Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Safer Detergent Stewardship Initiative (SDSI) Program

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 Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Safer Detergent Stewardship Initiative (SDSI) Program; EPA ICR No. 2261.02, OMB No. 2070-0171. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection activity and its expected burden and costs.

DATES:

Additional comments may be submitted on or before April 1, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0874 to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), or by mail to: Document Control Office (DCO), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 7407T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 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:

Pamela Myrick, (acting) Director, Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 7408-M, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-9838; 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 1320.12. On November 22, 2010 (75 FR 71123), EPA sought comments on this renewal ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments during the comment period. Any additional comments related to 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 No. EPA EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0874, which is available for online viewing at http://www.regulations.gov,, or in person inspection at the OPPT Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8 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 Pollution Prevention and Toxics Docket is 202-566-0280. Use http://www.regulations.gov 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.

EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing in 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. 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 http://www.regulations.gov. The entire printed comment, including the copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket. 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 http://www.regulations.gov. For further information about the electronic docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.

Title: Safer Detergent Stewardship Initiative (SDSI) Program.

ICR Status: This is a request to renew an existing approved collection that is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2011. Under 5 CFR 1320.12(b)(2), the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB.

Abstract: The Safer Detergent Stewardship Initiative is a voluntary program administered by EPA to offer resources and recognition to businesses involved in the transition to safer surfactants. Surfactants are a major ingredient in cleaning products such as detergents, cleaners, airplane de-icers and fire-fighting foams. Safer surfactants are those that break down quickly to non-polluting compounds.

Under SDSI, businesses that have fully transitioned to safer surfactants, or (for non-profits, academic institutions, etc.) can document outstanding efforts to encourage the use of safer surfactants, are granted Champion status. At this level, the participant is invited to the SDSI Awards ceremony, listed on the EPA SDSI Web site as a champion, and may use a special logo in their literature to help explain their participation in the program. Businesses that commit to a full and timely transition to safer surfactants, or (for non-profits, academic institutions, etc.) can document outstanding efforts to encourage the use of safer surfactants, are granted Partner status. This category provides recognition of significant accomplishments towards the use of safer surfactants. Partners will be listed on the EPA SDSI Web site and may be granted recognition as a Champion in the future if appropriate.

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 CBI claim 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 in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register, are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and included on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 10 hours per response. Burden is defined in 5 CFR 1320.3(b).

Respondents/Affected Entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are establishments or organizations engaged in formulating, producing, purchasing or distributing surfactants or products containing surfactants.

Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

Estimated average number of responses for each respondent: 1.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 14.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 140 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Costs: $7,770.

Changes in Burden Estimates: This request reflects a decrease of 3,610 hours (from 3,750 hours to 140 hours) in the total estimated respondent burden from that currently in the OMB inventory. This decrease reflects improved estimates of the number of applications EPA expects to receive, based on actual experience in administering the SDSI program. The Supporting Statement provides details on the change in burden estimate. The change is an adjustment.