Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Architectural Coatings (Renewal)

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), “National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Architectural Coatings,” (EPA ICR No. 1750.08, OMB Control No. 2060-0393) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, the EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through April 30, 2018. 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 December 15, 2017.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2011-0371 in the subject line, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by email to: a-and-r-docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460.

The 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 or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Kim Teal, Sector Polices and Programs Division (Mail Code D243-04), Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711; telephone number: (919) 541-5580; fax number: (919) 541-4991; email address: teal.kim@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, EPA WJC West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. 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 Paperwork Reduction Act, 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: The EPA is required under section 183(e) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to regulate volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from the use of consumer and commercial products. Pursuant to CAA section 183(e)(3), the EPA published a list of consumer and commercial products and a schedule for their regulation (60 FR 15264). Architectural and industrial maintenance coatings are included on the list, and the standards for such coatings are codified at 40 CFR part 59, subpart D. The information collection includes initial reports and periodic recordkeeping necessary for the EPA to ensure compliance with federal standards for VOC in architectural coatings. Respondents are manufacturers, distributors, and importers of architectural coatings. Responses to the collection are mandatory under 40 CFR part 59, subpart D—National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Architectural Coatings. All information submitted to the EPA for which a claim of confidentiality is made will be safeguarded according to the agency policies set forth in 40 CFR part 2, subpart B—Confidentiality of Business Information.

Form Numbers: None.

Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action as respondents are manufacturers, distributors, or importers of architectural and industrial maintenance coatings and coating components for sale or distribution in the United States, including the District of Columbia and all United States territories.

Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory under 40 CFR part 59, subpart D—National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Architectural Coatings.

Estimated number of respondents: 500 (total).

Frequency of response: On occasion.

Total estimated burden: 14,436 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).

Total estimated cost: $1,377,634 (per year). There are no annualized capital or operation and maintenance costs.

Changes in Estimates: This notice reflects differences in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. Specifically, the total estimated respondent burden hours have changed from 14,661 to 14,436 and the total estimated respondent burden cost has changed from $1,261,526 to $1,377,634, which is a reflection of a mathematical error that was identified during the development of this renewal. The individual elements that are compiled to reflect total respondent burden hours and cost have not changed since the last renewal, we're only correcting the math error for the total estimated burden.