Notice2022-24924
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Chrome Finishing Industry Data Collection
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 16, 2022
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chrome Finishing Industry Data Collection" (EPA ICR No. 2723.01, OMB Control No. 2040-NEW) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a request for approval of a new collection. 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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 220 (Wednesday, November 16, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 220 (Wednesday, November 16, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68689-68690]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-24924]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0869; FRL-10393-01-OW]
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Chrome
Finishing Industry Data Collection
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to
submit an information collection request (ICR), ``U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Chrome Finishing Industry Data Collection'' (EPA ICR
No. 2723.01, OMB Control No. 2040-NEW) to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments
on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described
below. This is a request for approval of a new collection. 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 January 17, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-
2022-0869, online using <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> (our preferred method), by
email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6f2038422b000c040a1b2f0a1f0e41080019"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="420d156f062d21292736022732236c252d34">[email protected]</span></a>, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center,
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
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 (CBI), or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Phillip Flanders, Engineering and
Analysis Division, Office of Science and Technology, (4303T),
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington,
DC 20460; telephone number: 202-566-8323; email address:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4d0b212c2329283f3e631d25242121243d0d283d2c632a223b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="71371d101f151403025f2119181d1d1801311401105f161e07">[email protected]</span></a>.
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
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West,
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional
information about EPA's public docket, visit <a href="http://www.epa.gov/dockets">http://www.epa.gov/dockets</a>.
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501 et
seq), 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. 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, 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: Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), EPA develops effluent
limitations guidelines (ELGs) to limit pollutants discharged from
industrial point source categories. EPA initially promulgated the Metal
Finishing ELGs in 1983 and amended the regulations in 1984 and 1986.
The current regulation covers wastewater discharges from facilities
performing various metal finishing operations. Metal finishing is the
process of changing the surface of an object, for the purpose of
improving its appearance and/or durability. Metal finishing is related
to electroplating, which is the production of a thin surface coating of
a metal upon another by electrodeposition. EPA first promulgated the
Electroplating ELGs in 1974, with amendments in 1977, 1979, 1981, and
1983. Together, the Metal Finishing and Electroplating ELGs apply to
thousands of facilities which perform one or more of the following
operations and discharge process wastewater directly to surface waters
or indirectly to surface waters through publicly owned treatment works
(POTWs): electroplating, electroless plating, anodizing, coating
(including phosphating, chromating, and coloring), chemical etching and
milling, and printed circuit board manufacture.
As announced in the Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Program Plan
15, published in September 2021, EPA plans to conduct a rulemaking to
address Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) discharges from a
[[Page 68690]]
subset of facilities in the Metal Finishing and Electroplating point
source categories. Based on information and data collected during the
Multi-Industry PFAS Study, EPA determined PFAS are used by some metal
finishing and electroplating facilities to control hexavalent chromium
emissions, a known human carcinogen and inhalation hazard. EPA
determined facilities performing certain chromium operations (hereafter
referred to as ``chrome finishing facilities''), including chromium
plating, chromium anodizing, chromic acid etching, and chromate
conversion coating operations, are the predominant sources of PFAS
discharges by the Metal Finishing and Electroplating point source
categories.
Publicly available data on metal finishing and electroplating
facilities, including whether they perform chromium finishing
operations and potential use and discharge of PFAS, are limited. EPA
reviewed information on metal finishing and electroplating facilities
that potentially conduct one or more chromium finishing operations
available in national EPA data sets, including the Chromium
Electroplating and Anodizing National Emissions Standards for Hazardous
Air Pollutants (NESHAP) codified at 40 CFR part 63 subpart N, 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 from several state environmental agencies. However, none
of these data sources define a complete population of chromium
finishing facilities in the United States nor do they provide detailed
information on specific facility operations (including use of
hexavalent chromium or PFAS), generation and management of wastewater,
or wastewater characteristics--factors essential to EPA's review and
development of ELGs to address PFAS discharges. Therefore, a
questionnaire and wastewater sampling program for the Metal Finishing
and Electroplating point source categories are essential portions of
the rulemaking process, necessary for EPA to determine if the current
regulations remain appropriate and, if warranted, develop new
regulations. If new regulations are deemed to be warranted, the
questionnaire and sampling activities are essential for EPA to complete
the detailed technical and economic analysis for the entire industry
necessary for the rulemaking process. 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. The objectives of the questionnaire will be
to confirm the population of facilities that engage or have engaged in
chromium finishing operations, as well as gather facility-specific
information and data relevant to generation and discharge of PFAS-
containing wastewater by the industry.
Confidential Business Information (CBI) may be collected. In
accordance with 40 CFR, part 2, subpart B, section 2.203, the survey
informs respondents of their right to claim information as
confidential. Each survey provides instructions for claiming
confidentiality and informs respondents of the terms and rules
governing the protection of CBI under the Clean Water Act and 40 CFR
2.203(B). Survey respondents are able to and are requested to mark any
claimed confidential responses as CBI. EPA and its contractors will
follow EAD's existing procedures to protect data labeled as CBI.
Form Numbers: None.
Respondents/affected entities: All chrome finishing facilities in
the U.S. facilities will receive the questionnaire (1,815 facilities)
and no more than 20 facilities will be asked to conduct specific
wastewater sampling.
Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory (Clean Water Act
section 308) (citing authority).
Estimated number of respondents: 1,815 (total).
Frequency of response: One-time data collection.
Total estimated respondent burden: 35,858 hours. Burden is defined
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated respondent cost: $1,696,682.83 one-time cost.
Changes in Estimates: This is a new data collection request and is
a one-time temporary increase to the agency's burden.
Deborah Nagle,
Director, Office of Science and Technology, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 2022-24924 Filed 11-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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