Chromium Finishing Industry Data Collection (New)

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
Form 6100-079 Chromium Finishing Questionnaire	Form and Instruction	New	Available
Form 6100-079 Chrome Finishing Industry Data Collection	Form and Instruction	New	Available
2723ssb01.docx	Supporting Statement B	Uploaded 2023-04-21	Repair queued
2723ssa01.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2023-04-21	Repair queued

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
259828	Chrome Finishing Industry Data Collection	Form and Instruction	New	Chromium Finishing Questionnaire
259828	Chrome Finishing Industry Data Collection	Form and Instruction	New
259828	Chrome Finishing Industry Data Collection	Other-Template Excel Workbook for Question 39 of the Chromium Fi	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 2040-0308	ICR Reference No: 202304-2040-002
Status: Active	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: EPA/OW	Agency Tracking No: 2723.01
Title: Chromium Finishing Industry Data Collection (New)
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 11/13/2023
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 04/28/2023
Terms of Clearance:

table that charts list comparision

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	11/30/2026	36 Months From Approved
Responses	1,957	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	14,493	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	4,349	0	0

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Abstract: As mentioned in Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15, published in January 2023, EPA plans to conduct a rulemaking to address Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) discharges from a subset of facilities in the Metal Finishing and Electroplating point source categories. Specifically, facilities performing certain chromium operations that employ hexavalent chromium (hereafter referred to as chrome finishing facilities), including chromium plating, chromium anodizing, chromic acid etching, and chromate conversion coating that use or have used PFAS to control hexavalent chromium emissions. These facilities are expected to be the predominant sources of PFAS discharges in the Metal Finishing and Electroplating point source categories. Publicly available data on such facilities, including whether they perform chrome finishing operations and use and discharge of PFAS at the national scale, are limited. EPA reviewed the 2017 National Emissions Inventory (NEI), Compliance and Emissions Data Reporting Interface (CEDRI), Environmental Compliance History Online (ECHO), and Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS), as well as data collected by several state environmental agencies. However, none of these data sources provide a complete population of chromium finishing facilities in the United States nor do they provide the detailed information on specific facility operations (including use of hexavalent chromium or PFAS), generation and management of wastewater, or wastewater characteristics necessary for the complex technical and economic analyses required for the review and development of ELGs. Therefore, this questionnaire and wastewater sampling program are necessary for EPA to determine if the current regulations remain appropriate and to develop new regulations if they are deemed to be warranted. EPA has identified and compiled mailing addresses for approximately 1,815 potential chromium finishing facilities in the United States. All active metal finishing and electroplating facilities that conduct or have conducted one or more of the specified chromium finishing operations will be required to complete the questionnaire.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 33 USC 1311A Name of Law: Clean Water Act (CWA) (original title: Federal Water Pollution Control Amendments of 1972)
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	87 FR 68689	11/16/2022
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	88 FR 24615	04/21/2023
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Chrome Finishing Industry Data Collection	6100-079	Chromium Finishing Questionnaire

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ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list of burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	1,957	0	0	1,957	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	14,493	0	0	14,493	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	4,349	0	0	4,349	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is a new collection.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $298,495

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 04/28/2023

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