EPA BIOPESTICIDES AND POLLUTION PREVENTION DIVISION COMPANY NOTICE OF FILING FOR PESTICIDE PETITIONS PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER

EPA Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division contact: [insert name and telephone number with area code]

INSTRUCTIONS:  Please utilize this outline in preparing the pesticide petition.  In cases where the outline element does not apply, please insert "NA-Remove" and maintain the outline. Please do not change the margins, font, or format in your pesticide petition. Simply replace the instructions that appear in green, i.e., "[insert company name]," with the information specific to your action.

SUBMISSION: Email the completed template to<EMAIL_ADDRESS> TEMPLATE:

[Vestaron Corporation]

[Insert petition number]

	EPA has received a pesticide petition ([insert petition number]) from [Vestaron Corporation], [4717 Campus Drive, Ste. 1200, Kalamazoo, MI 49008] requesting, pursuant to section 408(d) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21 U.S.C. 346a(d), to amend 40 CFR part 180 to establish an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for the biochemical pesticide [GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2]. 	 Pursuant to section 408(d)(2)(A)(i) of  FFDCA, as amended, [Vestaron Corporation] has submitted the following summary of information, data, and arguments in support of their pesticide petition. This summary was prepared by [Vestaron Corporation] and EPA has not fully evaluated the merits of the pesticide petition. The summary may have been edited by EPA if the terminology used was unclear, the summary contained extraneous material, or the summary unintentionally made the reader conclude that the findings reflected EPA's position and not the position of the petitioner.

I. [Vestaron Corporation] Petition Summary        	[Insert petition number]

A. Product Name and Proposed Use Practices

[Product Name:	VST-006325 TGAI (88847-R) 				VST-006330 EP (88847-E)

Proposed Use Practice:	VST-006325 TGAI is proposed for manufacturing use only, for further formulation into registered end-use products.

	VST-006330 EP is a biological insecticide containing the active ingredient GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 for use on ornamental plants, turf and edible crops against a variety of insect pests.  VST-006330 EP functions primarily as a central nervous inhibitor for use in the control or suppression of many foliar feeding pests including caterpillars, foliage feeding coleopterans and whiteflies in infested crops.  VST-006330 EP is mixed with water and applied as a foliar spray with ground or aerial application equipment.  VST-006330 EP can be used in either the field or greenhouse for the control of any labeled pest.]

B. Product Identity/Chemistry

	1. Identity of the pesticide and corresponding residues.

[Active Ingredient:	GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 (CAS No. Not applicable). 	 	Information regarding the name, identity and chemical composition has been submitted to EPA and can be found in MRID Nos. 487790-2, 487790-3 and 87790-4.

	GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2, the active ingredient in VST-006325 TGAI, is a novel peptide insecticidal ingredient that is derived from peptide insect ion channel modulators produced by a family of Australian spiders, known as the funnel-web spiders.  These ion channel modulators interact with invertebrate ion channels but are inactive at vertebrate ion channels.  As a hybrid peptide, GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 is active at both insect calcium channels and insect calcium activated potassium channels (MRID No. 487790-2).

Mode of Action:	When used as an insecticide the active ingredient GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 has a unique dual mode of action.  One mode of action that GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 is inhibition of voltage-gated insect, but not vertebrate, calcium channels.  GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 exhibits a concentration dependent inhibition of voltage-gated calcium channel currents in cockroach neurons with an IC50 of 500 nM.

                        GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 has a second mode of action that is inhibition of insect calcium activated potassium channels.  GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 blocks insect-specific calcium activated potassium channels while having little to no activity at rat dorsal root ganglion neuronal calcium-activated potassium channels. Similar specific activity has been demonstrated for other hybrid peptide compounds (MRID Nos. 487790-2, 487790-3 and 487790-19).]

	2. Magnitude of residues at the time of harvest and method used to determine the residue. [N/A  -  Remove.]

	3. A statement of why an analytical method of detecting and measuring the levels of the pesticide residue are not needed. [Magnitude of residues and method to determine:  An analytical method for residues is not applicable.  It is expected that, when used as proposed, GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2, would not result in residues that are of toxicological concern.]

C. Mammalian Toxicological Profile

[Toxicity of GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2: Studies conducted with GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 and structurally similar compounds demonstrate a lack of toxicity to vertebrates.

1)	Acute Toxicity of GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2.

	An acute oral study conducted on GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 used the up down procedure to evaluate the potential toxicity (MRID No. 487790-07).  Three female rats received the limit dose of 5,000 mg/kg, and all appeared normal and healthy throughout the study observation period. No gross effects were identified in animals necropsied at study termination.  The oral LD50 was determined to be > 5,000 mg/kg (Toxicity Category IV).

	An acute dermal study was conducted to support registration of GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 (MRID No. 487790-08).  In this study, 5 male and 5 female rats were exposed to 5,000 mg/kg of test article moistened with distilled water and applied to the skin for 24 hours.  All animals on the study survived exposure to the test substance and gained body weight during the observation period.  The LD50 for acute dermal exposure was >5,000 mg/kg (Toxicity Category IV).

	An acute inhalation study was conducted to support registration of GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 (MRID No. 487790-09).  In this acute inhalation study, 5 male and 5 female rats were exposed to 2.05 mg/L of test article in a nose-only exposure chamber for 4 hours.  The mass median aerodynamic diameter of the particles was 3.7 μm.  All animals on the study survived exposure to the test substance and gained body weight during the 14-day observation period.  There were no gross abnormalities in any of the animals at necropsy at study termination.  The study thus concluded that the LC50 for acute inhalation exposure was >2.05 mg/L (Toxicity Category IV).

	A primary eye irritation study was conducted to support registration of GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 (MRID No. 487790-10).  In this study one-tenth of a milliliter (0.09 grams) of the test substance was instilled into the right eye of three healthy rabbits.  The left eye remained untreated and served as a control.  No corneal opacity or iritis was observed in any treated eye during the study.  All animals were free of ocular irritation by 48 hours.  The study concluded the test material was minimally irritating (Toxicity Category IV).

	A primary dermal irritation study was conducted to support registration of GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 (MRID No. 487790-11).  In this study, five-tenths of a gram of test substance was moistened with distilled water and applied to the skin of three healthy rabbits for 4 hours.  All treated sites exhibited well-defined erythema and very slight edema, which cleared by Day 7.  The study concluded the test material was moderately irritating (Toxicity Category III).

	A dermal sensitization study was conducted to support registration of GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 (MRID No. 487790-10).  A 75% w/w mixture of the test substance in mineral oil as topically applied to guinea pigs for a 3-week induction period.  Twenty-seven days after the first induction dose, a challenge dose of the test substance as applied.  The study concluded the test material was not a contact sensitizer.

2)	Subchronic Toxicity, Teratogenicity and Genotoxicity of GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2.            Vestaron Corporation has requested that the requirements for subchronic toxicity, teratogenicity and genotoxicity for GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 be satisfied by existing data and information, based on the facts that: 1) the mode of GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 action is specific to insects, 2) GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 was not toxic in the acute toxicity studies at the limit dose, 3) data available on structurally similar surrogate compounds demonstrate a lack of toxicity, 4) data on GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 and surrogate peptide compounds indicate a lack of bioavailability following exposure (MRID No. 487790-19).]

D. Aggregate Exposure

	1. Dietary exposure.

      	i. Food. [GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 has a mode of action that is specific to ion channels in the insect nervous system and that does not interact with vertebrate systems. GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 was not toxic following oral, dermal, inhalation and eye exposure to test animals, and data on structurally similar surrogate compounds demonstrate a lack of toxicity to other vertebrates. Data on surrogate peptide compounds indicate a lack of bioavailability following oral exposure, supporting the perspective that repeated exposure to GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 is not of toxicological concern.  There are no reports of ecological or human health hazards caused by GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2.  The lack of toxicity of GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 following oral exposure, and the known lack of bioavailability and toxicity of surrogate proteins supports the perspective that dietary exposures to GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 EP would not be expected to pose any quantifiable risk. (MRID No. 487790-19)]              	ii. Drinking water. [Similarly, exposure to humans from residues of GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 in consumed drinking water would be unlikely.  Potential exposure to surface water would be unlikely and exposure to drinking water (well or ground water) would be impossible to measure. The ingredient is not applied directly to water.              	GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 has a mode of action that is specific to ion channels in the insect nervous system and that does not interact with vertebrate systems. GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 was not toxic following oral, dermal, inhalation and eye exposure to test animals, and data on structurally similar surrogate compounds demonstrate a lack of toxicity to other vertebrates. Data on surrogate peptide compounds indicate a lack of bioavailability following oral exposure, supporting the perspective that repeated exposure to GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 is not of toxicological concern.  There are no reports of ecological or human health hazards caused by GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2.  The lack of toxicity of GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 following exposure to vertebrates, and the known lack of bioavailability and toxicity of surrogate proteins supports the perspective that drinking water exposures to GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 EP would not be expected to pose any quantifiable risk. (MRID No. 487790-19)]

	2. Non-dietary exposure. [The potential for non-dietary exposure to the general population, including infants and children, is unlikely as the proposed use sites are agricultural crops in greenhouse or field sites.

	GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 has a mode of action that is specific to ion channels in the insect nervous system and that does not interact with vertebrate systems. GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 was not toxic following oral, dermal, inhalation and eye exposure to test animals, and data on structurally similar surrogate compounds demonstrate a lack of toxicity to other vertebrates. Data on surrogate peptide compounds indicate a lack of bioavailability following oral exposure, supporting the perspective that repeated exposure to GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 is not of toxicological concern.  There are no reports of ecological or human health hazards caused by GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2.  The lack of toxicity of GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 following oral exposure, and the known lack of bioavailability and toxicity of surrogate proteins supports the perspective that non-dietary exposures to GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 EP would not be expected to pose any quantifiable risk.  (MRID No. 487790-19)]

E. Cumulative Effects

[It is not expected that, when used as proposed, GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 would result in residues that are of toxicological concern. GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 has a mode of action that is specific to ion channels in the insect nervous system and that does not interact with vertebrate systems. GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 was not toxic following oral, dermal, inhalation and eye exposure test animals, and data on structurally similar surrogate compounds demonstrate a lack of toxicity to other vertebrates. Data on surrogate peptide compounds indicate a lack of bioavailability following oral exposure, supporting the perspective that repeated exposure to GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 is not of toxicological concern.  There are no reports of ecological or human health hazards caused by GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2.  (MRID No. 487790-19)]

F. Safety Determination

	1. U.S. population. [GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 has a mode of action that is specific to ion channels in the insect nervous system and that does not interact with vertebrate systems. GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 was not toxic following oral, dermal, inhalation and eye exposure to test animals, and data on structurally similar surrogate compounds demonstrate a lack of toxicity to other vertebrates. Data on surrogate peptide compounds indicate a lack of bioavailability following oral exposure, supporting the perspective that repeated exposure to GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 is not of toxicological concern.  There are no reports of ecological or human health hazards caused by GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2.  (MRID No. 487790-19)

	There is a reasonable certainty of no harm to the general US population from exposure to this active ingredient.]

	2. Infants and children. [As mentioned above, it is not expected that, when used as proposed, GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 would result in residues that are of toxicological concern. There is a reasonable certainty of no harm for infants and children from exposure to GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 from the proposed uses.]

G. Effects on the Immune and Endocrine Systems

[To date there is no evidence to suggest that GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2 functions in a manner similar to any known hormone, or that they acts as an endocrine disrupter.]

H. Existing Tolerances

[There is no US EPA tolerance or tolerance exemption for GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2.]

I. International Tolerances

[A Codex Alimentarium Commission Maximum Residue Level (MRL) is not established for GS-U-ACTX-Hv1a-SEQ2.]


[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 43 (Friday, March 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12091-12093]
[FR Doc No: 2011-4859]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. IC11-520-000, IC11-561-000, and IC11-566-000]

Commission Information Collection Activities, Proposed
Collections; Comment Request; Extension

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed information collections and request for
comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A)
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A) (2006),
(Pub. L. 104-13), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission
or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the proposed information
collection activities described below.

DATES: Comments in consideration of the collection of information are
due May 3, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be filed either electronically (eFiled) or in
paper format, and should refer to Docket Nos. IC11-520-000, IC11-561-
000, and IC11-566-000. (For comments that only pertain to one of the
collections, specify the appropriate collection and the related docket
number.) Documents must be prepared in an acceptable filing format and
in compliance with Commission submission guidelines at http://www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide.asp. eFiling instructions are
available at: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. First time
users must follow eRegister instructions at: http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/eregistration.asp, to establish a user name and password before
eFiling. The Commission will send an automatic acknowledgement to the
sender's e-mail address upon receipt of eFiled comments. Commenters
making an eFiling should not make a paper filing. Commenters that are
not able to file electronically must send an original of their comments
to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
    Users interested in receiving automatic notification of activity in
these dockets may do so through eSubscription at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp. In addition, all comments and FERC
issuances may be viewed, printed or downloaded remotely through FERC's
eLibrary at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp, by searching
on Docket Nos. IC11-520, IC11-561, and IC11-566. For user assistance,
contact FERC Online Support by e-mail at<EMAIL_ADDRESS>or
by phone at:<PHONE_NUMBER> (toll-free), or<PHONE_NUMBER> for TTY.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Brown may be reached by e-mail
at<EMAIL_ADDRESS>telephone

at<PHONE_NUMBER>, and fax at<PHONE_NUMBER>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Power Act (FPA) as amended by
the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) mandates
Federal oversight and approval of certain electric corporate activities
and put in place related information filing requirements. The FERC-520,
the Form 561 and the FERC-566 are the data collections currently
helping ensure that FPA-mandated oversight can occur and that neither
public nor private interests are adversely affected by the electric
activities the FPA provisions cover.
    The implementing processes and regulatory requirements for the
collections are codified in Chapter 18 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Information collection number         OMB Number             CFR Cite                 Statutory cite
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-520................................       1902-0083  18 CFR Part 45............
Form 561................................       1902-0099  18 CFR 46.6 and 131.31....  FPA Section 305, as
                                                                                amended by PURPA Title
                                                                                II, section 211 (16
                                                                                U.S.C. 825d)
FERC-566................................       1902-0114  18 CFR 46.3...............
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To clarify the aim and better publicize the relationships among
these information activities, FERC is combining its processes for
noticing and renewing its OMB authority to conduct these information
collections.
    Overview of the Three Forms. The FERC-520, Form 561 and FERC-566
provide views into complex electric corporate activities and serve to
safeguard public and private interests, as the FPA requires. The
Commission can use its enforcement authority when violations and
omissions of FPA requirements occur.
    FERC-520. The FERC-520, ``Application for Authority to Hold
Interlocking Directorate Positions'' is an application requesting FERC
authorization for board members of regulated electric utilities that
plan to simultaneously hold positions on the corporate boards of
related or similar businesses. This corporate activity is known as an
``interlocked directorate.'' The FERC-520 originates in FPA Section
305(b) of the FPA. This part of the FPA makes the holding of certain
defined interlocking corporate positions unlawful unless the Commission
has authorized the interlocks to be held. Before assuming an
interlocked board position, an applicant must demonstrate that neither
public nor private interests will be adversely affected by the holding
of the position. The FERC-520 identifies the applicant and describes
the various interlocking positions the applicant seeks authorization to
hold. Moreover, the form collects information related to the
applicant's financial interests, other officers and directors of the
firms involved, and the nature of business relationships among the
firms.
    FERC allows two types of FERC-520 applications to implement the FPA
requirements for holding interlocked positions. The first, in 18 CFR
45.8, is a ``full'' application. ``Full'' applications are made by (1)
an officer or director of more than one public utility; (2) an officer
or director of a public utility and of a public utility securities
underwriter; or (3) an officer or director of a public utility and of
an electrical equipment supplier to that utility. They provide detailed
information about the position for which authorization is sought,
including a description of duties, estimated time devoted to the
position, and the applicant's indebtedness to the public utility.
    The second type of FERC-520 application, in 18 CFR 45.9, is an
``informational'' application for automatic authorization. These
``informational applications'' are made by (1) An officer or director
of two or more public utilities where the same holding company owns,
directly or indirectly, wholly or in part, the other public utility;
(2) an officer or director of two public utilities, if one utility is
owned, wholly or in part, by the other; or (3) an officer or director
of more than one public utility, if such person is already authorized
under Part 45 to hold different positions where the interlock involves
affiliated public utilities.
    As part of the FERC-520 application process, the FERC requires
notices of change if the applicant resigns or withdraws from a
Commission-authorized interlocked position or if the applicant is not
re-elected or re-appointed to the interlocked position.
    Form 561. The Commission uses the FERC Form 561, ``Annual Report of
Interlocking Positions'' to implement the FPA requirement that those
who are authorized to hold interlocked directorates annually disclose
all the interlocked positions they held the prior year. The positions
that must be disclosed in the Form 561 are those public utility
officers and directors hold with financial institutions, insurance
companies, utility equipment and fuel providers, and with any of an
electric utility's twenty largest purchasers of electric energy. The
FPA specifically defines most of the information elements in the Form
561, including the information that must be filed, the required filers,
the directive to make the information available to the public, and the
filing deadline. The Commission determined administrative aspects of
the Form 561 such as the filing format and instructions for filling out
the form.
    FERC-566. The FERC-566 ``Annual Report of a Utility's Twenty
Largest Purchasers'' implements FPA requirements that each public
utility annually publish a list of the purchasers of the twenty largest
annual amounts of electric energy sold by such public utility during
any one of three previous calendar years pursuant to rules prescribed
by the Commission. The public disclosure of this information provides
officers and directors with the information necessary to determine
whether any of the entities with whom they are related are any of the
largest twenty purchasers of the public utility with which they are
affiliated. Similar to the statutory detail in the FPA for the FERC
561, the FPA identifies who must file the FERC-566 report and sets the
filing deadline. Additionally, the FPA specifies that those entities
required to report who have a holding company system can calculate
their total volumes of energy sold by including the amounts sold by
utilities within their holding company system. The FERC details in its
regulations special rules about the information to be provided in the
FERC-566 report. For example, FERC allows required filers to file
estimates of volumes based on actual information available to them if
actual volumes are not available by the statutory due date. However,
the FERC also requires revisions of those filed estimates with final
numbers by March 1st.
    Filings Information. Under FERC regulations, respondents must file
their FERC-520, Form 561 and FERC-566 in various formats, including
electronically via the Commission's eFiling web page. Most are
submitted this way.
    FERC has especially encouraged Form 561 respondents to file their
forms via the FERC eFiling system and to use a Microsoft Excel version
of the Form 561. The Microsoft Excel version of the Form 561 has been
available since 1998.

There have been many efforts since 1998 to use evolving and advanced
features of the Excel software to make filling the form out easier and
compiling the filed information more easily. The following table shows
the number of filings FERC has received for each of the three
information collections.

    Number of Filings Related to Interlocked Positions and Reports of
              Utilities' Twenty Largest Customers 2008-2010
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Filing name                     2008     2009     2010
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-520 (Total).............................      689      600      594
    [cir] Initial............................       24       36       26
    [cir] Informational......................      469      326      335
    [cir] Notice of Change...................      196      238      233
Form 561.....................................    2,441    2,420    2,432
Form 566.....................................      403      457      443
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Action: The FERC is requesting a three-year extension of the
current expiration dates for these three information collections. It
proposes to continue to explore making the filing of the FERC-520, FERC
Form 561 and FERC-566 more efficient by evaluating and possibly
adopting more modern information transfer technology.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection is
estimated in the following table.

                Estimated Burden of FERC Collections Related to Interlocked Positions and Reports of Utilities' Twenty Largest Customers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Number of    Average burden   Total annual
                    Form name                          Number of respondents annually (average) (1)        responses per     hours per     burden hours
                                                                                respondent (2)   response (3)     (1)x(2)x(3)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FERC-520........................................                                          406\1\ (total)  ..............  ..............          12,680
    [cir] Initial...............................                                                      29               1            51.8           1,502
    [cir] Informational.........................                                                     377               1            29.5          11,122
    [cir] Notice of Change......................                                                     222               1             .25              56
Form 561........................................                                                   2,431               1             .25             608
FERC-566........................................                                                     434               1               6           2,604

        Total...................................  ......................................................  ..............  ..............          15,873
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The estimated total cost to FERC-520 respondents is $867,922.
[12,680 hours/2080 hours \2\ per year, times $142,372 \3\ equals
$867,922]. The cost per FERC-520 respondent annually is $2,138.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ This number of unique respondents corresponds to the number
of initial filers plus the number of informational filers.
    \2\ Number of hours an employee works each year.
    \3\ Average annual salary per employee.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The estimated total cost to FERC-561 respondents is $41,616. [608
hours/2080 hours per year, times $142,372 equals $41,616]. The cost per
FERC-561 respondent annually is $68.
    The estimated total cost to FERC-566 respondents is $178,239.
[2,604 hours/2080 hours per year, times $178,239 equals $178,239]. The
cost per FERC-566 respondent annually is $68.
    The estimated total cost to respondents for these three information
collections is $1,087,777.
    The reporting burden includes the total time, effort, or financial
resources expended to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide
the information including: (1) Reviewing instructions; (2) developing,
acquiring, installing, and utilizing technology and systems for the
purposes of collecting, validating, verifying, processing, maintaining,
disclosing and providing information; (3) adjusting the existing ways
to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements;
(4) training personnel to respond to a collection of information; (5)
searching data sources; (6) completing and reviewing the collection of
information; and (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the
information.
    The estimate of cost for respondents is based upon salaries for
professional and clerical support, as well as direct and indirect
overhead costs. Direct costs include all costs directly attributable to
providing this information, such as administrative costs and the cost
for information technology. Indirect or overhead costs are costs
incurred by an organization in support of its mission. These costs
apply to activities which benefit the whole organization rather than
any one particular function or activity.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collections of
information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions
of the Commission, including whether the information will have
practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden of the proposed collections of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance
the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected;
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collections of information
on those who are to respond, including 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.

    Dated: February 24, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011-4859 Filed 3-3-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


                 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION RESPONSIVENESS SUMMARY
                                      FOR
                         567 IOWA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
                            CHAPTERs 22, 23 and 25

Introduction
Reason for Rulemaking
The rule changes continue previous efforts to improve rules for air quality programs.

Electronic Emissions Reporting
To simplify the reporting requirements for industry, increase reporting efficiency and reduce cost to the state, the Department is proposing to require the use of electronic emissions reporting for all Title V facilities, beginning with reports due to the Department by March 31, 2019. The transition to electronic reporting will make air emissions information more quickly available to industry seeking to build new facilities or expand existing facilities, and to the public because the Department will be able to access and provide to stakeholders emissions data electronically. Additionally, electronic reporting will reduce the cost to the state because Department staff will no longer need to data-enter this information prior to providing it in the annual federally required emissions report.

Address Updates
The proposed rule changes update several references for the new location and mailing address of the Department's Air Quality Bureau.

Consistency with Federal Regulations
The rule revisions adopt technical corrections that EPA made to continuous methods for measuring air pollutant emissions. The rule changes also include adoption of revisions to federal air toxics standards (also known as National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants or NESHAP), new source performance standards (NSPS) and EPA's Emission Guidelines. Adopting EPA's amendments allows state rules to be consistent with federal regulations, and provides certainty to affected businesses and other interested stakeholders.

Notice of Intended Action was published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin on December 19, 2018, as ARC 4178C, and a public hearing was held on January 22, 2019, at the Wallace State Office Building in Des Moines, Iowa. The Department received no comments at the public hearing. The Department received one written comment prior to the January 22, 2019, deadline for public comments.

Public Comment
Submitted on December 26, 2018, by e-mail from Linda Quinn, Iowa City, Iowa and Quinn Family Farm, c/o David Quinn, Britt, Iowa:

"Dear DNR,

I'm very concerned about the lack of federal and state regulations on factory farm air pollution. According to the EPA map below, the air quality rating where I reside (Johnson) is POOR, as well as in Hancock County, home to my family farm. My only recourse is to personally boycott the CAFO meat industry which I do by NOT buying their cheap meat. But this action doesn't even put a dent in the environmental injustice happening all across the state. Currently each of Iowa's thousands of factory farms can emit over 100 pounds of toxic air pollutants daily and they don't even have to report their emissions much less do something to reduce them. There's something very wrong with this picture, isn't there?

The EPA has weakened air quality regulations on factory farms and Iowa is aligning it's own nothing regulations with even weaker federal standards. Iowa needs a state and federal government that will adequately regulate this toxic industry to protect the public health vs the current stripping away of all environmental rules.

Thank you for taking my comments,
Linda Quinn"

Department Response
This comment is outside the scope of this rulemaking.

Recommended Action
The Department recommends no changes to the final rules from what was proposed in the Notice of Intended Action.


[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 11, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63701-63702]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26750]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket ID PHMSA-2018-0103]

Pipeline Safety: Random Drug Testing Rate; Management Information
System Reporting; and Obtaining Drug and Alcohol Management Information
System Sign-In Information

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA),
DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Calendar Year 2019 Minimum Annual Percentage Rate for
Random Drug Testing, Reminder for Operators to Report Contractor MIS
Data, and Reminder of Method for Operators to Obtain User Name and
Password for Electronic Reporting.

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SUMMARY: PHMSA has determined that the minimum random drug testing rate
for covered employees will remain at 50 percent during calendar year
2019. Operators are reminded that drug and alcohol testing information
must be submitted for contractors who are performing or are ready to
perform covered functions. For calendar year 2018 reporting, the ``user
name'' and ``password'' for the Drug and Alcohol Management Information
System (DAMIS) will be available in the PHMSA Portal.

DATES: Effective January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne Lemoi, Drug & Alcohol Program
Manager, telephone at<PHONE_NUMBER> or by email at<EMAIL_ADDRESS>
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice of Calendar Year 2019 Minimum Annual Percentage Rate for Random
Drug Testing

    Operators of natural gas, hazardous liquid, and carbon dioxide
pipelines and operators of liquefied natural gas and underground
natural gas storage facilities must randomly select and test a
percentage of all covered employees for prohibited drug use in
accordance with 49 CFR part 199. Pursuant to Sec.  199.105(c)(1), the
PHMSA minimum annual random drug testing rate for all covered employees
is 50 percent. The Administrator can adjust this random drug testing
rate based on the reported positive rate in the pipeline industry's
random drug tests, which is submitted in operators' annual Management
Information System (MIS) reports as required by Sec.  199.119(a). In
accordance with Sec.  199.105(c)(3), if the reported positive drug test
rate is below 1 percent for 2 consecutive years, the Administrator can
reduce the random drug testing rate to 25 percent of all covered
employees. In calendar year 2017, the random drug test positive rate
for the entire pipeline industry was reported at greater than 1
percent; therefore, the minimum annual random drug testing rate for
calendar year 2019 is maintained at 50 percent of all covered
employees.

Reminder for Operators To Report Contractor MIS Data

    On January 19, 2010, (75 FR 2926) PHMSA published an advisory
bulletin notifying operators of the appropriate methodology for the
annual collection of contractor MIS drug and alcohol testing data to
avoid duplicative reporting when a contractor works for multiple
operators. If an operator is required to submit a MIS report in
accordance with part 199, that report is not complete until PHMSA
receives MIS data for each tested contractor that performed covered
functions as defined in Sec.  199.3. As explained in the 2010 Advisory
Bulletin, operators must submit operator and contractor employee
testing data in separate MIS reports to avoid duplicative reporting and
inaccurate data that could affect the positive rate for the entire
industry.

Reminder of Method for Operators To Obtain User Name and Password for
Electronic Reporting

    By early January 2019, the user name and password required for an
operator to access DAMIS and enter calendar year 2018 data will be
available to all operator staff with access to the PHMSA Portal.
Pipeline operators have been submitting reports required by 49 CFR
parts 191 and 195 through the PHMSA Portal (https://portal.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline) since 2011. PHMSA determined that
distributing information via the Portal would be more effective than
the previous mailing process.
    When the DAMIS user name and password are available in the PHMSA
Portal, all registered users will receive an email to that effect. If
operator staff responsible for submitting MIS reports do not receive
the DAMIS information, they should coordinate with other registered
PHMSA Portal users within their company to obtain the DAMIS user name
and password. Registered PHMSA Portal users for an operator typically
include operator staff or consultants who submit annual and incident
reports through PHMSA F 7000- and 7100-series forms. Operators that
have not previously registered staff in the PHMSA Portal for the
reporting purposes of parts 191 and 195 can register users by following
the instructions at: https://portal.phmsa.dot.gov/PHMSAPortal2/staticContentRedesign/howto/PortalAccountCreation.pdf.
    Pursuant to Sec. Sec.  199.119(a) and 199.229(a), operators with 50
or more covered employees, including both operator and contractor
staff, are required to submit annual MIS reports. Operators with fewer
than 50 total covered employees are required to submit MIS reports only
upon written request from PHMSA. If an operator with fewer than 50
total covered employees has submitted an MIS report in or after
calendar year 2016, the PHMSA Portal message may state that no MIS
report is required for calendar year 2018. If an operator with fewer
than 50 covered employees has grown to more than 50 covered employees
during calendar year 2018, the PHMSA Portal message will include
instructions for

how to obtain a DAMIS user name and password for the 2018 calendar year
reporting period.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on December 3, 2018, under authority
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2018-26750 Filed 12-10-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P