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

[Federal Register: December 20, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 245)]

[Notices]

[Page 77977-77978]

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

[DOCID:fr20de02-39]

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPT-2002-0005; FRL-7425-3]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission of EPA ICR No. 2055.01 to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request

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 new Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Voluntary Children's Chemical Evaluation Program (VCCEP) (EPA ICR No. 2055.01). The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated cost and burden.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before January 21, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Follow the detailed instructions in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Cunningham, Acting Director, Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 7408M, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202- 554-1404; e-mail address: TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.10. On April 16, 2002 (67 FR 18609), and May 15, 2002 (67 FR 34703), EPA sought comments in this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received a number of comments, which are addressed in the body of and attachments to the ICR.

EPA has established a public document for this ICR under Docket ID No. OPPT-2002-0005, which is available for public viewing at the EPA Public Reading Room, Room B102, EPA West Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays ((202) 566-0280). An electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. Use EDOCKET to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the 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.

Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice, and according to the following detailed instructions: (1) Submit your comments to EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by e-mail to oppt.ncic@epa.gov, or by mail to: Document Control Office (DCO), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 7407T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket ID No. OPPT-2002-0005, and (2) Mail a copy of your comments to OMB at: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

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.

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Although identified as an item in the official docket, information claimed as CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not included in the official public docket, and will not be available for public viewing in EDOCKET.

Title: Voluntary Children's Chemical Evaluation Program (VCCEP) (EPA ICR No. 2055.01). This is a request to establish a new collection.

Abstract: VCCEP is a voluntary program intended to provide data to enable the public to understand the potential health risks to children associated with certain chemical exposures. EPA has asked companies which manufacture and/or import 23 chemicals which have been found in human tissues and the environment to volunteer to sponsor their evaluation in VCCEP. VCCEP consists of three tiers which a sponsor may commit to separately. Thus far, EPA has received Tier 1 commitments for 20 chemicals. As part of their sponsorship, companies would submit commitment letters, collect and/or develop health effects and exposure information on their chemical(s), integrate that information in a risk assessment, and develop a ``Data Needs Assessment.'' The Data Needs Assessment would discuss the need for additional data, which could be provided by the next tier, to fully characterize the risks the chemical may pose to children.

The information submitted by the sponsor will be evaluated by a group of scientific experts with extensive, relevant experience in toxicity testing and exposure evaluations, a Peer Consultation Group. This Group will forward its opinions to EPA and the sponsor(s) concerning the adequacy of the assessments and the need for development of any additional information to fully assess risks to children. EPA will consider the opinions of the Peer Consultation Group and announce whether additional higher tier information is needed. Sponsors and the public will have an opportunity to comment on EPA's decision concerning data needs. EPA will consider these comments and issue a final decision. If the final decision is that additional information is needed, sponsors will be asked to volunteer to provide the next tier of information. If additional information is not needed, the risk communication and, if necessary, risk management phases of the program will be initiated.

Responses to the collection of information are voluntary. Respondents may claim all or part of a notice confidential. EPA will disclose information that is covered by a claim of confidentiality only to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with, the procedures in TSCA section 14 and 40 CFR part 2.

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, and are identified on the form and/or instrument, if applicable.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to be about 520 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: manufacturers, processors, importers, or distributors in commerce of certain chemical substances or mixtures who have volunteered to sponsor a chemical under the VCCEP.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

Estimated No. of Respondents: 23.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 154,332 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Costs: $12,553,894.

Changes in Burden Estimates: This is a new ICR; therefore there is no change in burden estimates from that previously approved by OMB.

Dated: December 3, 2002. Oscar Morales, Director, Collection Strategies Division.

[FR Doc. 02-32131 Filed 12-19-02; 8:45 am]

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