[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 233 (Wednesday, December 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69633-69635]
[FR Doc No: 2021-26582]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP22-19-000]

Florida Gas Transmission, LLC; Notice of Request Under Blanket
Authorization and Establishing Intervention and Protest Deadline

    Take notice that on November 22, 2021, Florida Gas Transmission,
LLC (FGT), 1300 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002, filed in the above
referenced docket a prior notice pursuant to Section 157.205, 157.208
and 157.210 of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's regulations
under the Natural Gas Act and the blanket certificate issued to FGT by
the Commission in Docket No. CP82-553-000, seeking for authorization to
increase mainline capacity, and construct, own, operate, and maintain
approximately 5.63 miles of 12-inch lateral loop pipeline and
appurtenant facilities, and make minor auxiliary facility modifications
under Section 2.55(a) of the Commission's Regulations on compressor
units 1601 and 1603 at Compressor Station (CS) 16 in Bradford County,
Florida. The proposed modifications at CS 16 will allow FGT to flow and
transport incremental interstate natural gas primarily southwest from
an existing receipt point in Clay County, Florida, to an existing
primary delivery point, or optional delivery points, south of CS 16 on
FGT's existing lateral facilities in Alachua County, Florida for the
Gainesville Regional Utilities. The proposal is known as the Deerhaven
Project (or the Project) and it is estimated to cost about $16 Million.
    In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the
internet through the Commission's Home Page (http://ferc.gov) using the
``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three
digits in the docket number field to access the document. At this time,
the Commission has suspended access to the Commission's Public

Reference Room, due to the proclamation declaring a National Emergency
concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), issued by the
President on March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission at [email protected] or call toll-free,
(886) 208-3676 or TYY,<PHONE_NUMBER>.
    Any questions concerning this application should be directed to
Blair Lichtenwalter, Senior Director, Certificates, Florida Gas
Transmission, LLC, 1300 Main Street, P.O. Box 4967, Houston, Texas
77210-4967, by telephone<PHONE_NUMBER>, or by email at
[email protected].

Public Participation

    There are three ways to become involved in the Commission's review
of this project: You can file a protest to the project, you can file a
motion to intervene in the proceeding, and you can file comments on the
project. There is no fee or cost for filing protests, motions to
intervene, or comments. The deadline for filing protests, motions to
intervene, and comments is 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 31, 2022.
How to file protests, motions to intervene, and comments is explained
below.

Protests

    Pursuant to section 157.205 of the Commission's regulations under
the NGA,\1\ any person \2\ or the Commission's staff may file a protest
to the request. If no protest is filed within the time allowed or if a
protest is filed and then withdrawn within 30 days after the allowed
time for filing a protest, the proposed activity shall be deemed to be
authorized effective the day after the time allowed for protest. If a
protest is filed and not withdrawn within 30 days after the time
allowed for filing a protest, the instant request for authorization
will be considered by the Commission.
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    \1\ 18 CFR 157.205.
    \2\ Persons include individuals, organizations, businesses,
municipalities, and other entities. 18 CFR 385.102(d).
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    Protests must comply with the requirements specified in section
157.205(e) of the Commission's regulations,\3\ and must be submitted by
the protest deadline, which is January 31, 2022. A protest may also
serve as a motion to intervene so long as the protestor states it also
seeks to be an intervenor.
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    \3\ 18 CFR 157.205(e).
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Interventions

    Any person has the option to file a motion to intervene in this
proceeding. Only intervenors have the right to request rehearing of
Commission orders issued in this proceeding and to subsequently
challenge the Commission's orders in the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal.
    To intervene, you must submit a motion to intervene to the
Commission in accordance with Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of
Practice and Procedure \4\ and the regulations under the NGA \5\ by the
intervention deadline for the project, which is January 31, 2022. As
described further in Rule 214, your motion to intervene must state, to
the extent known, your position regarding the proceeding, as well as
your interest in the proceeding. For an individual, this could include
your status as a landowner, ratepayer, resident of an impacted
community, or recreationist. You do not need to have property directly
impacted by the project in order to intervene. For more information
about motions to intervene, refer to the FERC website at https://www.ferc.gov/resources/guides/how-to/intervene.asp.
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    \4\ 18 CFR 385.214.
    \5\ 18 CFR 157.10.
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    All timely, unopposed motions to intervene are automatically
granted by operation of Rule 214(c)(1). Motions to intervene that are
filed after the intervention deadline are untimely and may be denied.
Any late-filed motion to intervene must show good cause for being late
and must explain why the time limitation should be waived and provide
justification by reference to factors set forth in Rule 214(d) of the
Commission's Rules and Regulations. A person obtaining party status
will be placed on the service list maintained by the Secretary of the
Commission and will receive copies (paper or electronic) of all
documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties.

Comments

    Any person wishing to comment on the project may do so. The
Commission considers all comments received about the project in
determining the appropriate action to be taken. To ensure that your
comments are timely and properly recorded, please submit your comments
on or before January 31, 2022. The filing of a comment alone will not
serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. To become a party,
you must intervene in the proceeding.

How To File Protests, Interventions, and Comments

    There are two ways to submit protests, motions to intervene, and
comments. In both instances, please reference the Project docket number
CP22-19-000 in your submission. The Commission encourages electronic
filing of submissions.
    (1) You may file your protest, motion to intervene, and comments by
using the Commission's eFiling feature, which is located on the
Commission's website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to Documents and
Filings. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on
``eRegister.'' You will be asked to select the type of filing you are
making; first select General'' and then select ``Protest'',
``Intervention'', or ``Comment on a Filing''; or \6\
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    \6\ Additionally, you may file your comments electronically by
using the eComment feature, which is located on the Commission's
website at www.ferc.gov under the link to Documents and Filings.
Using eComment is an easy method for interested persons to submit
brief, text-only comments on a project.
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    (2) You can file a paper copy of your submission. Your submission
must reference the Project docket number CP22-19-000.
    To mail via USPS, use the following address: Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Washington, DC 20426.
    To mail via any other courier, use the following address: Kimberly
D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins
Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
    The Commission encourages electronic filing of submissions (option
1 above) and has eFiling staff available to assist you at (202) 502-
8258 or [email protected]
    Protests and motions to intervene must be served on the applicant
either by mail or email (with a link to the document) at:
[email protected] or 1300 Main St., P.O. Box 4967,
Houston, Texas 77210-4967. Any subsequent submissions by an intervenor
must be served on the applicant and all other parties to the
proceeding. Contact information for parties can be downloaded from the
service list at the eService link on FERC Online.

Tracking the Proceeding

    Throughout the proceeding, additional information about the project
will be available from the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at
(866) 208-FERC, or on the FERC website at www.ferc.gov using the
``eLibrary'' link as described above. The eLibrary link

also provides access to the texts of all formal documents issued by the
Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings.
    In addition, the Commission offers a free service called
eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances
and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time
you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with
notification of these filings, document summaries, and direct links to
the documents. For more information and to register, go to
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/esubscription.asp.

    Dated: December 2, 2021.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-26582 Filed 12-7-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 187 (Friday, September 26, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58029-58031]
[FR Doc No: 2014-22933]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket Number NHTSA-2014-0100]

Reports, Forms, and Record Keeping Requirements

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Request for public comment on a proposed collection of
information.

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SUMMARY: Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from
the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit
public comment on proposed collections of information, including
extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections.
    This document describes one collection of information for which
NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 25, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments [Identified by DOT Docket No. NHTSA-
2014-0100] by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility: U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building, Ground
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building, Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Telephone: 1-800-647-
5527.
     Fax:<PHONE_NUMBER>.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and
docket number for this proposed collection of information. Note that
all comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.
Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit http://DocketInfo.dot.gov.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the
online instructions for accessing the dockets. Alternately, you may
visit in person the Docket Management Facility at the street address
listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Coleman Sachs, Office of Vehicle
Safety Compliance (NVS-223), National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, West Building-4th Floor-Room W43-481, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. Mr. Sachs' telephone number is (202)
366-3151. Please identify the relevant collection of information by
referring to its OMB Control Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
before an agency submits a proposed collection of information to OMB
for approval, it must first publish a document in the Federal Register
providing a 60-day comment period and otherwise consult with members of
the public and affected agencies concerning each proposed collection of
information. The OMB has promulgated regulations describing what must
be included in such a document. Under OMB's regulation (at 5 CFR
1320.8(d)), an agency must ask for public comment on the following:
    (i) 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) 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) How to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected;
    (iv) How to minimize the burden of the collection 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.
    In compliance with these requirements, NHTSA asks for public
comments on the following proposed collection of information:
    Title: Consolidated Labeling Requirements for 49 CFR parts 565
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Requirements, and 567
Certification.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    OMB Control Number: 2127-0510.
    Affected Public: Motor vehicle manufacturers.
    Form Number: None.
    Abstract:

Part 565

    The regulations in part 565 specify the format, contents, and
physical requirements for a vehicle identification number (VIN) system
and its installation to simplify vehicle identification information
retrieval and to increase the accuracy and efficiency of vehicle recall
campaigns. The regulations require each vehicle manufactured in one
stage to have a VIN that is assigned by the vehicle's manufacturer.
Each vehicle manufactured in more than one stage is to have a VIN
assigned by the incomplete vehicle manufacturer. Each VIN must consist
of 17 characters, including a check digit, in the ninth position, whose
purpose is to verify the accuracy of any VIN transcription. The VIN
must also incorporate the world manufacturer identifier or WMI assigned
to the manufacturer by the competent authority in the country where the
manufacturer is located. The WMI occupies the first three characters of
the VIN for manufacturers that produce 1,000 or more vehicles of a
specified type within a model year, and positions 1, 2, 3, 12, 13, and
14 of VINs assigned by manufacturers that produce less than 1,000
vehicles of a specified type per model year. The remaining characters
of the VIN describe various vehicle attributes, such as make, model,
and type, which vary depending on the vehicle's type classification
(i.e. passenger car, multipurpose passenger vehicle, truck, bus,
trailer, motorcycle, low-speed vehicle), and identify the vehicle's
model year, plant code, and sequential production number. NHTSA has
contracted with SAE International of Warrendale, Pennsylvania, to
coordinate the assignment of WMIs to manufacturers in the United
States. Each manufacturer of vehicles subject to the requirements of
part 565 must submit, either directly or through an agent, the unique
identifier for each make and type of vehicle it manufactures at least
60 days before affixing the first VIN using the identifier.
Manufacturers are also required to submit to NHTSA information
necessary to decipher the characters contained in their VINs, including
amendments to that information, at least 60 days prior to offering for
sale the first vehicle identified by a VIN containing that information
or if information concerning vehicle characteristics sufficient to
specify the VIN code is unavailable to the manufacturer by that date,
then within one week after that information first becomes available. In
2011, NHTSA received VIN deciphering information under part 565 from
approximately 650 manufacturers. In 2012, NHTSA received this
information from approximately 500 manufacturers. In 2013, NHTSA
received this information from approximately 475 manufacturers. Based
on these figures, the agency would expect to receive approximately 542
part 565 submissions from manufacturers in each of the next three years
(650 + 500 + 475 = 1625; 1625/3 = 542). Assuming that it would take one
hour to produce a VIN deciphering submission, at an average cost of
$30.00 per hour for the administrative and professional staff preparing
and reviewing the submission, NHTSA estimates that it will cost vehicle
manufacturers $16,260 to comply with the part 565 requirements (542
submission x $30 = $16,260).

Part 567

    The regulations in part 567 specify the content and location of,
and other requirements for, the certification label to be affixed to a
motor vehicle, as required by the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle
Safety Act, as amended (the Vehicle Safety Act)(49 U.S.C. 30115) and
the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act, as amended (the
Cost Savings Act)(49 U.S.C. 30254 and 33109), to address certification-
related duties and liabilities, and to provide the consumer with
information to assist him or her in determining which of the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (as found in 49 CFR part 567), Bumper
Standards (as found in 49 CFR part 581, and Federal Theft Prevention
Standards (as found in 49 CFR part 541) are applicable to the vehicle.
The regulations pertain to manufacturers of motor vehicles to which one
or more standards are applicable, including persons who alter such
vehicles prior to their first retail sale, and to Registered Importers
of vehicles not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable
Federal motor vehicle safety standards that are determined eligible for
importation by NHTSA, based on the vehicles' capability of being
modified to conform to those standards. The regulations require each
manufacturer to affix to each vehicle, in a prescribed location, a
label that, among other things, identifies the vehicle's manufacturer
(defined as the person who actually assembles the vehicle), the
vehicle's date of manufacture, and the statement that the vehicle
complies with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards
and, where applicable, Bumper and Theft Prevention Standards in effect
on the date of manufacture. The label must also include the vehicle's
gross vehicle and gross axle weight ratings (GVWR and GAWRs), vehicle
identification number, and vehicle type classification (i.e., passenger
car, multipurpose passenger vehicle, truck, bus, trailer, motorcycle,
low-speed vehicle). The regulations specify other labelling
requirements for incomplete vehicle, intermediate, and final-stage
manufacturers of vehicles built in two or more stages, such as
commercial trucks that are built by adding work performing components,
such as a cargo box or cement mixer, to a previously manufactured
chassis or chassis-cab, and to persons who alter previously certified
vehicles, other than by the addition, substitution, or removal of
readily attachable components such as mirrors or tire and rim
assemblies, or minor finishing operation such as painting, before the
first purchase of the vehicle for purposes other than resale.
    Description of the Likely Respondents (Including Estimated Number
and Proposed Frequency of Responses to the Collection of Information):
The agency estimates that it will receive new submissions of VIN
deciphering information under part 565 from approximately 542
manufacturers of motor vehicles per year. The manufacturers need only
submit the required information on a one-time basis, with the proviso
that they notify the agency of any changes in the information on file
within 30 days from the date that any change in that information
occurs. In addition, the agency estimates that approximately 15,000
manufacturers of motor vehicles of all types, including manufacturers
of passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, buses,
trailers, motorcycles and low-speed vehicles, as well as incomplete
vehicle manufacturers, intermediate and final

stage manufacturers of vehicles built in two or more stages, and
vehicle alterers, will need to comply with the certification labeling
requirements of part 567.
    Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden of
the Collection of Information: 542 hours for supplying required VIN-
deciphering information to NHTSA under part 565; 60,000 hours for
meeting the labeling requirements of part 567.
    Estimate of the Total Annual Costs of the Collection of
Information: Assuming that the letter and table that is used to submit
part 565 information is completed by company officers or employees
compensated at an average rate of $30.00 per hour, the agency estimates
that $16,260 will be expended on an annual basis by all manufacturers
required to submit that information. Additionally, assuming that it
will take an average of .005 hours to affix a certification label to
each of the approximately 12,000,000 vehicles produced each year for
sale in the United States, at an average cost of $20.00 per hour, the
agency estimates that roughly $1,200,000 will be expended by all
manufacturers to comply with the labeling requirements of part 567.
    Comments are invited on: Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the Department, including whether the information will have practical
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.

Nancy Lumman Lewis,
Associate Administrator for Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2014-22933 Filed 9-25-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P


RENEWAL OF INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUEST FOR THE EPISODIC RELEASES OF OIL AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES

                              EPA ICR No. 1049.14

                           OMB Control No. 2050-0046

                                   June 2018

                                                 EPA-HQ-SFUND-2013-0549

Supporting Statement for the Renewal
of the Information Collection under CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA Section 311  -  Episodic Release Notification of Oil and Hazardous Substances

EPA ICR 1049.14
OMB Control No. 2050-0086

 IDENTIFICATION OF THE INFORMATION COLLECTION

Title of the Information Collection
Notification of Episodic Releases of Oil and Hazardous Substances (Renewal). EPA ICR No. 1049.14, OMB No. 2050-0046.
Short Characterization/Abstract
This information collection request (ICR) addresses the reporting and recordkeeping activities required to comply with the release notification requirements for hazardous substances and oil specified in section 103(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended, and section 311 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), as amended. These reporting requirements are codified at 40 CFR parts 110, 117, and 302. This ICR renews the collection activity previously approved under OMB No. 2050-0046 which will expire on September 30, 2018.  Estimates of the burden placed on industry and the government to comply with the release notification requirements are presented on an annual basis.
CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311 require the person in charge of a facility or vessel to immediately notify the National Response Center (NRC) of a hazardous substance release into the environment if the release quantity equals or exceeds the substance's reportable quantity (RQ) level or an oil discharge into U.S. waters. The regulated community is expected to:
      ::	Gather necessary release data, such as the time, quantity, and source of the release;
      ::	Notify the facility manager of the release;
      ::	Consult with the environmental compliance expert regarding the release;
      ::	Report the release to the NRC; and
      ::	Keep a log of release data such as the time, date, and circumstances of the release. (This information is expected, but not required under the regulations.)
There are no recordkeeping requirements specified under CERCLA section 103(a), CWA section 311, or their implementing regulations. The person in charge of the facility or vessel, however, may elect to maintain a log detailing the time, date, and circumstances associated with the reported release. The purpose of maintaining a log of reported releases is to track correspondence with response authorities and to document compliance with release notification requirements under CERCLA and the CWA. Because it is assumed the respondent will maintain a log of reported releases, burden and cost estimates associated with recordkeeping are included in the ICR.
NEED FOR AND USE OF THE COLLECTION
Need and Authority for the Collection
The reporting activity required under 40 CFR parts 110, 117, and 302 is authorized under CERCLA sections 103(a) and 104(e), and CWA sections 311 and 308. The regulations implementing CERCLA section 103(a) (40 CFR part 302) require the person in charge of a facility or vessel to immediately notify the NRC of a hazardous substance release if the release quantity equals or exceeds the substance's RQ. The specific information provided in the notification required under CERCLA section 103(a) is authorized under CERCLA section 104(e). Section 104(e) authorizes the collection of release information, entry and inspection of the release site, and sampling activities at the release site for the purposes of "determining the need for response, or choosing or taking any response action under [CERCLA]." The release information collected is the minimum information needed to determine if a Federal response action is required to control or mitigate any potential adverse effects associated with a release.
In addition to the CERCLA notification requirements, the regulations implementing CWA section 311 (40 CFR part 110) require immediate notification to the NRC of any release of oil into U.S. navigable waters that causes a sheen, violates applicable water quality standards, or causes a sludge or emulsion to be deposited beneath the surface of the water or upon adjoining shorelines. The information required to be provided under CWA section 311 is authorized by CWA section 308, which allows for the collection of release information and entry, monitoring, inspection and sampling activities at the release site for the purpose of ensuring that the objectives of the CWA are satisfied. The Federal government needs to be notified of releases of oil in order to determine if a response action is necessary to mitigate or prevent damage to public health or welfare or the environment.
Practical Utility and Users of the Data
The hazardous substance and oil release information collected pursuant to CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311 has a variety of different uses. Federal response authorities, such as EPA and United States Coast Guard On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs), use the information to evaluate the environmental and human health risks attributable to a reported release and to determine if a Federal response action is necessary to mitigate or prevent any adverse effects associated with the release. Any reportable hazardous substance release or discharge of oil into the environment warrants a timely evaluation of its source, emission rate, chemical form, environmental media affected, and quantity released to ensure the proper protection of public health and welfare and the environment. Responses to hazardous substance and oil release notifications by Federal authorities may take a variety of forms, including monitoring and overseeing cleanup activities conducted by the responsible party, evacuating surrounding populations, and directing the actual cleanup operation.
The hazardous substance and oil release information collected under CERCLA section 103 and CWA section 311 also is used by EPA program offices and other Federal agencies to evaluate the potential need for additional regulations, new permitting requirements for specific substances or sources, or for improved emergency response planning.
In addition, release notification information, which is stored in the national Emergency Response Notification System (ERNS) data base, is used by state and local government authorities, the regulated community, and the general public. State and local government authorities and the regulated community use release information to help inform local emergency response planning. The public use release information to become aware of the releases that have occurred in their communities and throughout the nation and to learn of actions, if any, that are being taken to protect public health and welfare and the environment. The public has access to release information, statistics, and fact sheets through the Freedom of Information Act and the NRC's website (http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/).
NON DUPLICATION, CONSULTATIONS, AND OTHER COLLECTION CRITERIA
Non Duplication
The information required to be provided in the telephone call to the NRC is the minimum information necessary to evaluate a hazardous substance release or discharge of oil. Direct notification to the NRC, as opposed to notification to multiple Federal response authorities, helps to ensure a coordinated Federal response effort and that unnecessary delays in requesting assistance do not occur. One call to the NRC fulfills the requirement to report releases of hazardous substances under CERCLA and several other regulatory programs, including the CWA, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. When the NRC receives a notification, the NRC watch stander immediately notifies the appropriate Federal OSC, who evaluates the circumstances surrounding the release and determines the need for a government response action. The Federal government has extensive resources, expertise, and authority under CERCLA to formulate response actions, ensuring a timely and coordinated field response with State, local, and private organizations, as needed.
EPA analyzed possible areas of overlap with other regulations and concluded that there are limited areas of overlap with reporting requirements under other statutes and provisions. For example, there may be limited duplication with the reporting requirements specified in CERCLA section 103(a) and in certain permitting regulations. Permitting regulations often require reports if the permit level is exceeded. Thus, if a release of a hazardous substance exceeds its permit level and the substance's RQ, the release must be reported to both, the applicable Federal or state permitting authority, and NRC. However, the purpose and timing of the two reports often differ. Violations of permit regulations are reported to EPA Regional permitting offices or to state permitting authorities in order to maintain proper permit enforcement records or to evaluate ambient conditions over time. Typically, permit reporting is required on a monthly or quarterly basis. In contrast, Federal officials use release information provided to the NRC to evaluate the release situation in near real time and to determine if a government response is necessary. Thus, the notification in [monthly] monitoring reports that a permit release limit is exceeded is not timely for response purposes.
In addition to a possible overlap between CERCLA reporting and certain permitting regulations, there may be some overlap with respect to the reporting requirements specified in section 304 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), which requires immediate reporting of releases of CERCLA hazardous substances equal to or above an RQ to state and local response officials. EPCRA section 304 collection is under OMB control number 2050-0092.  However, reporting to the NRC as well as to the appropriate State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) and Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), as required under EPCRA section 304, is appropriate because it ensures that the Federal government is alerted to releases that may require a Federal field response. Although the SERCs and LEPCs are notified of the releases under EPCRA section 304, some SERCs and LEPCs may not possess the resources necessary for a proper response action. Notification to the NRC allows for a timely response in the event of an emergency. Furthermore, reporting to the NRC, SERC, and LEPC provides for a coordinated effort among Federal, state, and local response officials, which helps ensure that a response actions are coordinated and efficient. When Congress enacted EPCRA section 304, it was aware that releases of hazardous substances were already reported to the NRC; Congress determined that it was necessary and appropriate for such potentially hazardous releases to be reported immediately to all potentially affected government jurisdictions. The requirements under EPCRA, however, are separate from those under CERCLA and are outside the scope of this ICR (1049.14).  The statutory requirements under CERCLA and EPCRA are clear and distinct; the Federal response system, as well as the state and local response systems, must be immediately alerted to potentially dangerous releases of hazardous substances that may pose a threat to public health or welfare or the environment.
Public Notice Required Prior to ICR Submission to OMB
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), EPA requested comment from the public through the Federal Register notice on the renewal of this ICR (1049.14) on April 11, 2018 (83 FR 15562).  EPA received 7 comments, the content of which are outside the scope of this ICR.  The Docket ID for the notice is EPA-HQ-SFUND-2013-0549 and can be accessed at www.regulations.gov.
Consultations
During the public comment period of this ICR, EPA contacted nine facilities that reported releases to the NRC to collect estimates of the time it takes to comply with the reporting requirements of Section 103(a) of CERCLA and section 311 of the CWA. These estimates are used in the calculation of burden in this ICR.  See Appendix A of this document for a description of this effort.
Effects of Less Frequent Collection
The information required under the regulations implementing CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311 is not collected at any specified frequency; rather, it is collected when reportable releases occur. The information collected under the regulations, such as the source, quantity, and type of material released and the environmental medium affected, is critical to evaluating the threat posed by the release and the need for a response action. The regulatory requirements evaluated in this ICR (1049.14) represent EPA's efforts to ensure that the NRC is notified immediately of those hazardous substance and oil releases for which a Federal response action may be necessary to protect public health and welfare and the environment.
General Guidelines
The regulations implementing CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311 adhere fully to OMB's general guidelines concerning the collection of information and the control of paperwork burdens on the public.
Confidentiality
The regulations implementing CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311 do not require the submittal of any proprietary, trade secret, or other confidential information.
Sensitive Questions
The regulations implementing CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311 do not require the submission of any sensitive business information. In addition, the information collection requested under these regulations is in compliance with the Privacy Act of 1974 and OMB Circular A-108.
THE RESPONDENTS AND THE INFORMATION REQUESTED
Respondents and Industry Sectors
The use and release of hazardous substances and oil are pervasive throughout industry. EPA expects a number of different industrial categories to report hazardous substance and oil releases pursuant to the requirements specified in CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311. No one industry sector or group of sectors or size of facility is affected disproportionately by the information collection burden.
Information Requested
Data items, including record keeping requirements
Notification under CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311 is intended to ensure that Federal authorities receive prompt notification of hazardous substance and oil releases for which a timely response may be necessary to protect public health or welfare or the environment. The information provided in the telephone call to the NRC serves to notify government authorities of the release and provides them with a description of the circumstances surrounding the release. The following information is requested from all callers:
      ::	The name and location of the individual reporting the release, the name and type of organization (e.g., general public, industrial facility, or Federal, state, or local government) with which the individual reporting the release is affiliated, and the telephone number of the person reporting the release;
      ::	The name and location of the facility or vessel reporting the release, the type of organization, and the telephone number of the facility or vessel;
      ::	The location of the release;
      ::	The date and time of the release;
      ::	The name and type of material involved in the release, and the quantity of the substance released;
      ::	The source of the release, the vehicle identification or carrier number, if applicable, and a brief description of the source;
      ::	The environmental medium affected by the release (e.g., air, land, surface water, or ground water);
      ::	The cause of the incident (e.g., transportation accident, operational error, natural phenomenon), and a brief description of the release scenario denoting any unusual circumstances associated with the release;
      ::	Information on damages that occurred as a result of the release, including the number of injuries, number of deaths, and any property damage;
      ::	A description of the response actions taken at the release site, if any;
      ::	The name(s) and type of organization(s) that the caller has already notified; and
      ::	Any additional comments or information regarding the release.
As mentioned previously, there are no recordkeeping requirements specified under CERCLA section 103(a), CWA section 311, or their implementing regulations. The person in charge of the facility or vessel, however, may elect to maintain a log detailing the time, date, and circumstances associated with the reported release. The purpose of maintaining a log of reported releases is to document correspondence with response authorities and to document compliance with release notification requirements under CERCLA and the CWA. Because the respondent will in all likelihood maintain a reported release log, burden and cost estimates associated with recordkeeping are included in this ICR (1049.14).
Respondent Activities
To comply with the notification requirements specified in the regulations implementing CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311, the regulated community is expected to perform the following activities:
      ::	Gather necessary release data, such as the time, quantity, and source of the release;
      ::	Report the release by telephone to the NRC; and
      ::	Keep a log of release data such as the time, date, and circumstances of the release. (This information is expected but not required under the regulations.)
THE INFORMATION COLLECTED  -  AGENCY ACTIVITIES, COLLECTION METHODOLOGY, AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Agency Activities
Every hazardous substance and oil release reported by the regulated community to the NRC must be evaluated by Federal authorities. The appropriate Federal On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) is notified of a release by a telephone call from the NRC. The NRC conveys all the relevant information regarding the release to the OSC, including whether the release is to air, soil, water, etc., the source of the release, and the type of substance released. The telephone call from the NRC to the OSC must occur within 15 minutes of the original release notification. The OSC is responsible for evaluating the circumstances surrounding the release to determine whether government monitoring and/or a Federal response action may be necessary.
NRC personnel are also responsible for entering release information into the NRC data base. The release data are stored in the NRC data base, ERNS, a national data base that stores release information by facility. The data can be accessed through the NRC web site: http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/. The primary activity of the Federal government under the regulations implementing CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311 is processing and recording the reported release information and responding to releases that may pose a significant hazard to public health or welfare or the environment.
Collection Methodology and Management
For purposes of reporting releases under the regulations implementing CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311, a person in charge of a facility or vessel that experiences a reportable release must telephone the NRC. The NRC notifies the appropriate EPA Region or United States Coast Guard Office, the affected state, and any other Federal agency that may be able to lend support to a potential response action.
To manage the hazardous substance and oil release information submitted in accordance with CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311, EPA uses the ERNS data base. When a hazardous substance or oil release is reported to the NRC, it is immediately entered into the NRC data base. The ERNS data base allows EPA to document, analyze, and maintain data gathered under the CERCLA and CWA notification process.
For Federal response authorities, the ERNS data base reduces the cost and time associated with processing and documenting release reports. For other EPA program offices, state and local response officials, and the public, ERNS provides for easy access to release data.
Small Entity Flexibility
The notification requirements apply equally to all facilities or vessels, regardless of size, that have reportable releases of CERCLA hazardous substances or oil. The regulations do not impose any general information collection or recordkeeping requirements on small businesses. EPA believes that the notification requirements specified under these regulations represent the minimum level of information necessary for Federal response officials to determine if a government response action is needed to prevent or mitigate any damage to public health or welfare or the environment. The regulatory requirements are satisfied by a toll-free telephone call to the NRC. A reduction in these reporting requirements for small businesses is not possible without jeopardizing the Federal government's ability to evaluate the threat posed by a release and determine if a Federal response is necessary.
Collection Schedule
Information is not collected at any specified frequency; rather, it is collected when reportable releases occur. Under CERCLA section 103(a), a release of a hazardous substance is reportable when it equals or exceeds its RQ. Pursuant to CWA section 311, a discharge of oil into navigable waters is reportable whenever the discharge causes a sheen, violates applicable water quality standards, or causes a sludge or emulsion to be deposited beneath the surface of the water or upon adjoining shorelines.
ESTIMATING THE BURDEN AND COST OF THE COLLECTION
Estimating Respondent Burden
Under CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311, the person in charge of a facility or vessel that experiences a reportable release is expected to perform the following activities: (1) gather necessary release data, such as the time, date, quantity, and source of the release; (2) report the release by telephone to the NRC; and (3) keep a log of release data such as time, date, and circumstance of the release. (A respondent is not required to keep a log of release data under the episodic release notification regulation; however, EPA assumes respondents will keep a log of release data.) Cost and burden estimates associated with completing these activities assume that respondents will telephone the NRC with 18,447 release notifications per annum from October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2021.
Exhibit 1 presents a summary of the unit burden hours associated with reporting a typical release to the NRC. The burden associated with the first collection activity in Exhibit 1, "Initial Telephone Call to the NRC," includes the burden of gathering of data on the release.  EPA has estimated that the respondent's burden hours for reporting a typical release is 1.02 hours.

                                   Exhibit 1
         Unit Burden Hours for Reporting a Typical Release to the NRC
                              Collection Activity
                                 Burden Hours
                              Total Burden Hours

                                  Managerial
                                   Technical
                                   Clerical

Initial Telephone Call to the NRC
                                     0.32
                                     0.32
                                     0.00
                                     0.64
Recordkeeping
                                     0.02
                                     0.18
                                     0.18
                                     0.38
                                     Total
                                     0.34
                                     0.50
                                     0.18
                                     1.02

      Initial Telephone Notification
In estimating the burden to industry that the regulations implementing CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311 may impose, EPA has assumed that the respondent's initial telephone notification to the NRC regarding a release requires approximately 0.32 hours of technical personnel time and 0.32 hours of managerial time based on the consultations with release reporters described in Section 3c. Therefore, in this ICR (1049.14), EPA assumes 0.64 burden hours for the initial telephone notification. Facilities generally agreed that the time required to complete the initial notification varies, depending on the nature of the release. The reported time needed for initial notification ranged from 0.4 hours to 1.6 hours with lower values associated with release incidents that were not complex and the reported information was readily available.  Several respondents reported having standardized processes and/or automated notification systems in place that allow for notifications to be completed quickly.  One respondent explained that this function is outsourced at their company.
      Recordkeeping
Although neither CERCLA nor the CWA requires that records of releases be kept, EPA assumes that a facility will keep a log of any calls made to government organizations. Such a log will be useful in establishing that the notification requirements of CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311 have been met. The log may include a description of the incident and its cause; the NRC/ERNS report number, a brief account of any conversations with Federal officials, and a description of the outcome of the incident, including any cleanup action taken. The burden associated with internal recordkeeping is estimated based on the consultations with release reporters described in Section 3c. A number of the respondents reported that recordkeeping would require less than half an hour of their time per notification. Therefore, in this ICR (1049.14), EPA assumes 0.38 burden hours per release for recordkeeping.
      Response Actions
Under section 103(a) of CERCLA and section 311 of CWA facilities and vessels responsible for a release are required to take appropriate action to clean up the release. However, because there is no information collection burden associated with response actions, the capital and labor costs associated with response actions are not within the scope of this ICR (1049.14).
Estimating Respondent Costs
Estimating Labor Costs
The estimated cost to a respondent for evaluating a release and calling the NRC regarding the release are a function of the time expended by respondent personnel (i.e., the burden estimates presented in section 6(a)), and the hourly wage rates for the appropriate categories of labor. The hourly wage rates used for industry in this ICR are from March 2018 and were obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For purposes of this analysis, EPA estimates an average hourly respondent labor cost of $69.90 for managerial staff, $56.15 for technical staff, and $27.06 for clerical staff.
These rates reflect employer cost for employee compensation in the United States as of March 2018 and include both employer costs for legally required benefits (e.g., social security, worker's compensation, and unemployment insurance), other important fringe benefit categories (e.g., insurance, paid leave, retirement and savings), overhead, and general and administrative costs.
Estimating Capital and Operations and Maintenance Costs
Capital costs usually include any produced physical good needed to provide the needed information, such as machinery, computers, and other equipment. EPA does not anticipate that respondents will incur capital costs in carrying out the information collection requirements of this regulation.
Operation and Maintenance (O&M) costs are those costs associated with paperwork requirements incurred continually over the life of the ICR. EPA does not anticipate that respondents will incur O&M costs in carrying out the information collection requirements of the proposed rule.
Costs associated with the burden hours presented in section 6(a) of this ICR (1049.14) are shown in Exhibit 2.
                                   Exhibit 2
             Unit Cost for Reporting a Typical release to the NRC

                                 Burden Hours
                          Unit Capital/Start up Cost
                               Unit O&M Cost
                      Total Unit Cost/Reportable Release
                              Collection Activity
                           Managerial ($/hr) $69.90
                            Technical ($/hr) $56.15
                            Clerical ($/hr) $27.06

Initial Telephone Notification to the NRC
                                     0.32
                                     0.32
                                     0.00
                                    $0.00
                                    $0.00
                                    $40.34
Recordkeeping
                                     0.02
                                     0.18
                                     0.18
                                    $0.00
                                    $0.00
                                    $16.38
                                     Total
                                     0.34
                                     0.50
                                     0.18
                                    $0.00
                                    $0.00
                                    $56.71

For a typical release, EPA has estimated that it costs the respondent $56.71 to report the release to the NRC and record the release data in the respondent's log.
Estimating Federal Government Burden and Cost
Federal government authorities are expected to perform the following activities under the episodic release notification regulation: (1) process respondent telephone notifications of a release; (2) monitor cleanup activities; and (3) conduct field response actions. EPA estimates that only the first Federal government activity listed above, "process telephone notifications," will involve the processing of submitted paperwork. Estimated unit burden hours and costs and total annual burden hours and costs for the "process telephone notifications" activity are presented in Exhibit 3. For the period covered by this ICR (1049.14), EPA has assumed that the Federal government average hourly labor cost is $34.78.
      Processing Telephone Notification
The total burden of processing a telephone notification of a release consists of the time the NRC uses to (1) communicate with the respondent, (2) record and enter the information provided in the telephone call into the NRC data base, and (3) contact the predesignated EPA or Coast Guard OSC or other parties by telephone. EPA has estimated that one hour is needed to complete all the activities associated with processing an initial telephone notification. Therefore, the unit cost associated with processing an initial telephone call is $34.78 (1 hour x $34.78 per hour = $34.78/processed call).

                                   Exhibit 3
Burden Hours and Costs for Processing a Telephone Notification  -  Federal Government
                              Collection Activity
                      Number of Reportable Releases/Year
                               Unit Burden Hours
                          Unit Capital/Start Up Cost
                               Unit O&M Cost
                               Hourly Labor Cost
                           Total Annual Burden Hours
                               Total Annual Cost
                       Processing Telephone Notification
                                    18,447
                                       1
                                    $0.00
                                    $0.00
                                    $34.78
                                    18,447
                                   $641,587

      Response Activities
For some percentage of releases, the information provided in the telephone notification will prompt EPA to monitor cleanup activities. Monitoring a cleanup will allow EPA to directly assess and evaluate the circumstances surrounding the release, and the population and environment potentially affected by the release. In a small percentage of cases, the owner/operator will be unable to respond to the release or cleanup activities will appear unsatisfactory, requiring EPA to conduct its own field response actions to ensure that all potential hazards have been addressed and that the release has been thoroughly cleaned up. However, as these actions are not directly related to the processing of submitted paperwork, the costs and burden hours associated with these actions are not covered under this ICR (1049.14).
Estimating the Respondent Universe and Total Burden and Cost
ERNS data from 2015, 2016, and 2017 were used to estimate the number of releases that will be reported to the NRC during the period of October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2021. The exhibits in this section show projected annual release reports, burden hours, and costs.
The total cost and total burden estimates presented in this ICR (1049.14) are the aggregate annual costs and burden hours associated with reporting all hazardous substances and oil releases pursuant to CERCLA section 103(a) and CWA section 311.
Annual respondent burden hours are equal to the number of releases reported to the NRC in a year multiplied by the unit burden hours associated with reporting a release. Annual cost is equal to the number of releases reported to the NRC in a year multiplied by the unit cost of reporting a release. Exhibit 4 presents the annual total annual burden hour and cost estimates for respondents.

                                   Exhibit 4
  Estimated Annual Burden Hours and Costs Incurred by Industry (Respondents)
                              Collection Activity
                      Number of Reportable Releases/Year
                               Unit Burden Hours
                         Unit Cost/Reportable Release
                                 Burden Hours
                                  Annual Cost
                            Telephone Notification
                                    18,447
                                     0.64
                                    $40.34
                                    11,806
                                   $744,152
                                 Recordkeeping
                                    18,447
                                     0.38
                                    $16.38
                                     7,010
                                   $302,162
                                     Total

                                     1.02
                                    $56.72
                                    18,816
                                  $1,046,314
Bottom Line Burden Hours and Cost Tables
Exhibits 3 and 4 present the annual burden hours and costs incurred by the government and respondents, respectively, for all information collection requirements covered in this ICR (1049.14). Exhibit 5 summarizes the bottom-line burdens and costs incurred by both respondents and government. The bottom-line burden to respondents is approximately 18,816 hours per year, at a cost of $1,046,314. The bottom line burden to the government is approximately 18,447 hours per year, at a cost of $641,587.
                                   Exhibit 5
            Estimated Annual Burden Hours and Costs for Information
          Collection Under CERCLA Section 103(a) and CWA Section 311
                                Economic Sector
                                 Burden Hours
                                     Cost
Industry (Respondent)
                                    18,816
                                  $1,046,314
Government
                                    18,447
                                   $641,587
                                     Total
                                    37,263
                                  $1,687,901

Reasons for Change in Burden
Compared to the previous ICR (1049.13), both the unit burden hours and annual burden hours for industry and government have decreased in this ICR (1049.14). In the case of unit burden hours, updated estimates of reporting burden were provided by facilities that have recently reported a spill event to the NRC. Regarding annual burden hours, the projected number of release notifications per annum in this ICR (1049.14) is less than the projected number of release notifications per annum in the previous ICR (1049.13). The previous ICR (1049.13) projected 23,864 incidents would be reported to the NRC annually; while this renewal ICR (1049.14) projects 18,447 incidents will be reported to the NRC annually. Comparing this ICR (1049.14) to the previous ICR (1049.13) annual burden hours for industry is lower by 79,026 hours and for EPA by 5,417 hours.

As shown in Exhibit 6, this ICR (1049.14) projects a lower number of incidents reported to the NRC annually. Combined with a reduction in the time it takes to complete the required tasks compared to the last ICR, EPA estimates an overall lower cost to industry. The previous ICR (1049.13) estimated the cost to industry as $3,320,485; this renewal estimates the cost to industry will be $1,046,314, or $2,274,171 less than the previous estimate. The cost to government is projected to decrease from $1,102,708 to $641,587, a decrease of $461,121. This lower estimate is due to a lower projected number of reportable releases and changes in the wage rates used in the analysis.
                                   Exhibit 6
              Summary of Total Burden Hour and Annual Cost Change
                     Between This ICR and the Previous ICR

                                   This ICR
                                 Previous ICR
                                  Difference
Number of Releases Projected to be Reported to NRC Over Three-Year Period
                                         55,341
                                    71,592
                                    -16,251
Annual Industry (Respondent) Burden Hours
                                    18,816
                                    97,842
                                    -79,026
Annual Government Burden Hours
                                    18,447
                                    23,864
                                    -5,417
Annual Industry (Respondent) Costs
                                  $1,046,314
                                 $   3,320,485
                                  -$2,274,171
Annual Government Costs
                                   $641,587
                                 $   1,102,708
                                   -$461,121

Burden Statement
The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average approximately 1.02 hours per response, which includes 0.64 hours associated with the initial notification and 0.38 hours record keeping per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information. 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. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR chapter 15.
To comment on the Agency's need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods for minimizing respondent burden, including the use of automated collection techniques, EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-SFUND-2013-0549, which is available for public viewing at the Superfund Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is<PHONE_NUMBER>, and the telephone number for the Superfund Docket is<PHONE_NUMBER>. An electronic version of the public docket is available at www.regulations.gov. Use www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select "search," then key in the docket ID number identified above. Also, you can send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk Office for EPA. Please include the EPA Docket ID No. (EPA-HQ-SFUND-2013-0549) and the OMB control number (2050-0046) in any correspondence.
 APPENDIX A: Summary of Telephone Interviews with Recent Reporters

In June 2018, calls were made to nine facilities reporting incidents to NRC. The interviewees were selected randomly from incident reports associated with material releases subject to required Comprehensive Environmental Response and Liability Act (CERCLA) reporting from the last six months. Candidate incidents were retrieved from publicly released information (http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/) published by the National Response Center (NRC). Once a facility staff person familiar with incident reporting was identified, a short interview was undertaken to estimate the time required for notification activities and recordkeeping activities. Respondents were asked to provide an estimate of the amount of time necessary to complete each activity required by CERCLA including: gathering the initial spill data, notifying the facility manager, notifying the environmental compliance expert, and contacting the National Response Center (NRC). Recordkeeping inquiries addressed the time needed to log these notification activities.
Time estimates for notification and recordkeeping activities from respondents with recent experience provide EPA with independent information related to burden estimates supporting the ICR renewal. Individuals and companies responding are not identified as use of the responses are for government use only. While some respondents provided details for the selected incident, others provided more general responses. In addition, some respondents provided estimates of lapsed time to complete an activity rather than the total time spent on the activity.
Based on the results of the informal survey, median lower and upper bound estimates of the time to complete notification activities and recordkeeping were calculated and are shown in Figure 1.
Exhibit A-1: CERCLA Episodic Releases Burden Based on Responses from Nine Facilities
Collection Activity
                     Lower End Time Estimate for Activity
                     Upper End Time Estimate for Activity
                       Range of Reported Time Estimates
Initial Spill Notification
                            33 minutes (.55 hours)
                            38 minutes (.63 hours)
                                 23-93 minutes
Recordkeeping
                            23 minutes (.38 hours)
                            23 minutes (.38 hours)
                                 10-60 minutes
                                                                          Total
                            56 minutes (0.93 hours)
                            61 minutes (1.02 hours)

Summary of Individual Calls:

Call summary re: Incident #1
      The respondent reported the spill and had a record of spill timeline and data in front of him during the interview. The respondent reported that initial reporting and release estimation required 25 minutes and recordkeeping required 15 minutes. The respondent added that the company has standardized emergency response processes and most emergency numbers are stored. Therefore, there is no need to search for telephone numbers for the plant manager or compliance lead. The job description of the individual responsible for reporting is "expert in environmental department."

Call summary re: Incident #2
It was unclear whether the respondent was involved reporting the spill. Most of respondent's answers seemed to reference lapsed time to complete the activity rather than the amount of work time needed to accomplish each CERCLA requirement. Time estimates provided for initial notification activities ranged from 4-5 hours to gather the information needed to report to NRC (e.g., release amount) to 24 hours for the actual notification. Recordkeeping time was reported as 2-3 hours. The job description given for the individual responsible for spill reporting was noted as "professional job; not management."

Note that the responses provided by this respondent are an order of magnitude larger than the next highest values provided by other respondents and are therefore considered outliers and are not included in the analysis.
Call summary re: Incident #3
      Respondent was not involved in reporting the spill and answered questions based on prior experience with spill reporting. Respondent reported that time for both initial reporting and time for record keeping vary greatly with the specifics of the spill. They did not provide specific time estimates for the component notification activities nor for record keeping. Job description of individuals responsible for spill reporting was noted as "engineers" and other first responders.
Call summary re: Incident #4
      It was not determined if respondent was involved in reporting the incident in question. In general, time for initial notification activities totaled 40 minutes. Time for record keeping was reported as 30 minutes. Job description of individual responsible for spill reporting was noted as "Site-Shift Manager."
Call summary re: Incident #5
Respondent was not directly involved in reporting the spill. She answered based on experience of spill reporting. Respondent reported that time for initial reporting varies greatly with the specifics of the spill. The estimate for initial notification ranged from 26 to 51 minutes. A complex and difficult to assess release, as with a sewer leak, might take as long as 24 hours before accurate quantities could be reported to NRC. Time for record keeping was reported to be 10 minutes. Job description of individuals responsible for reporting was noted to be a combination of incident responders and first responders.
Call summary re: Incident #6
It was not determined if respondent was involved in reporting the spill. Respondent referenced lapsed time to complete the activity rather than the amount of work time needed to accomplish each of the requirements of CERCLA. Time for completing initial notification activities was reported as ranging from 98-100 hours, Time for completing record keeping totaled 24 hours. Job description of individuals responsible for reporting was noted as "Environmental Specialist."
Call summary re: Incident #7
It was not determined if respondent was involved in reporting the spill. Respondent mentioned company has systematic approach that allows for quickly completing notification. Time for initial notification activities totaled 60 minutes but could take as much as 13 hours for complex circumstances. Respondent was unsure about time needed for record keeping. Job description of individuals responsible for spill reporting was noted as "Company Response Engineers."

Call summary re: Incident #8
It was not determined if respondent was involved in reporting the incident. Respondent looked at company's timeline of incident when answering questions, which allowed for precise time estimates. Time for initial notification activities ranged from 88-93 minutes. Time for record keeping totaled 60 minutes. Job description of individual responsible for spill reporting was noted as "Spill Notification Officer."
Call summary re: Incident #9
Respondent was not involved in reporting the spill as company outsources most of these activities. Time for initial notification activities totaled 23 minutes. Respondent was not confident in providing a time for record keeping. Respondent mentioned that company has a built-in notification system in place, allowing for easy notification. Job description of individuals responsible for reporting was noted as "Incident Coordinator" and first responders.