This information collection request (ICR) supports the final rule, Accidental Release Prevention Requirements; Risk Management Programs Under the Clean Air Act Section 112(r)(7); Distribution of Off-Site Consequence Analysis Information, under CAA section 112(r) as amended by the Chemical Safety Information, Site Security, and Fuels Regulatory Relief Act (P.L.106-40). CAA section 112(r)(7) required EPA to promulgate reasonable regulations and appropriate guidance to provide for the prevention and detection of accidental releases and for responses to such releases. The regulations include requirements for submittal of a risk management plan (RMP) to EPA. The RMP includes information on offsite consequence analyses (OCA) as well as other elements of the risk management program. EPA has made all RMP data except the OCA information available to the public on the Internet through a system called RMP*Info.
The final rule will provide access to OCA information for governmental officials and the members of the public. This ICR includes the burden placed on the members of the public requesting OCA information (providing personal identification and sign-in at federal reading rooms). This ICR also includes burden on state and local officials deciding to obtain OCA information (must submit a written request to EPA for OCA information and may provide reading rooms for the public to view OCA information for local facilities).
There is an adjustment decrease in burden and costs from the previous ICR. This is due to using actual data for of the state and local officials requesting OCA data and the public visiting reading rooms. The previous ICR estimated that all 50 states plus U.S. territories and D.C. and at least 1,000 of the 1,500 active LEPCs will be requesting OCA data. However, EPA only received requests for OCA data fro 9 LEPCs and 240 state officials in the past three years. The public burden and costs have also decreased for the previous ICR, due to the actual number of people that have visited the federal, state and local reading rooms.
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.