This ICR is
approved. EPA is to be commended for revising the survey to
significantly reduce the burden on respondents, in response to
public comment received following the 60-day notice required under
5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1). During OMB review of the ICR, EPA agreed to
further reduce the burden by conducting a survey rather than a
census of some categories of facilities, allowing respondents to
attach a copy of a facility's permit in lieu of completing survey
questions requesting permit-related information, allowing all
eligible to be designated as CBI at once, removing all monthly
production data from the main survey and including it instead in a
follow-up survey to no more than 100 sites, and removing a number
of other questions that the agency subsequently decided were not
absolutely necessary to rule development. As a result of these
changes, OMB believes that all of the remaining questions in the
revised survey have practical utility, are necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the agency, and reduce to the
extent practicable and appropriate the burden on persons who shall
provide information to or for the agency, as required by 5 CFR
1320.9. EPA has also agreed to extend the time limits for
completion of the survey by some categories of respondents.
Specifically, integrated mills will have 180 days to complete the
survey, non- integrated sites with and without finishing and
stand-alone finishing sites will have 120 days to complete the
survey, and all other sites will have 90 days to complete the
survey. While these deadlines are an improvement over those
originally proposed and OMB recognizes the tight rulemaking
schedule under which the agency is operating, OMB remains concerned
that the deadlines may impose an unreasonable burden on some
respondents, particularly in cases where a single individual is
responsible for the surveys from multiple sites. OMB thus notes
with approval the provisions in the survey instructions for
respondents to request an extension for their own site or discuss a
delivery schedule for a company with multiple sites by so notifying
EPA in writing within 30 days of receipt of the survey. OMB
encourages EPA to allow reasonable deadline extensions in such
cases. OMB also notes that the ICR supporting statement at p 78
indicates EPA's intention to conduct workshops for survey
respondents as budget permits. Given the technical complexity of
the survey and the considerable time investment that respondents
must make to complete it, OMB encourates EPA to offer such
workshops to respondents who want them.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
08/31/2001
08/31/2001
824
0
0
76,988
0
0
40,000
0
0
EPA will administer the Collection of
1997 Iron and Steel Industry Data as a census of the iron and steel
industry. The iron and steel industry includes 901 sites engaged in
the following manufacturing processes: Cokemaking, sintering,
briquetting (and other agglomeration processes), ironmaking,
steelmaking, vacuum degassing, ladle metallurgy (and other refining
processes), casting, hot forming, acid pickling, descaling, acid
regeneration, cold forming, and surface cleaning and coating
(including alkaline cleaning, hot dip coating, and
electroplating.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Collection of 1997 Iron and Steel Industry Data