identified as HAPs, including but not limited to lead compounds, arsenic compounds, and 1,3- butadiene. In the Administrator's judgment, such emissions cause or contribute significantly to air pollution that may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health. Chronic exposure to lead compounds results in adverse effects on the blood, central nervous system, blood pressure, kidneys, and vitamin D metabolism. Children are particularly sensitive and exposure can also result in reduced cognitive development and reduced growth. Lead compounds can be persistent in the environment and have the potential to accumulate in food chains. Chronic inhalation exposure to arsenic compounds is strongly

[[Page 31214]]

associated with lung cancer, while organic HAP emissions from secondary lead smelting may lead to increases in cardiovascular disease, as well as developmental and reproductive effects.

In order to reduce HAP emissions from secondary lead smelting, the EPA developed the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Secondary Lead Smelters, which were proposed on June 9, 1994 (59 FR 29750) and promulgated on June 23, 1995 (60 FR 32587). In response to industry petitions to reconsider, the final rule was amended on June 13, 1997 (62 FR 32209). Entities potentially affected by this rule are owners or operators of secondary lead smelters that operate furnaces to reduce scrap lead metal and lead compounds to elemental lead. The rule applies to secondary lead smelters that use blast, reverberatory, rotary, or electric smelting furnaces to recover lead metal from scrap lead, primarily from used lead-acid automotive-type batteries. The rule provides protection to the public by requiring all secondary lead smelters to meet emission standards reflecting the application of the maximum achievable control technology (MACT). This information is being collected to assure compliance with 40 CFR part 63, subpart X.

Owners or operators of the affected facilities described must make one-time-only notifications including: notification of any physical or operational change to an existing facility which may increase the regulated pollutant emission rate, notification of the initial performance test, including information necessary to determine the conditions of the performance test, and performance test measurements and results. All reports are sent to the delegated State or local authority. In the event that there is no such delegated authority, the reports are sent directly to the EPA Regional Office. Owners or operators must maintain records of initial and subsequent compliance tests for lead compounds, and identify the date, time, cause and corrective actions taken for all bag leak detection alarms. Records of continuous monitoring devices, including parametric monitoring, must be maintained and reported semi-annually. Owners or operators are also required to maintain records of the occurrence and duration of any startup, shutdown, or malfunction in the operation of an affected facility, or any period during which the monitoring system is inoperative. Any owner or operator subject to the provisions of this part shall maintain a file of these measurements, and retain the records for at least five years following the date of such measurements and records. At a minimum, records of the previous two years must be maintained on site.

Industry and EPA records indicate that 23 sources are subject to the standard, and no additional sources are expected to become subject to the standard over the next three years. 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 and 48 CFR Chapter 15. The Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on December 2, 1997 (62 FR 63711). No comments were received.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 334 hours per response. 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.

Respondents/Affected Entities: Owners/Operators of secondary lead smelters.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 23.

Frequency of Response: daily records/ semi-annual reports.

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 16,033 hours.

Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $150,000.

Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please refer to EPA ICR No. 1686.03 and OMB Control No. 2060-0296 in any correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OPPE Regulatory Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460;

and

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503.

Dated: June 1, 1998. Joseph Retzer, Director, Regulatory Information Division.

[FR Doc. 98-15171Filed6-5-98; 8:45 am]

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