SPILL PREVENTION, CONTROL AND COUNTERMEASURE (SPCC) PLANS

1.	IDENTIFICATION OF THE INFORMATION COLLECTION

	1(a) 	Title of the Information Collection

      Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans (Renewal).
      (EPA ICR No. 0328.19, OMB No. 2050-0021)

	1(b) 	Short Characterization

      The Oil Pollution Prevention regulation, 40 CFR part 112, requires and establishes procedures for the preparation and implementation of Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans. SPCC Plans help minimize the potential for oil discharges from non-transportation-related onshore and offshore facilities which, due to their location, could reasonably be expected to discharge oil in quantities that may be harmful, as described in 40 CFR part 110, into or upon the navigable waters of the United States or adjoining shorelines.

      Owners and operators of regulated facilities must prepare SPCC Plans in accordance with good engineering practices and sound industry practices. The plans either must be certified by a Professional Engineer (PE) or self-certified in the case of qualified facilities and approved by a person with the authority to commit the resources necessary to implement the SPCC Plan. SPCC Plans address the following three areas: (1) operating procedures that prevent oil spills; (2) control measures to prevent a spill from reaching navigable waters or adjoining shorelines; and (3) countermeasures to discover, contain, clean-up, and mitigate the effects of an oil discharge that could reach navigable waters. While each SPCC Plan is unique to the facility it covers, Plans must include certain standard elements to ensure compliance with the regulations.

      This Information Collection Request (ICR) renewal covers all provisions of 40 CFR part 112 relating to SPCC Plans.

      This supporting statement estimates paperwork-related burden for the three-year ICR renewal period, of 2023 through 2025. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that approximately 550,400 facilities are covered by the SPCC regulations in 2023 and may incur paperwork-related burden in the first year of this ICR. EPA estimates a total reporting and recordkeeping burden for all regulated facilities of approximately 6.6 million hours in each year of this ICR.

2.	NEED FOR AND USE OF THE COLLECTION

	2(a) 	Need/Authority for the Collection

      Section 311(j)(1)(C) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA), or Clean Water Act (CWA), authorizes the President to issue regulations establishing procedures, methods, equipment, and other requirements to prevent discharges of oil from vessels and facilities and to contain such discharges. The President delegated the authority to regulate non-transportation-related onshore facilities under §311(j)(1)(C) of the Act to EPA under Executive Order (E.O.) 12777, §2(b)(1).  By this same Executive Order, the President delegated authority over transportation-related onshore facilities, deep water ports, and vessels to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and authority over other offshore facilities, including associated pipelines, to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated February 3, 1994, among EPA, DOT, and DOI, reallocated the responsibility for non-transportation-related offshore facilities that are landward of the coastline, to EPA. An earlier MOU between the Secretary of Transportation and the EPA Administrator, dated November 24, 1971 (36 FR 24080), established the definitions of non-transportation-and transportation-related facilities.

      The Oil Pollution Prevention regulation, 40 CFR part 112, outlines requirements for preventing, preparing for, and responding to oil discharges (spills). The prevention part of this regulation at §112.1 through §112.12 is also known as the SPCC rule. It was originally promulgated on December 11, 1973, at 38 FR 34164, under the authority of §311(j)(1)(C) of the CWA and subsequently amended on several occasions, with the most recent substantive amendments in April 2011 (76 FR 21652). The regulation applies to non-transportation-related onshore and offshore facilities with aboveground oil storage capacity or completely buried underground oil storage capacity greater than specified thresholds and meeting other applicability criteria (see §112.1). Regulated facilities are those which, because of their location, could reasonably be expected to discharge oil in quantities that may be harmful, as described in 40 CFR part 110, into or upon the navigable waters of the United States or adjoining shorelines.

	2(b) 	Practical Utility/Users of the Data

      EPA does not routinely collect SPCC Plans or related records from SPCC-regulated facilities, except during compliance monitoring activities. Preparation, implementation, and maintenance of the SPCC Plan by the facility owner or operator helps prevent oil discharges and mitigate the environmental damage caused by such discharges. The primary user of the data is the facility owner or operator, and the utility of these data is described below:

 Collecting the necessary data requires that the facility staff analyze the facility measures and procedures for preventing oil discharges, facilitating safety awareness, and promoting appropriate modifications to facility design and operations.

 Having the required information in a single document promotes an efficient response in the event of a discharge.

 Implementing the Plan according to the specifications of 40 CFR part 112 requires meeting certain design and operational/industry standards that reduce the likelihood of an oil discharge.

 Keeping inspection records promotes important maintenance activities, visual inspections and facilitates discharge detection.

 Reviewing the Plan periodically ensures the implementation of lessons learned and more effective oil discharge prevention control technology (as technology becomes available and is demonstrated to be effective) and updates to the Plan regarding amendments that may have not been documented.

       Although facility personnel are the primary users of the Plan data, EPA may use the data in certain situations. For example, an EPA Regional Administrator (RA) may require a facility owner or operator to amend an SPCC Plan as a result of typical compliance monitoring activities if the RA finds that the facility has not met the requirements of the regulation, as a result of certain reportable oil discharges or if such amendment will help prevent and contain discharges of oil.

 State and local governments may be users of the data. The information provided in SPCC Plans (e.g., facility configuration and potential risks) can assist local emergency preparedness planning efforts and may not be available elsewhere. The Plan must include a complete discussion of conformance  with applicable requirements of any applicable more stringent State rules (112.7(j)), and in cases where secondary containment is impracticable, include an oil spill contingency plan that follows the criteria applicable to plans developed with State, local and regional agencies under 40 CFR 109. Coordination with state governments is further facilitated by the provision in 40 CFR §112.4(c) requiring the owner/operator to provide information on certain oil discharges, which must be sent to the RA under 40 CFR §112.4(a), must also be sent to the relevant state and local agencies. The flexibility with respect to Plan formatting promotes greater coordination with state planning efforts by encouraging the use of plans prepared pursuant to state regulations. The Plan must meet all of the applicable requirements listed in this rule, and must be supplemented with a section cross-referencing the location of requirements listed in this SPCC rule and the equivalent requirements in the other prevention plan, per the requirements of §112.7.
3.	NONDUPLICATION, CONSULTATIONS, AND OTHER COLLECTION CRITERIA

	3(a) Non-duplication

       Generally, completely buried tanks are regulated exclusively either by the SPCC rule or by the Underground Storage Tank (UST) rule to minimize dual regulation. The SPCC rule accomplishes this by exempting completely buried tanks subject to all of the technical requirements of EPA's UST program (40 CFR part 280) or a state program approved under 40 CFR part 281. Due to their unique configuration, design and operational requirements, a small population of partially buried containers associated with the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation may have complementary requirements under the USTs. The SPCC provisions focus on surface water protection and the UST provisions focus on groundwater protection, as these unique container configurations (with both above and below ground portions) pose threats to both surface and groundwater.

       The regulation allows considerable flexibility in Plan preparation, management, and recordkeeping, including the use of alternative, appropriately cross-referenced, formats based on state or other federal requirements. Flexibility is also provided for facility recordkeeping practices by allowing the use of usual and customary business records to meet the SPCC recordkeeping requirements. For example, records required pursuant to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program and American Petroleum Institute (API) or other industry standards or recommended practices may satisfy certain SPCC recordkeeping requirements. Records kept under other usual and customary business practices are also accepted for inspections, tests, and records.

	3(b) Public Notice Required Prior to ICR Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
	In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Agency notified the public of the renewal of this ICR through publication of a notice in the Federal Register on November 4, 2022 (87 FR 66695). The Agency received one public comment on the ICR during the 60-day comment period. The commenter asked why the information requested in the ICR is not already available via Tier II reporting. As summarized above, EPA does not routinely collect SPCC Plans or related records from SPCC-regulated facilities, except during certain compliance monitoring activities. The primary user of the data covered by the ICR is the facility owner or operator.
	3(c) Consultations

      For this renewal, the following three PE firms were consulted:

SCS Engineers; Denver, PA
Yorke Engineering LLC; Los Angeles, CA
WithersRavenel; Greensboro, NC

The PE firms EPA contacted provide services to SPCC-regulated facilities in a variety of industries, including oil production, oil storage and distribution, renewable energy, manufacturing, and farming. Three firms agreed to participate in a consultation. Two are small firms operating solely in California and North Carolina, respectively, and the third is a mid-size firm with offices nationwide. Overall, consultations confirmed that EPA's unit burden estimates are reasonable. During the consultations, the three firms noted that EPA estimates were generally within the range of burden associated with the various SPCC activities, and that for certain SPCC activities and facility size categories, the burden could actually be smaller than EPA's estimates. However, they also noted that several "drafter" hours were generally necessary for completing a revision of an existing plan. Drafters assist the PEs and other senior technical staff in making updates to the plan, for example, by revising the facility diagrams, storage container lists, etc. EPA has accounted for these additional hours in estimating the reporting burden for the three-year ICR renewal period. See Appendix A for the script used for the consultations. Contacted firms were also sent questionnaires via email and given the option to respond by email. Notes on responses by the PE firms can be found in Part A of the Attachment to this document.

EPA identified and contacted seven other firms in an effort to collect additional information, but was unsuccessful in completing these consultations. Transcripts and details of contact with each firm are provided in Parts B and C of the Attachment to this document.

	3(d) Effects of Less Frequent Collection

      The SPCC rule requires the development and maintenance of SPCC Plans. EPA does not require the owner or operator of a regulated facility to submit their Plan to EPA nor is approval of the Plan required by EPA. The Plan must be available to the Regional Administrator (RA) or a delegated and certified EPA inspector for onsite review during normal business hours. Additionally, section 112.4(a) requires that owners and operators submit certain critical information to EPA regarding facility oil storage, discharge cause, and corrective actions following an oil discharge (causing harm)  of more than 1,000 U.S. gallons or two oil discharges (causing harm) of more than 42 U.S. gallons occuring in a 12-month period. EPA personnel conducting follow-up activities may request a copy of the Plan, access a copy of the Plan by visiting the facility or request the Plan by utilizing CWA section 308 authorities associated with compliance monitoring activities. Because the rule does not contain a collection schedule, less frequent collection is not possible.

       The owner or operator of a facility is required to review, evaluate and update (as appropriate) the Plan every five years to reflect currently available and proven technology and techniques for preventing and controlling oil discharges. EPA's experience in administering the SPCC regulation indicates that this time frame is adequate, given the pace at which such technologies and techniques evolve. As a practical matter, this review also offers the owner or operator an opportunity to document any technical amendments that may have not be properly captured in the past five years.

 	3(e) General Guidelines

       The information collection activities discussed in this ICR comply with the general Paperwork Reduction Act guidelines at 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).

	3(f) Confidentiality

     The data collected under this ICR is not confidential.

	3(g) Sensitive Questions

     The information collection activities discussed in this ICR do not involve sensitive questions.

4.	THE RESPONDENTS AND THE INFORMATION REQUESTED

	4(a) Respondents/NAICS Codes

       The industries that are likely to be covered by the SPCC rule fall into numerous North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) categories, including those associated with petroleum production; non-petroleum oil storage and distribution; petroleum refining, processing, distribution, storage, and consumption; and manufacturing facilities using and storing animal fats and vegetable oils (AFVOs). Most regulated facilities fall under the industry sectors listed in Exhibit 1.
Exhibit 1
       Primary Industry Sectors and NAICS Codes Covered by the SPCC Rule
Industry Category
                                 NAICS Code(s)
Oil and Gas Extraction
                                    211111
Farms
                                   111, 112
Electric Utility Plants
                                     2211
Petroleum Refining and Related Industries
                                      324
Chemical Manufacturing
                                      325
Food Manufacturing
                                   311, 312
Manufacturing Facilities Using and Storing Animal Fats and Vegetable Oils
                                   311, 325
Metal Manufacturing
                                   331, 332
Other Manufacturing
                                     31-33
Real Estate Rental and Leasing
                                    531-533
Retail Trade
                             441-446, 448, 451-454
Contract Construction
                                      23
Wholesale Trade
                                      42
Other Commercial
                            492, 541, 551, 561-562
Transportation
                                 481, 483-488
Arts Entertainment & Recreation
                                    711-713
Other Services (Except Public Administration)
                                    811-813
Education
                                      61
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
                                     4247
Hospitals & Other Health Care
                                   621, 622
Accommodation and Food Services
                                   721, 722
Fuel Oil Dealers
                                     45431
Gasoline Stations
                                     4471
Information Finance and Insurance
                                    51, 52
Mining
                                      212
Warehousing and Storage
                                      493
Pipelines
                                  4861, 48691
Government
                                      92
Military Installations
                                    928110
Religious Organizations
                                    813110

	4(b) Information Requested

Data Items, including Recordkeeping Requirements

 	The primary data collection activities required by the SPCC rule are the preparation and maintenance of the SPCC Plan and inspection records and tests. In preparing a Plan, a facility owner or operator must follow the provisions outlined in the regulation and include a discussion of the measures taken to meet the SPCC requirements. Some key elements are highlighted below. For more detailed requirements, refer to the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation at 40 CFR part 112.

    Potential equipment failure. Where experience indicates a reasonable potential for equipment failure (e.g., tank overflow, rupture, or leakage), the Plan must include a prediction of the direction, rate of flow, and total quantity of oil that could be discharged from the facility resulting from each major type of equipment failure (§112.7(b)).

 Containment/diversion or contingency planning. Appropriate containment and/or diversion structures or equipment must be provided to prevent a discharge (see §§112.7(c), 112.7(h)(1),112.8(c)(2),112.8(c)(11),112.9(c)(2),112.10(c),112.12(c)(2), and/or 112.12(c)(11)), as applicable according to facility and oil type. If containment is impracticable, a contingency plan must be developed in accordance with §112.7(d)(1) and the Plan must include a written commitment of manpower, equipment, and materials required to expeditiously control and remove any quantity of oil discharged that may be harmful, in accordance with §112.7(d)(2).

 Detailed requirements. In addition to secondary containment requirements, the Plan must include a discussion of the facility's conformance with more detailed and specific requirements, as applicable according to facility and oil type. These specific requirements are detailed in §§112.7(a),112.7(f) through (j),112.8(c)(6),112.9(c)(3) or 112.12(c)(6); and 112.9(d)(4).

 Recordkeeping requirements. Every facility owner or operator must conduct inspections and tests required by 40 CFR part 112 in accordance with written procedures in the Plan and keep a record of the inspections and tests, signed by the appropriate supervisor or inspector, with the SPCC Plan for a period of three years (§112.7(e)). Records of inspections and tests kept under usual and customary business practices fulfill these requirements. EPA allows appropriate electronic recordkeeping to reduce costs and improve efficiency (see discussion under section 5(b) below).

 Reporting requirements. As the result certain oil discharges, in accordance with §112.4, the following information must be provided to the Regional Administrator and the respective State agency:

 		(1)	Name of the facility;
 		(2)	Name of the owner or operator;
 		(3)	Location of the facility;
             (4)	Maximum storage or handling capacity of the facility and its normal daily throughput;
             (5)	The corrective action or countermeasures taken, including an adequate description of equipment repairs and/or replacements;
             (6)	Adequate description of the facility, including maps, flow diagrams, and topographic maps;
             (7)	Cause(s) of the discharge, (which cause harm as described in 40 CFR part 110), including a failure analysis of the system or subsystem in which the failure occurred;
             (8)	Additional preventive measures taken or contemplated to minimize the possibility of recurrence; and
             (9)	Such other information as the Regional Administrator may reasonably require pertinent to the Plan or discharge.

       In addition, as necessary, a facility owner or operator must amend the facility's Plan following a modification in the facility's design or operations that materially affects its potential for a discharge and following the five-year review. According to the timeframes in the regulation, these amendments must also be implemented by the Plan owner or operator once the amendment has been documented in the SPCC Plan.

Respondent Activities

       The Oil Pollution Prevention regulation requires an owner or operator to conduct the following compliance activities:

 Prepare and implement an SPCC Plan (§§112.3 and 112.7);
 Maintain the SPCC Plan and keep records (§§112.3 and 112.7(e));
 Revise the SPCC Plan following a material modification of the facility (§112.5(a));
 Conduct periodic reviews of the SPCC Plan (§112.5(b)); and,
 For certain oil discharges, submit information  to EPA and the State Agency in charge of oil pollution control activities in the State in which the facility is located (§ 112.4(a)).

       Each of these compliance activities is described briefly below:

	Prepare and implement an SPCC Plan

       The owner or operator of a new non-production facility must prepare and implement an SPCC Plan in accordance with the guidelines set forth in 40 CFR part 112 before beginning operations (excluding oil production facilities). The owner or operator of a production facility has six months after beginning operations to prepare and implement an EPCC Plan. The actual preparation of the Plan may involve several tasks which can be conducted by the facility's technical personnel (including a PE employed directly by the facility) or by an outside engineering firm. These tasks include:

 Field investigations conducted to fully understand the design of the facility and to accurately predict the areas or equipment most likely to discharge oil (e.g., to predict the flow paths of spilled oil).

 A regulatory review conducted by management personnel, such that the technical personnel in charge of preparing the Plan are fully aware of all requirements in 40 CFR part 112.

 A review of existing procedures conducted to determine the effectiveness of the current spill prevention and control practices employed by the facility.

 Preparation of the Plan, which involves both technical and clerical time, as well as a final review by facility management personnel prior to completion (this could also be performed by an engineering firm).

Generally, a PE must review and certify an SPCC Plan and technical amendments. That PE may be employed directly by the facility or work for an outside engineering firm retained by the facility owner or operator.

	Owners and operators of qualified facilities can self-certify their Plan instead of having a PE review and certify their Plan. Qualified facilities are those that have an aggregate aboveground oil storage capacity less than 20,000 U.S. gallons in the case of a farm or 10,000 U.S. gallons for all other types of facilities, and no oil discharge history. The rule sets two categories of qualified facilities: Tier I and Tier II.

	Owners and operators of Tier I qualified facilities, which have no aboveground oil storage containers exceeding 5,000 U.S. gallons, can complete an SPCC Plan template (Appendix G to the 40 CFR part 112) and self-certify compliance with a set of streamlined SPCC rule requirements, in lieu of preparing a full SPCC Plan. Tier I facilities cannot deviate from conditions provided in the Plan template. See §§112.7(a)(3), 112.3(g) and 112.3(d) for more details.

	Owners and operators of Tier II qualified facilities (those facilities that do not meet the Tier I maximum aboveground container criterion) have the option to self-certify that their SPCC Plan complies with 40 CFR part 112, in lieu of having a PE review and certify their Plan. In some circumstances, owners and operators of Tier II qualified facilities may have a PE review and certify certain portions of their self-certified Plan (e.g., if they deviate from certain requirements of the SPCC rule as specified under §112.7(a)(2) or make impracticability determinations as described under §112.7(d) (see §112.6(b)(4)).

      EPA estimated burden for Tier I and Tier II qualified facility Plans based on expected use of a Plan template and other streamlined requirements for these facilities. In estimating burden, EPA assumed that no Tier II qualified facilities will require section-specific PE certification of their Plan.

	Maintain the SPCC Plan and keep records

       Section 112.3 requires the owner or operator to maintain a copy of the SPCC Plan at the facility if the facility is normally attended for at least four hours per day or at the nearest field office if not attended. The Plan must be available to the Regional Administrator for review during normal working hours (§112.3(e)). In addition, as described in Section 4(b)(i) of this supporting statement, a facility owner or operator is required to maintain and update Plan-specific records as outlined under §112.7(e). In estimating burden, EPA assumes that Plan maintenance and recordkeeping activities involve almost entirely technical labor, although they may also require a small amount of clerical labor.

	Submit information in the event of certain discharges of oil

       In the event of certain discharges of oil into navigable waters, a facility owner or operator must submit information described in §112.4(a) to the Regional Administrator and to the appropriate State agency within 60 days.

       Submission of information after a discharge of oil requires both technical and management labor hours to collecting the required information. Section 112.4(c) also requires the facility owner or operator to submit a copy of this information to the State agency with regulatory authority over the facility. The Regional Administrator may require the owner or operator of the facility to amend the SPCC Plan to prevent and contain discharges from the facility. Unless contested by the facility, amendments must become part of the Plan within 30 days. The amended Plan must then be certified by a licensed PE prior to implementation, or self-certified in the case of qualified facilities. As required by §112.4(e), amendments to the Plan must be implemented as soon as possible, but no later than six months after the amendments become part of the Plan. Section 112.4(f) allows a facility owner or operator to appeal a decision made by the Regional Administrator requiring a Plan amendment.

	Revise the SPCC Plan following modification of the facility

       Section 112.5(a) requires the facility owner or operator to amend the facility's Plan in accordance with §112.7 whenever there is a change in the facility's design, construction, operation, or maintenance that materially affects the facility's potential to discharge oil into navigable water in harmful quantities. The activities the facility must then undertake to amend the Plan are assumed to involve technical labor hours, as well as some clerical labor. The amended Plan must then be certified prior to implementation by a licensed PE, or self-certified in the case of qualified facilities. These amendments must be implemented as soon as possible, but not later than six months after the Plan amendment occurs.

	Review the SPCC Plan

       An owner or operator of an SPCC-regulated facility is required to review and evaluate the facility's Plan at least once every five years. This review is expected to involve mostly technical labor hours to review spill prevention and control procedures, as well as a regulatory review involving management labor hours. Clerical hours are also used to complete necessary paperwork. An owner or operator is required to amend their SPCC Plan within six months of the review to include more effective prevention and control technology under certain conditions. Any technical amendments to the Plan must be certified prior to implementation by a licensed PE or, for qualified facilities, self-certified in accordance with §112.6(b). SPCC Plan review cost estimates are generated in this ICR for an existing facility only because a new facility that becomes operational after the beginning of the ICR-approval period will not be required to conduct its review until after the three-year period covered by this ICR.

5.	INFORMATION COLLECTED - AGENCY ACTIVITIES, COLLECTION METHODOLOGY, AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

	5(a) Agency Activities

      If a SPCC-regulated facility discharges more than 1,000 U.S. gallons of oil in a single discharge as described in §112.1(b), or discharges more than 42 U.S. gallons of oil in each of two discharges as described in §112.1(b) within any 12-month period, EPA's review of the information submitted by the facility under 40 CFR 112.4(a) may include:

 	(1)	Name of the facility;
 	(2)	Name of the owner or operator;
 	(3)	Location of the facility;
       (4)	Maximum storage or handling capacity of the facility and its normal daily throughput;
       (5)	The corrective action or countermeasures taken, including an adequate description of equipment repairs and/or replacements;
       (6)	Adequate description of the facility including maps, flow diagrams, and topographic maps;
       (7)	Cause(s) of the discharge, (which causes harm as described in 40 CFR part 110), including a failure analysis of the system or subsystem in which the failure occurred;
       (8)	Additional preventive measures taken or contemplated to minimize the possibility of recurrence; and,
       (9)	Such other information as the Regional Administrator may reasonably require pertinent to the Plan or discharge.

	EPA's routine inspection/compliance monitoring, enforcement, and outreach activities conducted as part of administering this program are not covered by this ICR. Inspectors typically request a copy of the SPCC Plan during an inspection. The small burden the facility incurs to provide the plan is included in the activity "Revise the SPCC Plan and Maintain Records".

	5(b) Collection Methodology and Management

      SPCC Plans must be tailored to the unique characteristics of the facility. Due to the wide range of types and sizes of facilities subject to the regulation, EPA does not prescribe any specific information management technique or technology in preparing and maintaining SPCC Plans or records. In fact, because of this wide variation and to reduce compliance costs, EPA generally employs a performance-based regulatory approach. The regulation allows flexibility with this performance-based approach in Plan preparation and recordkeeping in a way that allows the use of additional, appropriately cross-referenced formats (§112.7). Greater flexibility is also provided for facility recordkeeping practices, which may potentially satisfy certain SPCC recordkeeping requirements with records kept under normal business practices, such as those required pursuant to the NPDES program and API, Steel Tank Institute (STI) or other industry standards or recommended practices.

      EPA also provides the flexibility of a performance-based approach in the development of user-friendly tools for writing and maintaining SPCC Plans, provided the Plans and records continue to provide the required information and meet the administrative requirements of the SPCC rule. These include, for example, the use of both electronic plan formats and electronic recordkeeping procedures/documentation programs. Whichever medium is used, the Plan must be readily accessible to response personnel in an emergency and during normal working hours.

 	EPA maintains the information submitted to Regional Offices by facilities following certain reported oil discharges. This supports ongoing program activities, such as targeting inspections and evaluating industry trends, as well as supports response operations during oil discharges that are not covered by this ICR. However, EPA does not collect SPCC Plans or related records from facilities on a routine basis, except during an inspection and related compliance monitoring activities.

	5(c) Small Entity Flexibility

	EPA amended the SPCC rule (40 CFR part 112) in 2002, 2006, 2008/2009 and 2011 to provide additional flexibility to the regulated community, including small entities. Some flexibilities are based on the facility's storage capacity, e.g., de minimis container size of less than 55 U.S. gallons and aggregate aboveground capacity of 1,320 U.S. gallons or less of oil and others are based on a facility's discharge history or the industry sector or activity conducted, e.g., farms, oil production, hot-mix asphalt facilities, facilities that produce or process animal fats and vegetable oil.

	5(d) Collection Schedule

 	The SPCC rule does not require a specific information collection schedule. However, a facility owner or operator must prepare, amend, and implement an SPCC Plan before beginning operations according to the compliance deadlines in §112.3(a) and (b). New oil production facilities must prepare and implement an SPCC plan within six months after beginning operations.

 	The owner or operator must review the SPCC Plan once every five years to ensure that SPCC Plans reflect currently available and proven technology and techniques for preventing and controlling oil discharges.

6.	ESTIMATING BURDEN AND COST

6(a) Estimating Respondent Burden

	To estimate the respondent burden, EPA divided regulated facilities into four size categories based on their aggregate oil storage capacity and the facility type (see Exhibit 2). These size categories help to account for differences in the rule requirements and corresponding differences in the potential compliance time burden and costs incurred by facilities of different sizes.

Exhibit 2
                    SPCC-Regulated Facility Size Categories
Size Category
                              Aggregate Capacity*
                                       I
Non-farm facilities: 1,321 to 10,000 U.S. gallons
Farm facilities: 2,500** to 19,999 U.S. gallons
                                      II
Non-farm facilities: 10,001 to 42,000 U.S. gallons
Farm facilities: 20,000 to 42,000 U.S. gallons
                                      III
All facilities: 42,001 to 1 million U.S. gallons
                                      IV
All facilities: greater than 1 million U.S. gallons
* EPA included farms with aggregate capacity up to 20,000 U.S. gallons in Category I in estimating the SPCC Rule burden because these facilities are assumed to self-certify their SPCC Plan.
** This threshold is set by statute.

      EPA also categorized facilities as either production (operations primarily involving oil production) or storage (all other industry groups) facilities. This reflects differences in the estimated burden of compliance activities based on the nature of the facility's operations.

      Additionally, EPA categorizes facilities as either existing or new to reflect the differences in compliance activities between these two groups. For existing facilities that initiated operations prior to this ICR renewal period, EPA assumed that they have already prepared their SPCC Plans and have incurred all costs associated with initial Plan preparation and implementation. EPA assumes a portion of these facilities will incur costs to perform a five-year review, revise their SPCC Plan, submit information in the event of certain oil discharges, and maintain the Plan and keep records. New facilities will initiate operations during the ICR period and become existing facilities after their first year of operation.

      For its 2008 Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA), EPA developed a unit burden hours inventory with burden estimates for each of the SPCC rule requirements. EPA relied on those burden estimates, as well as information EPA obtained during the consultations for this renewal (see Section 3(c)) to estimate the burden of conducting compliance activities at regulated facilities for this ICR renewal.

      EPA calculated the total annual burden by summing the unit burden estimates for all compliance activities undertaken by an average facility by size and industry category. The annual burden for an average facility differs for each size category based on the assumed differences in the oil storage capacity and complexity of the facility and its operations. The estimated annual burden hours for an average respondent in each size category for existing and new facilities are presented in Exhibit 4 through Exhibit 8.

Total Annual Burden per Average Respondent Summary

      EPA calculated the unit burden for each compliance activity performed by the average facility in estimating the per-respondent burden for existing and new facilities in each size category. These average per-facility burdens are shown in Exhibit 4 through Exhibit 8. To estimate the burden for each compliance activity performed by the average respondent facility in each size category under the rule, EPA summed the unit burden estimates for management, technical, and clerical personnel for each activity and then totaled the results to calculate an annual average burden for each size category of facility.

      Existing facilities are those that have been in operation for at least one year. Their burdens include activities that occur continuously, such as recordkeeping, or once every several years, such as SPCC Plan review. Their estimated total annual burden per facility for all information collection activities required by the SPCC rule are:

 Category I (Tier I): 3.8 hours;
 Category I: 6.5 hours;
 Category II: 11.8 hours;
 Category III: 19.5 hours; and,
 Category IV: 39.4 hours.

      New facilities will initiate operations during the ICR period and become existing facilities after the first year of operation. Therefore, each year a new set of facilities would incur the burdens listed below. A typical SPCC-regulated facility would incur the burden for new facilities in Year 1 and incur the burden for existing facilities presented above in each subsequent year. Their estimated total annual burden per facility for all information collection activities required by the SPCC rule:

 Category I (Tier I): 12.7 hours;
 Category I: 51.2 hours;
 Category II: 68.7 hours;
 Category III: 121.6 hours; and,
 Category IV: 203.8 hours.

      Estimated annual burdens for new facilities are higher than those for existing facilities because of the larger amount of time associated with preparing a new SPCC Plan, which could include PE certification or developing an oil spill contingency plan when necessary.

6(b) Estimating Respondent Costs

      This section presents estimated respondent costs for facilities that are regulated by the SPCC rule. Plan preparation costs affect new facilities that become subject to the SPCC rule. Plan certification costs also affect new facilities unless they meet the "qualified facility" criteria. New facilities include those facilities that will initiate operations during the ICR period. EPA assumes that owners or operators of new facilities will incur the total cost of preparing a Plan and PE certification (if applicable) in their first year.

      EPA assumes that one-fifth of all existing facilities will undertake a formal five-year review of their SPCC Plans annually during each year of the ICR period. In addition to Plan-related costs, owners or operators of all new and existing facilities will incur costs to prepare and maintain records.

	Owners or operators of some new and existing facilities may need to submit information because of a reportable oil discharge and others may need to revise their Plan during the ICR period. For the 2002 rule ICR, based on spill data obtained from the Emergency Response Notification System database, EPA estimated that approximately 0.15 percent of all facilities would incur costs each year due to reporting requirements related to an oil discharge (see §112.4(a)). In addition, based on conversations with EPA regional personnel involved with the SPCC program, EPA estimated that approximately 10 percent of all facilities would revise their Plan each year to address requirements at §112.5(a) or (c) or §112.4(d). EPA retained these assumptions for estimating the burden for this ICR. EPA updated the costs from the previous ICR renewal by using more recent data and adjusting the previous ICR values using either the construction cost index, the employment cost index or the GDP deflator, depending on the cost component.

      Exhibit 4 through Exhibit 8 provide average cost estimates for existing and new facilities. For existing facilities, the estimates include the following activities: five-year plan review under §112.5(b); information submission in the event of certain oil discharges under §112.4(c); Plan modification under §112.5(a) and PE certifications of any technical amendment under §112.5(c); and recordkeeping. For newly regulated facilities, paperwork-related activities include SPCC Plan preparation under §112.3(a); oil spill contingency plan preparation under §112.7(d); information submission in the event of certain oil discharges under §112.4(c); Plan modification under §112.5(a) and PE certifications of any technical amendment under §112.5(c); and recordkeeping under §112.7(e).

      The option to self-certify an SPCC Plan according to the requirements in §112.6 is available to qualified non-farm facilities with storage capacity of 10,000 U.S. gallons or less, and to qualified farm facilities with storage capacity of less than 20,000 U.S. gallons. EPA assumed that all new qualified facilities with storage capacity of 10,000 U.S. gallons or less (and all new farms with storage capacity of 20,000 U.S. gallons or less) would self-certify their Plan rather than hire a PE, and owners and operators of all existing qualified facilities would self-certify a technical amendment to their Plan.

      EPA assumed that owners and operators of all new qualified facilities, with no single aboveground container greater than 5,000 U.S. gallons, would take advantage of the reduced requirements and complete a Tier I template to serve as the facility SPCC Plan. EPA assumed that all facilities with aggregate aboveground storage capacity of 5,000 U.S. gallons or less, and half of the facilities with between 5,001 and 10,000 U.S. gallons (up to 20,000 U.S. gallons in the case of farms), have no aboveground container larger than 5,000 U.S. gallons and would therefore be eligible to use the Tier I template.

      The costs presented in Exhibits 4 through 8 represent the average costs for facilities of different sizes, accounting for the probability that certain facilities will incur those costs (e.g., five-year reviews conducted by one-fifth of existing facilities) and for the assumed overlap between federal and state requirements. Costs that facilities have a low probability of incurring (e.g., submitting information to EPA in accordance with §112.4(c)) distributed across many facilities yield only nominal per facility average costs, particularly when state overlap is taken into consideration.

      The state overlap assumptions are based on research originally conducted for the 2002 SPCC rule and are described in the regulatory impact analysis for the SPCC final rule. Each state has its own regulations regarding the storage, handling, and containment of oil. In some cases, the effort required by these state regulations and SPCC may be the same. Overall, in 2002, EPA found that approximately 5.9 percent of facilities are in states with complete overlap; 5.6 percent are in states with substantial overlap; and 5.7 percent are in states with partial overlap. EPA reviewed the assumptions in 2009 as part of the regulatory analysis for the 2009 final SPCC amendments. While the overlap percentages may have changed since 2002 because of amended state regulations and EPA's 2011 SPCC amendments, EPA is not adjusting the overlap estimates and is using these same overlap assumptions for this ICR renewal.

(i) Estimating Labor Costs

      To estimate the per-facility costs to develop the SPCC Plan and comply with other information collection requirements for typical new and existing respondents in each facility size category, EPA multiplied unit labor estimates for management, technical, and clerical personnel by the fully loaded hourly wage rate for each labor category. EPA then added these labor costs to capital and operating and maintenance (O&M) costs.

      The labor wage rates for private industry were derived from the June 2021 U.S. Department of Labor's Employer Costs for Employee Compensation. The June 2021 wage rates include wages and salaries; benefit costs, including paid leave, supplemental pay, insurance, retirement and savings, and legally required benefits. These wage rates reflect private industry averages estimated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and reflect industry averages, which may underestimate or overestimate the actual wages received by some SPCC regulated facility personnel. The following are the estimated hourly loaded wage rates used in this analysis:

 Management: $76
 Technical:  $67
 Clerical:   $30.

EPA further adjusted these hourly rates to reflect overhead costs of 17 percent.

 Management: $89
 Technical:  $78
 Clerical:   $35.

      EPA assumed these labor rates would apply to all scenarios when facilities use in-house labor to satisfy requirements, such as preparing the SPCC Plan. When required or needed, EPA assumes that a portion of facilities will contract with an outside PE firm to develop and/or certify the Plan. A small facility might be more likely to hire outside engineers because it may not have the necessary in-house expertise. However, small facilities also may not have the resources to hire outside engineers and may be in a better position to use in-house labor because the owner may be closely involved with all operations. Similar arguments can also be made for larger facilities. Therefore, EPA assumed that 50 percent of the facilities of all size categories use in-house labor and the remaining 50 percent use outside PE firm labor.

      EPA assumes that the cost to a facility owner or operator to retain an outside PE firm to certify the SPCC Plan varies by the size, complexity and location of the facility; for example, a larger facility likely has a more complex SPCC Plan and Plan amendments than a smaller facility. Unless a facility meets the "qualified facility" criteria, certifying an SPCC Plan and its amendments requires a PE. The fully loaded hourly wages for PE firm labor used in this analysis are as follows:[,]

 Management: $193
 Technical: $155
 Drafter: $97
 Clerical: $72.

      EPA expects some facilities will retain a PE firm to certify their SPCC Plans, along with any subsequent technical amendments that are made to the Plan. In certifying the Plan, the engineer attests to having examined the facility and determining that the Plan has been prepared in accordance with good engineering practices that satisfy the SPCC requirements (40 CFR part 112).

 	Exhibit 3 summarizes the average expected costs for facilities of different sizes for PE certification of a new Plan, as well as any subsequent amendments. The costs to certify Plan amendments are higher than for a new plan because of differences in the types of facilities and/or technical amendments that require involvement of a PE, and the relative input from facility personnel and the PE firm in preparing the plan or developing justifications for the technical amendments. Further, not all facilities retain a PE firm to certify their SPCC Plans. EPA assumes that Tier I facilities in Category I use a simplified SPCC Plan template and self-certify their Plan.

Exhibit 3
             Cost of PE Certification for the SPCC Plan (2021$)[1]
                                 Size Category
                                 Facility Type
                                   New Plan
                                  Amendments
                                       I
Storage
                                                                         $2,111
                                                                         $2,756

Production
                                                                           $931
                                                                         $1,253
                                      II
Storage
                                                                         $3,974
                                                                         $5,263

Production
                                                                         $1,862
                                                                         $2,507
                                      III
Storage
                                                                         $5,836
                                                                         $7,770

Production
                                                                         $3,725
                                                                         $5,014
                                      IV
Storage
                                                                         $8,629
                                                                        $11,631

Production
                                                                         $5,587
                                                                         $7,521
Source: SCS Engineers adjusted with June 2021 ECI data.
1 One-time compliance costs.

(ii) Estimating Capital and O&M Costs

 	EPA expects that facilities will incur capital and O&M costs to maintain the Plan and keep records (40 CFR 112.3 and 112.7(e)), and to submit required information in the event of certain discharges of oil (40 CFR 112.4). EPA assumes that most facilities will maintain files electronically and that paper file storage will be minimal and impose no significant incremental cost relative to existing business practices. In the event of certain discharges to navigable waters, the owner or operator is required to submit information to the Regional Administrator and the state agency in charge of oil pollution control activities for the area where the discharge occurs. EPA assumes that this information will be submitted electronically, at a de minimis cost, thus reducing facility burden.

	Total Annual Cost per Average Respondent Summary

      EPA calculated the unit cost for each compliance activity performed by the average facility in estimating the per-respondent costs for existing and new facilities in each size category. These average per-facility costs are shown in the right-hand columns of Exhibits 4 through 8. To estimate the cost for each compliance activity performed by the average respondent facility in each size category under the rule, EPA multiplied the unit burden estimates for management, technical, and clerical personnel by the hourly wage rate for each labor category and then added the result to the capital and O&M costs.

      Existing facilities are those that have been in operation for longer than a year. Their costs include activities that occur continuously, such as recordkeeping, or once every several years, such as SPCC Plan review. Their estimated total annual costs per facility for all information collection activities required by the SPCC rule are:

 Category I (Tier I): $308
 Category I:  $1,233
 Category II: $1,657
 Category III: $2,866
 Category IV: $5,287.

      New facilities will initiate operations during the ICR period and become existing facilities after the first year of operation. Therefore, each year a new set of facilities would incur the costs listed below. A typical SPCC-regulated facility would incur the costs for new facilities in Year 1 and incur the costs for existing facilities presented above in each subsequent year. Their estimated total annual costs per facility for all information collection activities required by the SPCC rule:

 Category I (Tier I): $1,010
 Category I: $5,139
 Category II: $9,590
 Category III: $17,472
 Category IV: $29,926.

 	Estimated annual costs for new facilities are higher than those for existing facilities because of the greater expenses associated with preparing a new SPCC Plan, which could include PE certification or developing an oil spill contingency plan when necessary.

Exhibit 4
Annual Burden and Unit Costs for All Required Information Collection Activities
                     Average Category I Facility (Tier I)
 Activity
                            Annual Burden Hours[1]
                              Total Burden Hours
                                   PE Costs
                                    (2021$)
                                 Annual Costs
                                  (2021$)[2]

                                  Management
                                   Technical
                                    Drafter
                                   Clerical

Existing Facilities
Review the SPCC Plan and Revise as Needed[4]
                                                                            0.2
                                                                            0.6
                                                                            0.3
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.8
                                                                             $0
                                                                            $98
Submit Information in the Event of Certain Discharges of Oil[5]
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                             $0
Maintain the SPCC Plan and Keep Records
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            2.7
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            2.7
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $210
TOTAL
                                                                            0.2
                                                                            3.3
                                                                            0.3
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            3.8
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $308
New Facilities[3]
Prepare an SPCC Plan
                                                                            1.0
                                                                            3.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            4.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $490
Prepare a Contingency Plan
                                                                            0.7
                                                                            3.5
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            1.0
                                                                            5.1
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $226
Submit Information in the Event of Certain Discharges of Oil[5]
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                             $0
Revise the SPCC Plan
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                             $7
Maintain the SPCC Plan and Keep Records
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            3.7
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            3.7
                                                                             $0
                                                                            286
TOTAL
                                                                            1.7
                                                                           10.1
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            1.0
                                                                           12.7
                                                                             $0
                                                                         $1,010
[1] Unit burden estimates are weighted averages, rounded to the nearest tenth of an hour, based on the distribution of storage and production facilities and the number of facilities estimated to perform each activity during the one-year period. The numbers in this exhibit may not add precisely due to rounding.

[2] Annual costs are rounded to the nearest dollar.
3 New facilities include those facilities that will initiate operations during the ICR period. This analysis assumes that new facilities become existing facilities after the first year of operation. As a result, in each year of this ICR, a different set of new facilities will become operational.
[4] The burden of reviewing and revising the SPCC Plan for a Tier I facility is assumed to be no more than that of preparing a new SPCC Plan using the Template and is assumed to occur once every five years.
[5] The unit burden for a facility that needs to submit information because of a discharge is estimated to be one hour of management labor and one hour of technical labor, resulting in a total unit cost of $167. Because only 0.15 percent of all facilities are expected to meet the discharge criteria and submit information, the average unit burden is less than 0.05 hours, and is therefore indicated here as 0. However, the actual unit burden and cost estimates are used in later calculations.

Exhibit 5
Annual Burden and Unit Costs for All Required Information Collection Activities
                         Average Category I Facility
 Activity
                            Annual Burden Hours[1]
                              Total Burden Hours
                                   PE Costs
                                    (2021$)
                                 Annual Costs
                                  (2021$)[2]

                                  Management
                                   Technical
                                    Drafter
                                   Clerical

Existing Facilities
Review the SPCC Plan
                                                                            0.4
                                                                            2.8
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.4
                                                                            3.5
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $397
Submit Information in the Event of Certain Discharges of Oil[5]
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                             $0
Revise the SPCC Plan
                                                                            0.3
                                                                            1.8
                                                                            0.3
                                                                            0.2
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $626
Maintain the SPCC Plan and Keep Records
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            2.7
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            2.7
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $210
TOTAL
                                                                            0.7
                                                                            7.3
                                                                            0.3
                                                                            0.6
                                                                            6.5
                                                                             $0
                                                                         $1,233
New Facilities[3]
Prepare an SPCC Plan
                                                                            1.8
                                                                           27.0
                                                                           10.0
                                                                            3.6
                                                                           42.4
                                                                             $0
                                                                         $4,619
Prepare a Contingency Plan
                                                                            0.7
                                                                            3.5
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            1.0
                                                                            5.1
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $226
Submit Information in the Event of Certain Discharges of Oil[4]
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                             $0
Revise the SPCC Plan
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                             $7
Maintain the SPCC Plan and Keep Records
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            3.7
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            3.7
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $287
TOTAL
                                                                            2.5
                                                                           34.2
                                                                           10.0
                                                                            4.6
                                                                           51.2
                                                                             $0
                                                                         $5,139
[1] Unit burden estimates are weighted averages, rounded to the nearest tenth of an hour, based on the distribution of storage and production facilities and the number of facilities estimated to perform each activity during the one-year period. The numbers in this exhibit may not add precisely due to rounding.

[2] Annual costs are rounded to the nearest dollar.
3 New facilities include those facilities that will initiate operations during the ICR period. This analysis assumes that new facilities become existing facilities after the first year of operation. As a result, in each year of this ICR, a different set of new facilities will become operational.
[4] The unit burden for a facility that needs to submit information because of a discharge is estimated to be one hour of management labor and one hour of technical labor, resulting in a total unit cost of $167. Because only 0.15 percent of all facilities are expected to meet the discharge criteria and submit information, the average unit burden is less than 0.05 hours, and is therefore indicated here as 0. However, the actual unit burden and cost estimates are used in later calculations.

Exhibit 6
Annual Burden and Unit Costs for All Required Information Collection Activities
                         Average Category II Facility
 Activity
                            Annual Burden Hours[1]
                              Total Burden Hours
                                   PE Costs
                                    (2021$)
                            Annual Costs (2021$)[2]

                                  Management
                                   Technical
                                    Drafter
                                   Clerical

Existing Facilities
Review the SPCC Plan
                                                                            0.3
                                                                            4.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.3
                                                                            4.5
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $518
Submit Information in the Event of Certain Discharges of Oil[5]
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                             $0
Revise the SPCC Plan
                                                                            0.4
                                                                            2.6
                                                                            0.3
                                                                            0.3
                                                                            3.4
                                                                           $445
                                                                           $853
Maintain the SPCC Plan and Keep Records
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            3.7
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            3.7
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $285
TOTAL
                                                                            0.7
                                                                           10.3
                                                                            0.3
                                                                            0.6
                                                                           11.9
                                                                           $445
                                                                         $1,657
New Facilities[3]
Prepare an SPCC Plan
                                                                            2.8
                                                                           38.9
                                                                           15.1
                                                                            5.1
                                                                           61.9
                                                                         $2,457
                                                                         $9,245
Prepare a Contingency Plan
                                                                            0.7
                                                                            3.5
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            1.0
                                                                            5.1
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $226
Submit Information in the Event of Certain Discharges of Oil[4]
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                             $0
Revise the SPCC Plan
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $5
                                                                             $9
Maintain the SPCC Plan and Keep Records
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            1.4
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            1.4
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $110
TOTAL
                                                                            3.5
                                                                           43.9
                                                                           15.2
                                                                            6.1
                                                                           68.7
                                                                         $2,462
                                                                         $9,590
[1] Unit burden estimates are weighted averages, rounded to the nearest tenth of an hour, based on the distribution of storage and production facilities and the number of facilities estimated to perform each activity during the one-year period. The numbers in this exhibit may not add precisely due to rounding.

[2] Annual costs are rounded to the nearest dollar.
3 New facilities include those facilities that will initiate operations during the ICR period. This analysis assumes that new facilities become existing facilities after the first year of operation. As a result, in each year of this ICR, a different set of new facilities will become operational.[4] The unit burden for a facility that needs to submit information because of a discharge is estimated to be one hour of management labor and one hour of technical labor, resulting in a total unit cost of $167. Because only 0.15 percent of all facilities are expected to meet the discharge criteria and submit information, the average unit burden is less than 0.05 hours, and is therefore indicated here as 0. However, the actual unit burden and cost estimates are used in later calculations.

Exhibit 7
Annual Burden and Unit Costs for All Required Information Collection Activities
                        Average Category III Facility
 Activity
                            Annual Burden Hours[1]
                              Total Burden Hours
                                   PE Costs
                                    (2021$)
                            Annual Costs (2021$)[2]

                                  Management
                                   Technical
                                    Drafter
                                   Clerical

Existing Facilities
Review the SPCC Plan
                                                                            0.5
                                                                            7.4
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.5
                                                                            8.3
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $957
Submit Information in the Event of Certain Discharges of Oil[5]
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                             $0
Revise the SPCC Plan
                                                                            0.8
                                                                            4.8
                                                                            0.4
                                                                            0.6
                                                                            6.2
                                                                           $817
                                                                         $1,562
Maintain the SPCC Plan and Keep Records
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            4.5
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            4.5
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $347
TOTAL
                                                                            1.3
                                                                           16.6
                                                                            0.4
                                                                            1.1
                                                                           19.5
                                                                           $817
                                                                         $2,866
New Facilities[3]
Prepare an SPCC Plan
                                                                            5.5
                                                                           72.7
                                                                           30.0
                                                                            6.0
                                                                          114.2
                                                                         $4,566
                                                                        $17,089
Prepare a Contingency Plan
                                                                            0.7
                                                                            3.5
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            1.0
                                                                            5.1
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $226
Submit Information in the Event of Certain Discharges of Oil[4]
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                             $0
Revise the SPCC Plan
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.1
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.1
                                                                             $0
                                                                             $0
Maintain the SPCC Plan and Keep Records
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            2.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            2.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $156
TOTAL
                                                                            6.2
                                                                           78.4
                                                                           30.0
                                                                            7.0
                                                                          121.6
                                                                         $4,566
                                                                        $17,472
[1] Unit burden estimates are weighted averages, rounded to the nearest tenth of an hour, based on the distribution of storage and production facilities and the number of facilities estimated to perform each activity during the one-year period. The numbers in this exhibit may not add precisely due to rounding.

[2] Annual costs are rounded to the nearest dollar.
3 New facilities include those facilities that will initiate operations during the ICR period. This analysis assumes that new facilities become existing facilities after the first year of operation. As a result, in each year of this ICR, a different set of new facilities will become operational.
[4] The unit burden for a facility that needs to submit information because of a discharge is estimated to be one hour of management labor and one hour of technical labor, resulting in a total unit cost of $167. Because only 0.15 percent of all facilities are expected to meet the discharge criteria and submit information, the average unit burden is less than 0.05 hours, and is therefore indicated here as 0. However, the actual unit burden and cost estimates are used in later calculations.

Exhibit 8
Annual Burden and Unit Costs for All Required Information Collection Activities
                         Average Category IV Facility
 Activity
                            Annual Burden Hours[1]
                              Total Burden Hours
                                   PE Costs
                                    (2021$)
                            Annual Costs (2021$)[2]

                                  Management
                                   Technical
                                    Drafter
                                   Clerical

 Existing Facilities
 Review the SPCC Plan
                                                                            0.9
                                                                           13.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.9
                                                                           14.7
                                                                             $0
                                                                         $1,687
 Submit Information in the Event of Certain Discharges of Oil[5]
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                             $0
Revise the SPCC Plan
                                                                            1.4
                                                                            8.4
                                                                            0.5
                                                                            1.1
                                                                           10.9
                                                                         $1,444
                                                                         $2,740
 Maintain the SPCC Plan and Keep Records
                                                                            0.4
                                                                           12.1
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.8
                                                                           13.2
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $859
TOTAL
                                                                            2.7
                                                                           33.4
                                                                            0.5
                                                                            2.7
                                                                           39.4
                                                                         $1,444
                                                                         $5,287
 New Facilities
Prepare an SPCC Plan
                                                                           10.9
                                                                          126.1
                                                                           40.9
                                                                           13.5
                                                                          191.4
                                                                         $8,115
                                                                        $29,114
 Prepare a Contingency Plan
                                                                            0.7
                                                                            3.5
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            1.0
                                                                            5.1
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $226
 Submit Information in the Event of Certain Discharges of Oil[4]
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                             $0
 Revise the SPCC Plan
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.1
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.1
                                                                            $16
                                                                            $31
 Maintain the SPCC Plan and Keep Records
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            7.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            0.0
                                                                            7.0
                                                                             $0
                                                                           $554
TOTAL
                                                                           11.5
                                                                          136.9
                                                                           40.8
                                                                           14.5
                                                                          203.8
                                                                         $8,132
                                                                        $29,926
[1] Unit burden estimates are weighted averages, rounded to the nearest tenth of an hour, based on the distribution of storage and production facilities and the number of facilities estimated to perform each activity during the one-year period. The numbers in this exhibit may not add precisely due to rounding.

[2] Annual costs are rounded to the nearest dollar.
3 New facilities include those facilities that will initiate operations during the ICR period. This analysis assumes that new facilities become existing facilities after the first year of operation. As a result, in each year of this ICR, a different set of new facilities will become operational.
[4] The unit burden for a facility that needs to submit information because of a discharge is estimated to be one hour of management labor and one hour of technical labor, resulting in a total unit cost of $167. Because only 0.15 percent of all facilities are expected to meet the discharge criteria and submit information, the average unit burden is less than 0.05 hours, and is therefore indicated here as 0. However, the actual unit burden and cost estimates are used in later calculations.

6(c) 	Estimating Agency Burden and Costs

      EPA incurs costs associated with the evaluation of information submitted in accordance with 40 CFR §112.4, as well as consideration of appeals and extension requests. This section summarizes the estimated burden and cost of these activities to EPA. Burden estimates are based on input from EPA regional staff involved directly with the implementation of 40 CFR part 112. Exhibit 9 shows the total burden and labor cost to EPA. As described in section 6(b), EPA assumed that 0.15 percent of regulated facilities would submit information to EPA for review. The costs to EPA are not included in the calculation of total cost and burden hours for regulated entities because EPA is not considered a "person" as the term applies to regulated entities.

       EPA labor costs are based on the January 2021 General Schedule (GS) pay schedule. EPA estimates an average hourly labor cost of $43.79 for managerial staff (GS-13), and $30.59 for technical staff (GS-11). EPA then multiplied hourly rates by the standard government overhead factor of 1.6, which resulted in adjusted rates of $70.06 and $48.95, respectively. Unit costs were calculated as unit burden estimates multiplied by the hourly labor rates for EPA personnel.

Exhibit 9
                   Estimated Annual Burden and Cost to EPA
                                   Activity
                                 Burden Hours
                              Total Costs (2021)

Management
                                   Technical
                                   Clerical
                                     Total

Plan Evaluations*
                                                                            825
                                                                          8,249
                                                                              0
                                                                          9,074
                                                                      $463,297
Review of Comments
                                                                            412
                                                                            412
                                                                              0
                                                                            825
                                                                       $49,171
Consideration of Appeals
                                                                            660
                                                                              0
                                                                              0
                                                                            660
                                                                       $46,234
Total
                                                                          1,897
                                                                          8,661
                                                                              0
                                                                         10,558
                                                                       $558,703
*Plan evaluations are conducted as part of compliance monitoring activities.
 Note: Costs may not total due to rounding; January 2021 OPM General Schedule.

6(d)	Estimating the Respondent Universe and Total Burden and Cost

      EPA estimates an annual average of 550,350 respondents for the three years of this collection. As shown in Exhibit 12, EPA estimates 550,400 respondents in 2023, 550,300 respondents in 2024, and 550,300 respondents in 2025.

      This section describes the universe of facilities subject to SPCC regulations. The SPCC rule does not include a notification requirement and, with certain exceptions, owners and operators do not submit their SPCC Plans to EPA.

      EPA started from its prior estimates of the number of facilities projected to be subject to the SPCC requirements in 2016 (77 FR 74659) and adjusted the number of farm facilities that are expected to incur burden during the ICR period of 2023 through 2025. EPA adjusted the universe of farms to reflect the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014 and Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act of 2016, which modified the applicability of the SPCC rule to farms in certain size categories. Specifically, EPA used data from the study conducted in response to WRRDA (Oil Storage on U.S. Farms: Risks and Opportunities for Protecting Surface Waters ) as the basis for its estimates of the number of farm facilities with aggregate oil storage capacities between 2,500 and 6,000 U.S. gallons, between 6,000 and 20,000 U.S. gallons, and greater than 20,000 U.S. gallons. EPA distributed farms with aggregate storage capacity greater than 20,000 U.S. gallons among the size categories in proportion to the prior estimates developed for the ICR period of 2019 through 2022.

 	Industry Growth Rates

       To project the number of existing and new facilities regulated under the SPCC rule over the 2023 through 2025 ICR period, EPA used industry-specific growth rates for new and existing facilities.

       To estimate industry-specific growth rates for existing facilities of all SPCC-related industry categories except farms and oil production, EPA used the same 2006 and 2016 U.S. Economic Census data on the number of establishments in each industry, identified by NAICS code, as in the previous ICR due to data limitations. Where complete data did not exist for those years, EPA used 2011 and 2016 Economic Census data or the Department of Energy's Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey for 2003 and 2012. EPA used an extended time period to estimate industry-specific growth rates to attempt to account for diverse economic conditions under which SPCC-regulated industries operate. To estimate annual growth rates for agricultural establishments, EPA used data reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Census of Agriculture on the number of farms in the United States from 2007 and 2017.

       EPA estimated the growth rates for new facilities using 2006 through 2016 Business Employment Dynamics (BDS) data from the BLS. EPA matched nine BDS sectors with SPCC industry classifications (Exhibit 10), and averaged annual rate of entry data over 10 years. The BDS classifies establishments that change hands as new establishments, but these establishments would not be expected to develop a new SPCC Plan. Instead, a new owner may amend the existing Plan. EPA assumed that 25 percent of the new establishments projected using the BDS rates would need to develop a new SPCC Plan and 75 percent would amend the existing Plan for the facility.

Exhibit 10
               Mapping of SPCC Industry Categories to BDS Sectors
Industry Category
                                 NAICS Code(s)
                                   BDS Sector
Oil and Gas Extraction
                                    211111
                                 Manufacturing
Farms
                                   111, 112
                 Agricultural Services, Forestry, and Fishing
Electric Utility Plants
                                     2211
                      Transportation and Public Utilities
Petroleum Refining and Related Industries
                                      324
                                 Manufacturing
Chemical Manufacturing
                                      325
                                 Manufacturing
Food Manufacturing
                                   311, 312
                                 Manufacturing
Manufacturing Facilities Using and Storing Animal Fats and Vegetable Oils
                                   311, 325
                                 Manufacturing
Metal Manufacturing
                                   331, 332
                                 Manufacturing
Other Manufacturing
                                     31-33
                                 Manufacturing
Real Estate Rental and Leasing
                                    531-533
                             Finance, Insurance,
                                and Real Estate
Retail Trade
                             441-446, 448, 451-454
                                 Retail Trade
Contract Construction
                                      23
                                 Construction
Wholesale Trade
                                      42
                                Wholesale Trade
Other Commercial
                              492, 541, 561, 562
                                   Services
Transportation
                                 481, 483-488
                      Transportation and Public Utilities
Arts Entertainment & Recreation
                                    711-713
                                 Retail Trade
Other Services (Except Public Administration)
                                    811-813
                                   Services
Education
                                      61
                                   Services
Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals
                                     4247
                                Wholesale Trade
Hospitals & Other Health Care
                                    621,622
                                   Services
Accommodation and Food Services
                                   721, 722
                                 Retail Trade
Fuel Oil Dealers
                                     45431
                                Wholesale Trade
Gasoline Stations
                                     4471
                                   Services
Information Finance and Insurance
                                    51, 52
                             Finance, Insurance,
                                and Real Estate
Mining
                                      212
                                    Mining
Warehousing and Storage
                                      493
                                   Services
Pipelines
                                  4861, 48691
                                 Manufacturing
Government
                                      92
                                   Services
Military Installations
                                    928110
                                   Services
Religious Organizations
                                    813110
                                   Services

	In total, EPA estimated that nearly will be regulated by the SPCC rule in 2023. Oil production facilities (44 percent), electric utilities (12 percent), real estate rental and leasing (6 percent), and farms (4 percent), account for the majority of SPCC-regulated facilities. Petroleum bulk stations and terminals comprise one percent of SPCC-regulated facilities.

 	Exhibits 11 and 12 present the estimated number of existing and new SPCC-regulated facilities that are expected to incur a burden associated with the final amendments to the SPCC rule. The count of facilities includes facilities owned or operated by private entities, facilities owned or operated by state or local governments, and facilities owned or operated by the Federal government. Exhibit 11 presents the number of facilities by facility type  -  storage and production facilities  -  for the first year of the ICR renewal period, 2023. Exhibit 12 presents the number of facilities for the entire analysis period, 2023 through 2025.

Exhibit 11
                     Number of Existing and New Facilities
                           (First Year of ICR: 2023)
                                 Facility Type
                    Category I (1,320-10,000 U.S. gallons)*
                   Category II (10,001-42,000 U.S. gallons)
               Category III (42,001 to 1 million U.S. gallons)
                   Category IV (>1 million U.S. gallons)
                                     Total

Storage
                                                                       189,000
                                                                        77,800
                                                                        35,200
                                                                         2,877
                                                                       304,900
Existing
Production
                                                                        28,900
                                                                       155,600
                                                                        40,900
                                                                           401
                                                                       225,800

Total
                                                                       217,900
                                                                       233,400
                                                                        76,100
                                                                         3,278
                                                                       530,700

Storage
                                                                         5,734
                                                                         2,697
                                                                         1,203
                                                                            90
                                                                         9,724
New
Production
                                                                         1,279
                                                                         6,892
                                                                         1,812
                                                                            18
                                                                        10,000

Total
                                                                         7,013
                                                                         9,588
                                                                         3,015
                                                                           107
                                                                        19,700
Total
                                                                        224,900
                                                                       243,000
                                                                        79,100
                                                                         3,385
                                                                       550,400
 Note: values may not total due to rounding.
 * Category I includes farms with aggregate oil storage capacity up to 19,999 U.S. gallons.

Exhibit 12
                     Number of Existing and New Facilities
                          (ICR Period: 2023  -  2025)

                              Facility Type/ Year
                                  Category I
                         (1,320-10,000 U.S. gallons)*
                   Category II (10,001-42,000 U.S. gallons)
               Category III (42,001 to 1 million U.S. gallons)
                   Category IV (>1 million U.S. gallons)
                                     Total

                                    Tier I
                                  All Others

Existing
                                Year 1  -  2023
                                                                       122,500
                                                                        95,400
                                                                       233,400
                                                                        76,100
                                                                         3,278
                                                                       530,700

                                Year 2  -  2024
                                                                       122,800
                                                                        95,300
                                                                       232,800
                                                                        76,000
                                                                         3,272
                                                                       530,200

                                Year 3  -  2025
                                                                       123,200
                                                                        95,200
                                                                       232,300
                                                                        75,800
                                                                         3,266
                                                                       529,800
New
                                Year 1  -  2023
                                                                         3,930
                                                                         3,083
                                                                         9,588
                                                                         3,015
                                                                           107
                                                                        19,700

                                Year 2  -  2024
                                                                         4,027
                                                                         3,152
                                                                         9,767
                                                                         3,074
                                                                           110
                                                                        20,100

                                Year 3  -  2025
                                                                         4,126
                                                                         3,224
                                                                         9,950
                                                                         3,135
                                                                           113
                                                                        20,500
Total
                                Year 1  -  2023
                                                                       126,400
                                                                        98,500
                                                                       243,000
                                                                        79,100
                                                                         3,385
                                                                       550,400

                                Year 2  -  2024
                                                                       126,900
                                                                        98,500
                                                                       242,600
                                                                        79,000
                                                                         3,382
                                                                       550,300

                                Year 3  -  2025
                                                                       127,300
                                                                        98,400
                                                                       242,200
                                                                        79,000
                                                                         3,379
                                                                       550,300
 Note: values may not total due to rounding.
 * Category I includes farms with aggregate oil storage capacity up to 19,999 U.S. gallons.

	6(e)	Bottom Line Burden Hours and Cost Tables

 			(i) Respondent Tally
 			(ii) The Agency Tally
 			(iii) Variations in the Annual Bottom Line

      The total burden hours are estimated as the average per-facility burden multiplied by the number of affected facilities. Similarly, the total cost for all respondents is estimated by multiplying the number of facilities in each size category by the unit costs for each compliance activity. The total annual burden and costs for all respondents in each category are presented in Exhibits13 through 18 for each facility size. The annual average total burden is estimated at 6.6 million hours; the annual average total cost is estimated at $896 million.

Exhibit 13
                      Total Annual Burden and Costs for
                    Average Category I Facilities (Tier I)
 Activity
                            Annual Burden Hours[1]
                              Total Burden Hours
                                   PE Costs
                                    (2021$)
                            Annual Costs (2021$)[2]

                                  Management
                                   Technical
                                    Drafter
                                   Clerical

Existing Facilities
Review the SPCC Plan and Revise as Needed[3]
                                                                        34,100
                                                                       101,000
                                                                         44,300
                                                                             -
                                                                       179,400
                                                                             $0
                                                                    $16,712,000
Submit Information in the Event of Certain Discharges of Oil
                                                                           256
                                                                           256
                                                                             -
                                                                             -
                                                                           511
                                                                             $0
                                                                        $42,600
Maintain the SPCC Plan and Keep Records
                                                                             -
                                                                       460,200
                                                                             -
                                                                             -
                                                                       460,200
                                                                             $0
                                                                    $35,808,000
TOTAL
                                                                        34,400
                                                                       561,400
                                                                        44,300
                                                                             -
                                                                       640,100
                                                                             $0
                                                                    $52,563,000
New Facilities
Prepare an SPCC Plan
                                                                         5,604
                                                                        16,600
                                                                             -
                                                                             -
                                                                        22,200
                                                                             $0
                                                                     $2,747,000
Prepare a Contingency Plan
                                                                         3,655
                                                                        19,400
                                                                             -
                                                                         5,365
                                                                        28,400
                                                                             $0
                                                                     $1,269,000
Submit Information in the Event of Certain Discharges of Oil
                                                                             8
                                                                             8
                                                                             -
                                                                             -
                                                                            17
                                                                             $0
                                                                         $1,402
Revise the SPCC Plan
                                                                            20
                                                                           118
                                                                            17
                                                                            16
                                                                           153
                                                                             $0
                                                                        $40,400
Maintain the SPCC Plan and Keep Records
                                                                             -
                                                                        20,600
                                                                             -
                                                                             -
                                                                        20,600
                                                                             $0
                                                                     $1,604,000
TOTAL
                                                                         9,287
                                                                        56,700
                                                                            17
                                                                         5,381
                                                                        71,400
                                                                             $0
                                                                     $5,662,000
[1] Unit burden estimates are estimated totals, rounded to the nearest three significant figures of an hour, based on the distribution of storage and production facilities and the number of facilities estimated to perform each activity during the one-year period. The numbers in this exhibit may not add precisely due to rounding.

[2] Annual costs are rounded to the three significant figures.
[3] The burden of reviewing and revising the SPCC Plan for a Tier I facility is assumed to be no more than that of preparing a new SPCC Plan using the Template and is assumed to be incurred once every five years.

Exhibit 14
            Total Annual Burden and Costs for All Other Facilities
Average Category I Facilities (Includes Private, State and Local Government, and Federal Government)
 Activity
                            Annual Burden Hours[1]
                              Total Burden Hours
                                   PE Costs
                                    (2021$)
                            Annual Costs (2021$)[2]

                                  Management
                                   Technical
                                    Drafter
                                   Clerical

Existing Facilities
Review the SPCC Plan
                                                                        17,200
                                                                       133,500
                                                                             -
                                                                        17,200
                                                                       167,900
                                                                             $0
                                                                    $18,907,000
Submit Information in the Event of Certain Discharges of Oil
                                                                            71
                                                                            71
                                                                             -
                                                                             -
                                                                           143
                                                                             $0
                                                                        $11,900
Revise the SPCC Plan
                                                                        14,500
                                                                        86,800
                                                                         12,400
                                                                        11,600
                                                                       124,100
                                                                             $0
                                                                    $29,820,000
Maintain the SPCC Plan and Keep Records
                                                                             -
                                                                       128,600
                                                                             -
                                                                             -
                                                                       128,600
                                                                             $0
                                                                    $10,004,000
TOTAL
                                                                        31,700
                                                                       349,000
                                                                        12,400
                                                                        28,700
                                                                       296,600
                                                                             $0
                                                                    $58,744,000
New Facilities
Prepare an SPCC Plan
                                                                         2,843
                                                                        42,600
                                                                        15,800
                                                                         5,732
                                                                        67,000
                                                                             $0
                                                                     $7,279,000
Prepare a Contingency Plan
                                                                         1,028
                                                                         5,458
                                                                             -