
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4621-4622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-01523]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2014-0736; FRL-9941-60-OEI]


Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and 
Approval; Comment Request; EPA's Safer Choice Partner of the Year 
Awards Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA has submitted the following information collection request 
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA): ``EPA's 
Safer Choice Partner of the Year Awards Program'' and identified by EPA 
ICR No. 2450.02 and OMB Control No. 2070-0184. 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 in this document. EPA has 
addressed the comments received in response to the previously provided 
public review opportunity issued in the Federal Register on October 2, 
2015 (80 FR 59773). With this submission, EPA is providing an 
additional 30 days for public review.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 26, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification 
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2014-0736, to both EPA and OMB as follows:
     To EPA online using http://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.
     To OMB via email to oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. Address 
comments to OMB Desk Officer for EPA.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
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. Do not submit electronically any 
information you consider to be CBI or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colby Lintner, Environmental 
Assistance Division (7408M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-1404; email 
address: TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Docket: Supporting documents, including the ICR that explains in 
detail the information collection activities and the related burden and 
cost estimates that are summarized in this document, are available in 
the docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at http://www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, West William 
Jefferson Clinton Bldg., Rm. 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.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on January 
31, 2016. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or 
sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending 
at OMB. Under PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., 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 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: EPA developed the Partner of the Year Awards to recognize 
Safer Choice stakeholders who have furthered the goals of Safer Choice 
through active and exemplary participation in and promotion of the 
Safer Choice program. Making the mission of the Safer Choice program 
known to the widest possible audience, through its safer product label 
and in other forms of communication, is critical to fully realizing the 
program's goals of protecting human health and the environment, 
promoting a sustainable economy, and creating green jobs, especially in 
the small business sector.
    The Partner of the Year Awards will be an annual event, with 
recognition for Safer Choice stakeholder organizations from five broad 
categories: (1) Formulators/product manufacturers (of both consumer and 
institutional/industrial (I/I) products), (2) purchasers and 
distributors, (3) retailers, (4) supporters (e.g., non-governmental 
organizations, including environmental and health advocates, trade 
associations, academia, sports teams, and others), and (5) innovators 
(e.g., chemical manufacturers, technology developers, and others). 
Within these categories and based on the criteria, EPA may elect to 
give additional awards in the subcategories of ``small business'' and 
``sustained excellence.'' This information collection activity 
addresses the reporting burden associated with completing the

[[Page 4622]]

application to EPA for recognition in the Partner of the Year Awards 
program.
    Responses to this information collection are voluntary. Respondents 
may claim all or part of a response 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.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this ICR are establishments engaged in the production, use, and/or 
advancement of safer chemicals, that have furthered the goals of EPA's 
Safer Chemical program through active and exemplary participation in 
and promotion of the program, and that wish to receive recognition for 
their achievements.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated total number of potential respondents: 50.
    Frequency of response: Annual.
    Estimated total burden: 750 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 
5 CFR 1320.3(b).
    Estimated total costs: $45,486 (per year), includes no annualized 
capital investment or maintenance and operational costs.
    Changes in the estimates: There is a decrease of 900 hours in the 
total estimated respondent burden compared with that identified in the 
ICR currently approved by OMB.
    This decrease reflects the experience of EPA's Safer Choice program 
since OMB first approved this information collection. The Safer Choice 
program conducted its first Partner of the Year Awards in 2015, at 
which time EPA had received applications from 35 respondents. Based 
upon revised estimates, EPA has reduced the estimated number of 
respondents from 110 to 50, with a corresponding decrease in the 
associated burden. This change is an adjustment.

Courtney Kerwin,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 2016-01523 Filed 1-26-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


