[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 166 (Monday, August 29, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52764-52765]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-18544]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA EPA-HQ-OLEM-2022-0174; FRL10137-01-OLEM]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; 
Statement Supporting the Collection of Information for Accidental 
Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Programs Under Section 
112(r) of the Clean Air Act, as Amended; Safer Communities by Chemical 
Accident Prevention, EPA ICR Number 2725.01, OMB Control Number 2050-
NEW

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is 
planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), Accidental 
Release Prevention Requirements: Risk Management Programs under the 
Clean Air Act, as amended; Safer Communities by Chemical Accident 
Prevention, (EPA ICR Number 2725.01, OMB Control Number 2050-NEW) to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, EPA 
is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collection as described below. This is a new ICR. 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 October 28, 2022.

[[Page 52765]]


ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OEM-
2022-0174, to EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method) or by mail to EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 
20460, or to OMB via email to [email protected]. Address 
comments to OMB Desk Officer for EPA.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wendy Hoffman, Office of Emergency 
Management, Mail Code 5104A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 
564-8794; email address: [email protected].

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 Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, 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. 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, 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: The statutory authority for this action is provided by 
section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) as amended (42 U.S.C. 
7412(r)). Each modification of the RMP rule that EPA proposes in this 
document is based on EPA's rulemaking authority under CAA section 
112(r)(7) (42 U.S.C. 7412(r)(7)). CAA section 307(d) sets out 
requirements for the content of proposed and final rules, the docket 
for each rulemaking, opportunities for oral testimony on proposed 
rulemakings, the length of time for comments, and judicial review. The 
agencies implementing the Risk Management Program rule use RMPs to 
evaluate compliance with the Chemical Accident Prevention Provisions in 
40 CFR part 68 and to identify sources for inspection that may pose 
significant risks to the community. Citizens may use the information to 
assess and address chemical hazards in their communities and to respond 
appropriately in the event of a release of a regulated substance.
    The purpose of this action is to propose changes to the current RMP 
rule to improve safety at facilities that use and distribute hazardous 
chemicals. EPA believes that the RMP regulations have been effective in 
preventing and mitigating chemical accidents in the United States and 
that the proposed revisions, by giving special consideration to 
concerns about climate change and environmental justice and building on 
lessons learned from the current regulatory program, could further 
protect human health and the environment from chemical hazards through 
advancement of process safety. These revisions are informed by EPA's 
review of the current RMP rule and information EPA gathered from public 
listening sessions held in June and July 2021.
    The proposed revisions seek to improve chemical process safety, 
assist in planning, preparedness, and responding to RMP accidents, and 
improve public awareness of chemical hazards at regulated sources. To 
accomplish this, these proposed provisions include several changes to 
the accident prevention program requirements, enhancements to the 
emergency preparedness requirements, increased public availability of 
chemical hazard information, and several other changes to certain 
regulatory definitions or points of clarification.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Respondents/affected entities: The industries that are likely to be 
affected by the requirements in the proposed regulations fall into 
numerous North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 
categories. The types of facilities affected by the proposed rule range 
from petroleum refineries and large chemical manufacturers to water and 
wastewater treatment systems; chemical and petroleum wholesalers and 
terminals; food manufacturers, packing plants, and other cold storage 
facilities with ammonia refrigeration systems; agricultural chemical 
distributors; midstream gas plants; and a limited number of other 
sources that use RMP-regulated substances.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (CAA sections 
112(r)(7)(B)(i) and (ii), CAA section 112(r)(7)(B)(iii), 114(c), CAA 
114(a)(1)).
    Estimated number of respondents: 14,226.
    Frequency of response: On occasion.
    Total estimated burden: 797,642 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $79,248,522 (per year); includes $2,817,907 
annual operations and maintenance costs and $78,400 annual capital 
costs (per year).
    Changes in estimates: This a new ICR so there is no change in total 
estimated burden.

Donna Salyer,
Director, Office of Emergency Management.
[FR Doc. 2022-18544 Filed 8-26-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


