Department of Justice
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Information Collection Request
Supporting Statement
1140-0071
Notification to Fire Safety Authority of Storage of Explosive Materials
JUSTIFICATION
Necessity of Information Collection
Under Title 18 United States Code (U.S.C.) § 842 (j), the Attorney General (AG) has the authority to issue regulations governing the storage of explosive materials. Title 18 U.S.C. § 842 (j) further provides that in promulgating such regulations, the standards of safety and security recognized in the explosives industry, shall be taken into consideration. Title 18 U.S.C. § 846 gives the AG the authority to inspect the site of any accident or fire, in which there is reason to believe that explosive materials were involved, so that precautions can be taken to prevent similar accidents in the future. This provision gives the AG the authority to issue regulations that are intended to prevent accidents involving explosives. ATF is concerned with the safety of emergency response personnel responding to fires on sites where explosives are stored. Consequently, 27 CFR § 555.201(f) requires that any person who stores explosive materials, shall notify the fire safety authorities for that jurisdiction about the type, magazine capacity, and location of all stored explosive materials.
Needs and Uses
This information collection is necessary to ensure the safety of emergency response personnel responding to fires at sites where explosives materials are stored. The required information is provided both orally and in writing to local fire safety authorities for the jurisdiction where explosives materials are stored.
Use of Information Technology
ATF requires that persons storing explosives materials provide storage location information both orally and in writing either by mailing or emailing the completed notification letter template to local fire safety authorities. The requirement for oral and written notification is in accordance with 27 CFR § 555.201(f).
Efforts to Identify Duplication
There is no duplication of this information collection since the information sought is unattainable from any other source. Prior to 27 CFR § 555.201(f), there was no other consistent means to collect the required information. Absence of such notification requirement may have deleterious consequences for emergency response personnel responding to fires where explosives were stored.
Minimizing Burden on Small Businesses
The collection of information does not significantly impact small businesses.
Consequences of Not Conducting or less Frequent Collection
The safety of emergency response personnel responding to fires on sites where explosives materials are stored will be jeopardized if this collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently.
Special Circumstances
This information will be collected in a manner consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR § 1320.6.
Public Comments and Consultations
No comments were received during the 60-day Federal Register (FR) notice period. However, a 30-day FR notice will be published to solicit public comments.
Provision of Payments or Gifts to Respondents
No payment or gift is associated with this collection.
Assurance of Confidentiality
The person storing explosive materials will keep records of all written notification provided to the local fire safety authority regarding explosives storage locations. These records will also be maintained in a secured location. Confidentiality is not assured.
Justification for Sensitive Questions
No questions of a sensitive nature are being asked.
Estimate of Respondent’s Burden
There are 653 respondents associated with this collection. Each respondent will respond one time. The total responses is 653. It takes 30 minutes to prepare each notification. Therefore, the total burden hours associated with this information collection is 326.5 or 327 hours.
Estimate of Cost Burden
The only cost to each respondent is postage for mailing their explosives storage location notification letter to the fire safety authority within their jurisdiction. ATF estimates that the postage cost for each respondent has increased from 50 cents to 55 cents. Therefore, the total cost burden for this collection is $359.
Costs to the Federal Government
There is no cost to the Federal government.
Reason for Change in Burden
The reduction in total responses and burden hours by 322 and 161 respectively, is due to fewer respondents to this information collection since the last renewal in 2018. The cost burden for this collection has also decreased by $129, despite an increase in mailing costs from 50 cents in 2018, to 55 cents in 2021.
Anticipated Publication Plan and Schedule
The results of this collection will not be published.
Display of Expiration Date
ATF does not request approval to not display the Office of Management and Budget expiration date.
Exception to the Certification Statement.
There are no exceptions to the certification statement.
THIS COLLECTION OF INFORMATION EMPLOYS NO STATISTICAL METHODS.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | Department of Justice |
| Author | ATF |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-12-28 |