Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; NSPS for Electric Utility Steam Generating Units (Renewal); EPA ICR Number 1053.09, OMB Control Number 2060-0023

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 an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR which is abstracted below describes the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost.

DATES:

Additional comments may be submitted on or before October 22, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number EPA-HQ-OECA-2007-0043, to (1) EPA online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), or by e-mail to docket.oeca@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Environmental Protection Agency, Enforcement and Compliance Docket and Information Center, mail code 2201T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Learia Williams, Compliance Assessment and Media Programs Division, Office of Compliance, Mail Code 2223A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-4113; fax number: (202) 564-0050; e-mail address: williams.learia@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. On March 9, 2007 (72 FR 10735), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice.

EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under docket ID number EPA-HQ-OECA-2007-0043, which is available for public viewing online at http://www.regulations.gov , or in person viewing at the Enforcement and Compliance Docket in the EPA Docket and Information Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the Enforcement and Compliance Docket and Information Center is (202) 566-1752.

Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at http://www.regulations.gov , to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select “docket search,” then key in the docket ID number identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing at http://www.regulations.gov , as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, Confidential Business Information (CBI,) or other information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic docket, go to www.regulations.gov .

Title: NSPS for Electric Utility Steam Generating Units (Renewal).

ICR Numbers: EPA ICR Number 1053.09, OMB Control Number 2060-0023.

ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on October 31, 2007. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 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 in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, and 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 in certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.

Abstract: The respondents to this information collection are owners or operators of electric utility steam generating units subject to the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) subpart Da. These regulations apply to electric utility steam generating units which are capable of combusting more than 73 megawatts (MW) heat input of fossil fuel commencing construction, modification, or reconstruction after the date of proposal. This information will be used by enforcement agencies to verify that sources subject to the standard are meeting the emission reductions mandated by the Clean Air Act.

Owners/operators of electric utility steam generating facilities are required to submit one-time notification of construction/reconstruction, anticipated and actual startup, initial performance test, physical or operational changes, and demonstration of a continuous monitoring system. Respondents are also required to submit a report on initial performance test results, monitoring results, and excess emissions. Records must be maintained 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. Semiannual and quarterly reports are also required. These notifications, reports, and records are essential in determining compliance; and are required, in general, of all sources subject to NSPS.

Any owner or operator subject to the provisions of this part shall maintain a file of these measurements, and retain the file for at least two years following the date of such measurements, maintenance reports and records. 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. This information is being collected to assure compliance with 40 CFR part 60, subpart Da as authorized in section 112 and 114(a) of the Clean Air Act. The required information consists of emissions data and other information that have been determined to be private.

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 Number 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 and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 96 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 which have subsequently changed; 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: Electric utility steam generating units.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 677.

Frequency of Response: Initially, quarterly and semiannually.

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 160,839.

Estimated Total Annual Cost: $26,675,248, which includes $2,200,000 annualized Capital Startup costs, $10,155,000 annualized Operating and Maintenance (O&M) costs, and $14,320,248 annualized Labor costs.

Changes in the Estimates: There is an increase in the total estimated burden as currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved Burdens. This increase is not due to any program changes. The change in the burden and cost estimates occurred because the active ICR did not account for managerial and clerical burden. Also, the hourly labor rate used was not consistent with the rates for that year which created a calculation error which this renewal has corrected. There is also an increase in the number of sources, thus contributing to the increase in burden hours and costs.