[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 134 (Friday, July 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33257-33259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-14884]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0711; FRL-9996-52-OAR]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Data 
Requirements Rule for the 1-Hour Sulfur Dioxide Primary National 
Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) Information Request (Renewal)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit a renewal of an information collection request (ICR), ``Data 
Requirements Rule for the 1-Hour Sulfur Dioxide Primary National 
Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) Information Request (Renewal)'' 
(EPA ICR No. 2495.03), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control 
No. 2060-0696) to the OMB for review and approval in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, the EPA is 
soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collection as described below. This is a proposed renewal 
of the existing ICR for the Data Requirements Rule for the 1-Hour 
Sulfur Dioxide Primary NAAQS (SO2 Data Requirements Rule), 
which is currently approved through September 30, 2019. 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 September 10, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2013-0711, at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot 
be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. The EPA may publish any 
comment received to its public docket. Do not submit electronically any 
information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) 
or other information the disclosure of which is restricted by statute. 
Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a 
written comment. The written comment is considered to be the official 
comment and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. 
The EPA will generally not consider comments or comment contents 
located outside of the primary submission (i.e. on the web, cloud, or 
other file sharing system). For additional submission methods, the full 
EPA public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia 
submissions, and general guidance on making effective comments, please 
visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Larry D. Wallace, Office of Air 
Quality Planning and Standards, Air Quality Policy Division, C504-05, 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC; 
telephone number: (919) 541-0906; fax number: (919) 541-5509; email 
address: wallace.larry@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that 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 Avenue NW, Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is (202) 566-1744. For additional 
information about the 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 includes: (1) Estimates for ambient air 
monitoring data reporting, and other supporting measurements, as well 
as record keeping activities, and (2) estimates for emissions and 
emissions-related information and ambient air dispersion modeling 
reporting and activities, associated with the 40 CFR part 51 
Requirements for Preparation, Adoption and Submittal of Implementation 
Plans, as they apply to the 2010 1-Hour SO2 Primary 
NAAQS.\1\ These data and information are collected by various state and 
local air quality management agencies and reported to the EPA. State 
and local air management agencies chose to submit either monitoring or 
modeling information in order to meet the initial and on-going 
requirements, as applicable, under the final SO2 Data 
Requirements Rule (RIN 2060-AR19). 80 FR 51052 (August 21, 2015). This 
ICR Renewal adopts (with some revisions) the estimates contained in the 
initial ICR, covers the period 2019-2021, and includes estimates of the 
information described above in regard to the on-going requirements 
under the SO2 Data Requirements Rule.
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    \1\ Subpart J of part 51: Ambient Air Quality Surveillance 
refers back to 40 CFR part 58; through the rest of this ICR, 
reference will be made to part 58 for monitoring requirements and 
part 51, Appendix W for modeling requirements.
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    The number of monitoring stations, sampling parameters, and 
frequency of data collection and submittal is expected to remain 
relatively stable for October 1, 2019-Sepember 30, 2022, with decreases 
possible if the EPA approves requests from air monitoring agencies to 
shut down monitor(s) where the requirements to do so under the 
SO2 Data Requirements Rule have been met. The number of 
annual emissions reports is expected to remain relatively stable for 
October 1, 2019-September 30, 2022, with decreases possible if the EPA 
approves requests from air agencies to no longer be subject to the on-
going requirements, where the requirements to do so under the 
SO2 Data Requirements Rule have been met. In accordance with 
the requirements of the SO2 Data Requirements Rule, where an 
air agency finds in the annual emissions report that emissions have 
increased in an area, the state or the EPA may determine that the state 
must submit updated air quality modeling data for the area to determine 
whether or not the area is meeting the 2010 1-Hour SO2 
Primary NAAQS .
    The SO2 Data Requirements Rule directed state, local, 
and tribal air quality management agencies to provide data to initially 
characterize current air quality in areas that contain large sources of 
SO2 emissions, information that may be used in the NAAQS 
designations and other processes. The rule also requires states to 
continue to provide monitoring, modeling, and emissions data from a 
subset of these

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sources, that meet certain requirements under the rule, which may serve 
to verify whether these areas continue to meet the 2010 SO2 
NAAQS.
    Through the SO2 Data Requirements Rule and the initial 
ICR, the EPA required that states characterize ambient air quality 
around sources with emissions that are greater than 2,000 tons per year 
(tpy) or that were otherwise included as a listed source in accordance 
with the Rule.\2\ Based upon 2011 emissions data, the ICR identified 
approximately 412 sources of SO2 in 43 states that may 
potentially be listed under the SO2 Data Requirements Rule.
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    \2\ Pursuant to section 51.1203(a) of the SO2 Data 
Requirements Rule, air management agencies were required to submit a 
list of applicable sources of SO2 emissions in their 
jurisdiction with emissions of 2,000 tpy or greater by no later than 
January 15, 2016. See 80 FR 51087, August 21, 2015.
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    The SO2 Data Requirements Rule described the criteria 
for identifying the source areas where air agencies needed to 
characterize SO2 air quality. It also described the process 
and timetables by which air quality management agencies were required 
to characterize air quality in areas around sources through ambient 
monitoring and/or air quality modeling techniques and submit this data 
to the EPA. The air quality data developed by the states in accordance 
with the Rule is intended to be used by the EPA to assist in the 
remaining round(s) of area designations for the 2010 SO2 
NAAQS, as well as in other areas, and to provide information which 
would serve to verify whether areas are meeting the standard.
    For those air quality management agencies which elected to conduct 
ambient air monitoring for areas containing listed DRR sources to 
provide the necessary air quality data to EPA, the State and local air 
quality management agencies are responsible for reporting ambient air 
quality data information, as requested in this ICR, and will submit 
these data electronically to the EPA's Air Quality System (AQS) and 
voluntary databases. Quality assurance/quality control records and 
monitoring network documentation are also maintained by each state and 
local agency, in AQS electronic format where possible. Although the 
state and local air quality management agencies are responsible for the 
operation of this air monitoring network, they may have opportunities 
to work with industry to help support modeling exercises and/or 
monitoring network installation, operations, and maintenance.
    For those air quality management agencies which elected to conduct 
air quality modeling of the areas containing listed DRR sources to 
provide the necessary air quality data to the EPA and which were 
designated either unclassifiable/attainment or attainment/
unclassifiable based on modeling of actual emissions of the area, state 
and local air quality management agencies are responsible for 
submitting on-going data reports. In accordance with the SO2 
Data Requirements Rule, these reports must be submitted annually as 
either a stand-alone document made available for public inspection or 
as an appendix to the air agency's Annual Monitoring Network Plan, and 
are required to include the annual SO2 emissions of each 
applicable source in each such area, provide an assessment of the cause 
of any emissions increase from the previous year, and include a 
recommendation from the air agency regarding whether additional 
modeling is needed to characterize air quality in any area to determine 
whether the area meets or does not meet the 2010 SO2 NAAQS. 
If the EPA requires that the air agency conduct updated air quality 
modeling for the area, the air agency has 12 months to submit it to the 
EPA.
    The information requirements included within this ICR are necessary 
to provide the EPA with ambient air quality data, which includes 
monitoring data, emissions data, and/or modeling data, to determine the 
United States air quality status, to make attainment decisions with 
respect to the NAAQS, to assist in developing necessary control 
strategies in order to ensure attainment of the NAAQS, to assess 
national trends in air pollution, to inform the public of air quality, 
and to determine the population's exposure to various ambient air 
pollutants. The EPA's goal of attaining the NAAQS in all areas of the 
United States is directly dependent upon the availability of ambient 
air quality data (monitoring, emissions, and/or modeling data) 
requested in this information collection. Additionally, the EPA, state 
and local air quality management agencies, environmental groups, 
industrial groups, and academic organizations use these data to study 
atmospheric chemistry, e. g., the formation and fate of SO2 
to determine the most appropriate and effective control strategies 
necessary to reduce air pollution.
    The principal legal authority for this information collection is 
the Clean Air Act (CAA), 42 U.S.C. 7403, 7410, and 7511a, from which 
the 40 CFR part 51 regulations were promulgated. Under section 7403(c), 
the Administrator is required to conduct a program of research, 
testing, and development of methods for sampling, measurement, 
monitoring, analysis, and modeling of air pollutants, specifically 
including a requirement to establish a national network to monitor, 
collect, and compile data with quantification of certainty in the 
status and trends of air emissions and air quality.
    Sections 7410(a) and (k) contain the state implementation plan 
(SIP) requirements, which include a requirement that each State submit 
a SIP that: (1) Provides for the establishment and operation of 
appropriate devices, methods, systems, and procedures necessary to 
monitor, compile, analyze, and make available to the Administrator data 
on ambient air quality and (2) provides for the performance of such air 
quality modeling as the Administrator may prescribe for the purpose of 
predicting the effect on ambient air quality of any emissions of any 
air pollutant for which the Administrator has established a NAAQS, and 
the submission, upon request, of data related to such air quality 
modeling to the designee as stipulated in the rule.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: State, local and tribal air 
pollution management control agencies.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (see CAA), 42 U.S.C. 
7403, 7410, and 7511a, from which the 40 CFR part 51 regulations were 
promulgated).
    Estimated number of respondents: 21 for monitoring, and 170 sources 
and 43 States for modeling.
    Frequency of response: Varies by requirement. Quarterly for 
monitoring data and annually for on-going data verification reporting.
    Total estimated burden: 26,938 hours (per year) for monitoring 
(specific hours for modeling not estimated, but labor costs are 
included in the estimated cost for modeling below). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $2,538,895 (per year) for monitoring, 
includes $189,246 annualized capital or operation and maintenance costs 
for monitoring and $5,100,000 (per year) for modeling.
    Changes in Estimates: There is a decrease of 75, 931 hours per year 
for the estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently 
approved by OMB. This decrease is due to the revised number of air 
pollution control agencies monitoring to meet their requirements for 
listed sources. There is a decrease of $7,260,000 for the sources 
modeling. This decrease is due to the revised number of listed sources 
for which states chose modeling to meet their requirements.


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    Dated: June 27, 2019.
Scott Mathias,
Acting Director, Air Quality Policy Division.
[FR Doc. 2019-14884 Filed 7-11-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


